Cat Behavior Article

How to Cure a Cat of Bad Breath

Ask any cat owner and they can tell you that sometimes kitty can get downright horrible breath. Most pet owners have experienced their pet having bad breath. The bad breath that you may smell coming from your pet's mouth is not all that unlike human bad breath. As a matter of fact, pet bad breath and human bad breath both have the same culprit to blame, and that would be bacteria.

Bacteria which are present in both pet and human mouths create bad breath by breaking down the protein leftover from eating at mealtime. When the bacteria break down the leftover protein they also release a compound called sulfur, which accounts for the bad breath smell. The buildup of bacteria can be directly related to the amount of tartar buildup in your cat’s mouth, which in turn determines how bad your cat’s breath actually smells. Tartar is the yellowish substance on the teeth which is composed of food, bacteria and minerals.

In order to improve your cat’s breath it is important that you get rid of the tartar buildup on his teeth. You can purchase cat food which is specially made to remove the buildup of tartar on your cat’s teeth. Some of these cat foods actually have added enzyme which will dissolve the tartar from the cat’s teeth. There are also certain kitty treats which will help your cat rid himself of unwanted tartar buildup. If these methods do not work for you, have kitty’s teeth cleaned professionally.

If you would like to try to clean your cat’s teeth yourself before paying someone else to so it, you can buy specially made tartar removing toothpaste. Some of these toothpastes contain the dissolving enzymes which will get your cat’s teeth clean. You will also need to make use of a mechanical toothbrush to aid in kitty’s dental health. If you start kitty’s dental health regimen early, you can help prevent the tartar from building up on his teeth from the get go. This will make sure that your cat never has a bad breath problem.

If you have been brushing your cat’s teeth and using the tartar control foods and treats but still have a cat with bad breath, it may not be a tartar problem at all. Instead you cat may be suffering from another health issue all together. In some cases kidney or liver disease can trigger bouts of bad breath in cats. If your cat seems to have bad breath and you do not think that is being caused by a tartar problem, then you should take your cat to the vet as soon as possible. Your vet can tell you if there is anything seriously wrong with your beloved pet, and what you can do about it.