At one point, my guest Rita had 20 cats. We talk with Rita & Linda, Founders of Cat Behavior Alliance about their mission, vision, and all things cats from feeding, adoption, rehoming, training, behavior, supplements, and much more.

When your cat is accustomed to the taste and feel of the toothbrush, and you are both comfortable with facial handling, you are ready to start brushing. In order to brush your cat’s teeth, you may need to hold your cat to study the head. Experiment and practice so that you can find the method that works best for your particular situation. For example, you can use one hand cradle your cat’s head tilted back slightly so the mouth will open a little. Or, cup your hand behind the cat’s head and use your thumb to lift the lip just enough to slip the brush into the mouth. Remember your cat’s whiskers are sensitive, so avoid pulling on them when you handle his or her head. With the bristles pointed up, slip to brush under the lip, and brush the upper front tooth. Turn the brush so the bristles point down and brush the lower front tooth. Brush the front teeth on the other side in the same way. Reward immediately with a treat. When brushing, use gentle short back-and-forth strokes. Cats have sensitive, relatively fragile gums compared to dogs and people. To clean under the gums, point bristles upwards while brushing the upper teeth in point bristles downwards while brushing the lower teeth. Angling the bristles in this way allows them to clean a very small space that surrounds each tooth where the gum meets the tooth. It is in the space that plaque quickly accumulates and infection can begin. Brushing the outer surfaces of the teeth is normally sufficient. Cats can usually keep the inner tooth surfaces clean with their tongue. Sometimes, problem areas will need special attention. Your veterinarian can show you these areas.

Choose a quiet location to minimise distractions. Run warm water over the toothbrush, place a dab of toothpaste on it, and encourage your cat to sample it. If you prefer, you can begin with the finger brush. But, as your toothbrushing skills improve, you should progressed to a bristled brush. If your cat doesn’t lick the toothpaste from the brush, after a dab of toothpaste a treat or on your fingertip. Or, attach the nozzle to the tube and allow your cat to sample the paste directly from the tip. Eventually, you may be able to carefully progress to introducing the toothpaste through the nozzle into the cheek area of your cat’s mouth. This method can gently acquaint your cat to the necessary facial handling involved in toothbrushing. Reward with a treat immediately. This exercise create appeal for the flavour of the toothpaste and acceptance for the feel of the brush bristles. Repeat this procedure daily until your cat will readily accept the toothpaste from the brush. Always reward with a treat.

The rate of progress depends on your cats personality and on your own dexterity. Generally, the timeframe to progress from introducing the brush and paste to brushing all of the teeth seems to be anywhere from one week to 1 month. From your cat’s perspective, home dental care can mean nice attention from you, tasty toothpaste delivered on a soft brush, and a treat afterwards. If you invest a bit of patience and a few extra minutes now, you can make sure that your cat will always think of toothbrushing as a pleasant experience. Eventually, your cat will show eager anticipation when you get out the brush, toothpaste, and a treat.

We discuss toothbrushing, adoption, and spraying 🆚 inappropriate urination…

As with with any new experience, the first impression is important. When you begin teaching your cat about toothbrushing, you are introducing a new routine that will be a lifelong habit. Take your time. Let your cat accept each stage of this new routine before moving onto the next one. Toothbrushing can become a pleasant routine. Cats are good at forming habits and respond well to a consistent routine. When you consistently repeat a routine, your cat learns to anticipate your actions. You and your cat have already established a daily routine for feeding. Your cat lets you know that he or she expects to be fed at certain times. If you have more than one cat to care for, establish a “brushing order” and follow it. This is avoids jealousy by letting everyone know that his or her turn will come. Use reassurance and rewards, never reprimands. If at any time your cat is anxious, give reassurance by talking and petting, and try again. Expect progress, not perfection. Reward any progress immediately with a treat.

Toothbrushes have bristles that reach under the gumline and clean the very small space that surrounds each tooth. Plaque accumulates in the space. Devices such as gauze pads, sponge swabs, or cotton swabs remove plaque above the gumline, but cannot adequately clean the space below the gumline. Sometimes pads or swabs are helpful for introducing toothbrushing… Cats need a special toothbrush that fits the shape of their mouth. Cats have very little room between their back teeth and the inside of their cheeks. Pushing a typical toothbrush head into this cheek area can cause discomfort by stretching the skin around the mouth and pressing the bristles into the gums… You can get a toothbrush that has long soft bristles shaped into appointed tough. By placing just the tough the bristles between the cheek and teeth, the back teeth can be brushed without causing discomfort… With regular used, the bristles will lose their tough shape and will feel stiff. Timely replacement is important because I blunted brush cannot reach the back teeth, and stiff bristle irritate the gums... Toothpastes made for people should not be used for cats… Swallowing human toothpaste may result in indigestion and/or excessive sodium (salt) intake. Toothpaste developed especially for cats are available from your veterinarian. One reason that these toothpaste are recommended for cats is that they can be swallowed. This is very important since your cat cannot “rinse and spit“. The flavors of human tooth paste are rarely appealing to cats. The products available from your veterinarian have flavors that counts accept very well… In multi-cat household, each cat does have their own toothbrush, tube, and nozzle to avoid spreading infection. If any of your cats have contagious health problems, ask your veterinarian about any additional precautionary measures.

Untreated problems, such as bad breath, gingivitis (red gums), tartar accumulation, or a broken teeth, can result in a sore, sensitive mouth.

Having a sensitive, sore mouth brushed can be a painful experience. If you think your cat may have a dental problem, or if you are not sure how to examine your cats teeth, arrange a visit with your veterinarian. Your cat me not appreciate your efforts on his or her behalf at this point, but remember that you are taking very good care of your friend, even if he or she doesn’t realise it.

During the dental examination with your veterinarian, be sure to get a good look at your cats teeth. Knowing what the teeth look like will help you later when you begin your home dental care program. After your veterinarian has provided appropriate treatment for any problems, you can begin home dental care.

1. Start with a healthy, comfortable mouth.

2. Choose the proper toothbrush and toothpaste.

3. Repeat and reward.

Dr. Rachel Geller and Cat Lady Justin discuss all things spring cleaning: teeth brushing, grooming, bathing, and more!