My cat has bad teeth, what causes this?

Question

He's only 4. The vet says he has to get some of them pulled. So sad! What could have caused this to happen at such a young age? The other cats we've had haven't had this problem Also will he be able to eat okay without all of his teeth?

Answer 1

It could be the breed or the kind of food he's been eating. My cats' get their teeth cleaned and one of my cats had 2 teeth pulled. I understand that it's painful for them to have bad teeth essentially. It's better to have them pulled. Mouth pain is hard on them, just like us.

Just do it. Go with what the vet says. You could get a second opinion. It's up to you but don't wait.  

Answer 2

The type of food and not brushing them!

Answer 3

Processed cat food.  In the wild they would have to chew through fur or feathers and bone to get fed - that would remove the tartar from the teeth.   They develop gum disease and the teeth go bad or fall out

Answer 4

The stuff it is eating and no brushing teeth. Some cats require a tooth brush and kitty tooth paste that you can find at your local pet store. You should be brushing her teeth every day or every few days. She will be fine with a few of her teeth missing you should probally start to give her a little bit of soft food every few weeks before you purchase the food talk to your vet about the food to see if its healthy food for your cat.

Answer 5

how often did you brush your cat's teeth.  if you went 4 years with out brushing your teeth or going to the dentist how good would your teeth be?  the begining of the year I had one of my cats in for a dental cleaning and then next year his brother will be going in for one.  just to keep them as healthy as I can.

Answer 6

If you haven't done so already, this cat should immediately be tested by your vet for Feline Leukemia and FIV.  Both of these diseases can cause teeth and gum problems, resulting in problems like you're describing.  Your vet will do a blood test and have the results for you in about 20 min.  Please get this done if you haven't already.  It's very important.  I'm surprised your vet didn't mention this.

Answer 7

Wet canned food, feed dry it takes off tarter and prevents build up.

Answer 8

He'll be able to eat fine though depending on how many teeth are pulled you may have to feed primarily wet food, which is good for him anyway. Some cats are just more prone to dental disease and tooth degradation.