Cats with Bad Breath

If your cat has halitosis (stinky breath), there may be an underlying cause that should be checked out by your veterinarian. Your cat’s bad breath can be a sign of diabetes, kidney or intestinal trouble, liver disease, skin problems, or an injury. Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine says that the most common cause of bad breath is actually periodontal disease.

Plaque buildup, food stuck between the teeth, and a bad tooth can all cause problems with your cat’s teeth, and they should be brushed regularly, just like our teeth. There are tooth gels specifically for brushing your cat’s teeth, and you should never use human toothpaste on kitties. Cornell suggests slowly getting your cat used to having their teeth cleaned and even has an instructional video on how to brush cat’s teeth.

If you’ve read, “Treating Cat Worms at Home,” you also know that bad breath can also be a sign that your cat has intestinal parasites, such as worms. Bad breath can be caused by something as simple as the fact that your kitty just polished off a can of tuna. Your cat should not, however, have long bouts of having bad breath, especially incredibly bad breath.

If your cat frequently has bad breath, make sure you get her to the vet for a checkup. Also pay attention to what your cat’s breath smells like, as this might give your vet a sign as to what the cause is.

• Periodontal Disease – Your cat’s breath will smell like a human’s bad breath, and the gums might be red or swollen
• Diabetes – Your cat’s breath will smell sweet or fruity, and they might urinate frequently or drink excessive amounts of water.
• Kidney Disease – Your cat’s breath will smell like urine or ammonia, and they might urinate frequently, drink excessively, and have a loss of appetite.
• Liver Disorders – Your cat’s breath will smell exceptionally bad! They might also have yellow eyes or gums, abdominal swelling, and loss of appetite.

There are other ways to help keep your cat’s teeth clean and her breath smelling nice and fresh. Crunchy kitty treats help to remove tartar and reduce plaque buildup. There are also kitty breath strips and breath drops, but you want to make sure you aren’t covering up an underlying medical condition by masking bad breath rather than curing the cause.

Call your vet immediately if you see signs of:

• Discharge
• Blood
• Drooling
• Difficulty eating or swallowing
• Pain
• or Lethargy and Depression

Dutches, Blue Point Himalayan

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