All cats, kitten or female, may develop a not entirely pleasant odor in their mouth, which indicates the presence of one or another problem. The article discusses in detail all the possible causes of this phenomenon and how to deal with unpleasant mouth odor.
Only effective ways to solve the problem are presented, including a thematic video that presents a solution to this problem from the point of view of a veterinarian, as well as popular ways to eliminate such a common problem that can occur in cats of any breed.
Bad breath in cats: causes, symptoms
Veterinarians primarily associate an unpleasant odor from a cat’s mouth with poor nutrition, which is what actually causes malfunctions in the internal organs.
Thus, the smell of acetone from an animal’s mouth against the background of increased water consumption is a sign of diabetes, ammonia is caused by kidney problems. Sometimes the appearance of a bad odor is associated with inflammation of the gums or poor condition of the teeth. In general, it will be better if the final verdict is made by experts.
Why and how does a cat have bad breath?
A foul odor emanating from an animal’s mouth most likely indicates inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. In young animals, the smell may appear when teeth change, when food debris accumulates between new and old teeth that have not fallen out.
In more mature individuals, the appearance of odor is usually associated with diseases of the internal organs. Only a specialist can give an exact answer about the cause of bad breath from a cat.
The cat has bad breath, what to do, treatment, how to remove it
You can remove odor from a cat’s mouth by identifying and eliminating its root cause, and it is almost impossible to do this without contacting a veterinarian. If the unpleasant odor from the animal's mouth is caused by plaque, then the cat needs to have its teeth cleaned. The supplies needed for this can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.
For preventive purposes, mustachioed pets should periodically be given specialized food designed to reduce plaque (followers of natural nutrition can replace dry food with raw chicken necks or wings). Solid food fractions clean teeth from plaque and prevent the formation of tartar.
The cat is drooling and his breath stinks
These symptoms in most cases are. The appearance of an unpleasant odor is caused by inflammation of the oral mucosa. Viral infections and foreign bodies entering the animal’s mouth can also cause foul odor and drooling. A more insidious diagnosis – renal failure – cannot be ruled out.
The cat's teeth are falling out and there is strong bad breath.
Breeders of Persians and Abyssinians should be aware that their dogs are genetically prone to caries, stomatitis and tooth loss. However, this does not justify the cat losing its teeth.
The reason why a cat's teeth fall out and there is an unpleasant odor coming from its mouth is the owner of the animal, who failed to choose a balanced diet for his pet and does not monitor the animal's oral hygiene.
A preventive measure and a reason for visiting a veterinarian should be:
- the smell of rot coming from the animal’s mouth;
- swelling of the gums, their overhang over the teeth;
- incessant drooling;
- decreased appetite or refusal to eat due to tooth pain.
A timely visit to a specialist will allow your pet to maintain the snow-white smile of a Cheshire cat.
Acetone smell from the mouth of cats
The smell of acetone coming from a cat's mouth is usually caused by diabetes. The animal’s body does not digest carbohydrates and switches to fat metabolism, which is characterized by the formation of ketone bodies, which give the cat’s breath an acetone smell.
Why do cats have rotten breath, putrid odor?
A putrid smell from a cat’s mouth indicates problems with digestion and the possible presence of worms. The diet should be adjusted and anthelmintic drugs should be given.
Remedy for bad breath in cats
If the cat’s behavior does not cause concern, and the odor from its mouth contains the aromas of the food it has eaten (which is also not very pleasant for humans), buy at the pet store any odor eliminator that manufacturers recommend adding to the animal’s drinking water. The smell will disappear.
About 59% of our country's residents have pets. At the same time, cats are the most favorite (37%). And 89% of Russians surveyed love their pets and consider them members of their family. And if they have health problems, we strive to immediately cure our furry friend.
In this review, we will consider the phenomenon of bad breath in a pet, the causes of its occurrence, symptoms and, most importantly, how to get rid of it.
Causes of unpleasant odor
Bad breath in a cat can occur for a variety of reasons. In medicine, this symptom is called halitosis. It denotes a variety of diseases of the pet’s oral cavity or internal organs. The main feature of halitosis is the presence of an unpleasant odor.
