Causes and Treatment of Bad Breath in Cats

There are many different causes of bad breath in cats including their diet, mouth infections, and certain diseases. While most cats will have bad breath it should not be so bad that you just cannot stand it. If you notice that your cat's bad breath is not going away with diet change or lifestyle changes then there may be a bigger problem at hand. Here are some causes and treatments of bad breath in cats.

Causes of Cat Bad Breath: Food

Of course what your kitty eats will change his breath smell. Bad breath in cats is usually caused initially by their food source which is primarily meat and fish. If you think that fish is the reason that you can't stand your feline friend's breath than try feeding you cat a different food for a week to see if this helps the situation any. Non fish based foods tend to smell a bit less.

Causes of Cat Bad Breath: Dental Hygiene

Do you brush your cat's teeth? Brushing the kitty's teeth regularly will help to reduce the build up that can cause bad breath. I like to use the finger style toothbrush for cats. It's very small and fits over your finger so all you have to do is stick your finger in your cat's mouth and rub the brush on his teeth. (if you have a particularly snippy kitty this may not be the best option for you!) You can purchase a cat toothbrush at the pet store and there are also some different options for toothpaste as well.

Causes of Cat Bad Breath: Bad Teeth

If you don't brush your cats teeth then treating bad breath may be a matter of simply taking the cat to the veterinarian to have his teeth checked out. Bad teeth will cause decay and bacteria to build up in your cat's mouth giving the cat bad breath. Check your cat's mouth regularly for poor teeth that may have broken and began to decay as this may be the cause of your cat's bad breath. If this is the case a veterinarian can determine whether treating the cat's bad breath warrants pulling the tooth.

Causes of Cat Bad Breath: Disease

Unfortunately, periodontal disease is also a leading cause of bad breath in cats. This will have to be determined by your veterinarian and at that time he can prescribe a way of treating the cat bad breath. One of my cats actually had periodontal disease years ago and the treatment consisted of better hygiene including brushing my cat's teeth as well as an oral antibiotic that helped to kill of the infection in the gums.