dental health

Review: MAXI/GUARD Oral Cleansing Gel

Feline Health, Products| 11 Comments

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Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem in cats. Seventy to ninety percent of cats have some level of dental disease. If left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your cat, ranging from bad breath, dental pain and loose teeth to systemic illnesses that can be life-threatening.

The most effective way to prevent dental disease is to brush your cat’s teeth. Ideally, you get your cat used to this when she’s still a kitten, but even older cats can learn to accept having their teeth brushed. You can read my account of how I trained Allegra and Ruby to accept having their teeth brushed here.Continue Reading

2015 in Review: Our 5 Most Popular Feline Health Posts

Feline Health| 3 Comments

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2015 has been a very good year for all of us here at The Conscious Cat. Our readership and fan base grew rapidly, thanks to all of you who read this blog every day, comment here and on our Facebook page, and share what you read with your friends and followers. Allegra, Ruby and I appreciate your support more than words can say.

With close to 400 posts, it’s hard to highlight only a handful of posts. Today, I’m featuring the year’s 5 most popular posts in the Feline Health category.Continue Reading

Allegra Goes to the Dentist – Part Two: Preparation

Feline Health| 2 Comments

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This is the second installment of our four-part series Allegra Goes to the Dentist, in which I share my recent experience with Allegra. I’m hoping that it will not only put your mind at ease if you’re faced with a cat who has to have a dental procedure, but that it will also help you ensure that your cat gets the optimal level of care before, during and after her dental work.

If you’ve missed the first part in this series, please read Allegra Goes to the Dentist – Part One: Diagnosis, and Choosing a Veterinary DentistContinue Reading

Allegra Goes to the Dentist – Part One: Diagnosis, and Choosing a Veterinary Dentist

Feline Health| 18 Comments

veterinary-dentist

Finding out that your cat needs dental work provokes anxiety in most cat guardians, and despite my years of working in veterinary clinics, and having been through many dental procedures with the cats that came before Allegra and Ruby, there’s not much that makes me feel as anxious as the thought of one of my babies having to undergo anesthesia. This is a four-part series in which I share my recent experience with Allegra. I’m hoping that it will not only put your minds at ease if you’re faced with a cat who has to have a dental procedure, but that it will also help you ensure that your cat gets the optimal level of care before, during and after her dental work.Continue Reading

Allegra, Ruby and the Dental Treat

Allegra's World, Ruby's Reflections| 13 Comments

cat-dental-treat

Dental health is vitally important to cats. Brushing is the most effective way to prevent dental disease – and before you say you couldn’t possibly brush your cat’s teeth, let me tell you that I never thought I’d be able to get Allegra and Ruby used to having their teeth brushed, but with patience and persistence, it has become part of our nightly routine to the point where the girls will actually “remind” me on the occasional night when I get sidetracked (they start pacing in the kitchen in front of the counter where I keep their brushes and toothpaste.)

After their nightly brushing, the girls each get a C.E.T. Dental Chew Treat.Continue Reading

How to Keep Your Cat’s Teeth Healthy

Feline Health| 32 Comments

cat-healthy-teeth

Dental disease is the most frequently diagnosed health problem for cats. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, an astounding 70 percent of cats show signs of oral disease by age 3.

What is dental disease?

Normal teeth should be white or just a little yellow. Gums should be light pink and smooth (except in breeds with pigmented gums). Oral disease begins with a build up of plaque and tartar in your cat’s mouth. Without proper preventive and therapeutic care, plaque and tartar buildup leads to periodontal disease, which manifests in red and/or swollen and tender gums, bad breath, and bleeding. When the gums are swollen, they can be painful – a good rule of thumb is that if it looks like it might be painful, it probably is. Cats are masters at masking pain – when in doubt, assume that your cat is experiencing at least some discomfort.Continue Reading

Kitten Teeth: Everything You Need to Know

Feline Health| 1 Comment

kitten-teeth

Just like humans, cats have two sets of teeth: deciduous teeth, also known as milk teeth, and permanent teeth.

Kittens are born without teeth, but within the first two to three weeks the deciduous teeth, also known as milk teeth, baby teeth, or primary teeth, erupt. All of the deciduous teeth are present by 6 to 7 weeks of age. These milk teeth will start to fall out around 3 months of age as the permanent teeth begin to erupt. Once a kitten reaches the age of 6 or 7 months, all 30 permanent teeth should be present.Continue Reading

Ruby’s Reflections: eating treats, the Ruby way

Ruby's Reflections| 15 Comments

Ruby_cat_window_perch

Hi everyone! It’s Ruby! It’s been a while since I got to write something here!

Mom said I should share with you what I do when she gives me treats. She says it makes her laugh every single time I do it. I don’t know what she’s talking about. Treats are serious business, and there’s nothing funny about eating them!

As soon as Mom gets out the bag of treats, and puts a piece in front of me, I reach out and put my paw on it. You never know, Mom might change her mind and take it back. Also, sometimes, Allegra tries to snatch my treats away from me if Mom isn’t fast enough in getting Allegra’s treat out of the bag! A girl can never be too careful. Once I can be sure that the treat is mine, I start batting it around a little. Mom always laughs when I do that, which makes it even more fun. I love making Mom laugh.

Once I’ve batted it around a bit, I eat it, and then I go back to MomContinue Reading

Save on Cat Care Expenses Without Compromising Your Cat’s Health

Feline Health| 5 Comments

kitten_with_money

Costs for pet health care, food and other supplies continue to increase just as human health care and food costs are rising. There’s plenty of advice out there on how to save on pet care expenses. Suggestions range from price-shopping for a vet to foregoing veterinary care altogether in favor of at-home “medical” care, purchasing vaccines online and administering them yourself, and buying the cheapest food. All of this advice couldn’t be more wrong, and will most likely put your cat’s health at risk.

The following tips can help you save on cat care expenses without compromising your cat’s health:Continue Reading

Stomatitis: Painful for Cats, Frustrating for Guardians and Veterinarians

Feline Health| 67 Comments

tortoiseshell-cat-window

Stomatitis is is one of the most painful and frustrating conditions cats can develop. Buckley suffered from this condition; a severe inflammation of the oral cavity in cats in which the affected cat essentially becomes allergic to her own teeth. The outward signs of this condition are red, inflamed, and often ulcerated gums, and this can be very painful for the cat.Continue Reading