Moreover, depending on the age of the animal, it appears due to certain features. Let's take a closer look at these points.
In adult cats
It is very easy to detect a strong odor in a pet; all you need to do is yawn, be near the owner, or look into the pet’s mouth on your own.
Symptoms of bad breath The main reasons are as follows:
- Rotting teeth and plaque on them is the most common cause of bad breath in your pet. Plaque formation occurs due to stuck food;
- Bleeding gums due to the formation of tartar. Here the pet may experience a lack of appetite due to pain;
- Stomatitis;
- Gingivitis;
- Kidney or liver diseases;
- Poor nutrition is the cause of stale aroma;
- Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- Colds and viral diseases;
- Respiratory tract infections.
If treatment is not started in time, then you can completely lose the tooth. It will simply fall out.
Please note that animals over 10 years of age are at risk.
bad breath In addition, a bad odor from the mouth of an old cat may be a sign of existing tumors, kidney failure and diabetes. In such a case, it is better to contact a specialist to find out the true cause of the stench and receive recommendations for further treatment.
Important! Persian, British or Siamese cat breeds have a tendency to develop a stale odor from their mouth. Therefore, owners of these animals should be careful about the health of their pets.
At the kitten's
It is easier to detect an unpleasant symptom in a kitten when it yawns. If it is present, it is worth considering the following reasons:
- Received trauma to the gums, for example, when the kitten played with sharp things and injured himself in the mouth;
- Malocclusion;
- Impaired tooth growth;
- Loss of baby teeth;
- Chronic diseases.
As a rule, a healthy kitten can only have the first four reasons listed.
bad breath Alarming symptoms to contact a veterinarian
Why a cat has an unpleasant odor from the mouth can be found out on your own by looking at your pet’s mouth. However, in some cases, consultation with a veterinarian is required.
This is especially necessary when you see the following symptoms, accompanied by bad breath:
- Tartar,
- Dark plaque on teeth
- Red gums in the mouth,
- Inflamed gums
- Yellow gums,
- The animal scratches its mouth with its paws,
- Lack of appetite
- Vomit,
- Scratching his muzzle on interior items,
- The pet does not close its mouth
- The cat begins to meow pitifully;
- Cat's drooling and bad breath
- The pet does not allow petting on the head.
How to get rid of bad breath
When contacting a specialist, first the animal is examined, and then the necessary diagnostic procedures are carried out to find out the true cause of the cat’s oral odor. Treatment is selected individually and depends on the disease.
How to get rid of bad breath from a cat Attention! Don't expect the stale scent to go away on its own. Often, only a veterinarian can find out why a cat has bad breath, the reasons, and the treatment.
To begin with, the veterinarian will examine the animal's oral cavity, and if he does not find visible signs of a stale aroma, then tests will be required. This will allow you to get a complete picture of your pet's health.
The treatment prescribed by a specialist depends entirely on what the pet is sick with:
Important! It would seem a minor deviation, like bad breath from a cat. The reasons can be very serious. If there are no visible signs, then a visit to the doctor does not need to be put on hold.
For serious causes of stench, qualified assistance from a specialist will be required. However, if this is a consequence of plaque formation or a small wound, then this can be dealt with at home. Let's look at how to get rid of cat's bad breath in such cases.
If plaque occurs on your teeth, you will need a special brush. It can be purchased in specialized stores. You need to brush your teeth every other day. Of course, it is easier to accustom a kitten to this procedure than an adult animal. This makes it very easy to eliminate bad breath from your cat. What to do if there are hard yellow or brown formations on your teeth. This will require the help of a veterinarian. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to remove such plaque on your own.
If you notice a small wound in your pet’s mouth, it will be enough to treat it with special means. Miramistin is considered the most effective. With its help, you will be able to get rid of damage and eliminate harmful bacteria or viruses.
Prevention
Of course, every disease can be prevented. For this purpose, various preventive measures are used.
There is no need to risk the health of your pet; only a veterinarian can guarantee you the reasons for the occurrence of an unpleasant symptom, and will also tell you how to remove bad breath from your cat’s mouth.
When caring for your furry friend, you should pay attention to his breathing. It often happens that a cat’s breath stinks of rotten meat, and this indicates serious health problems. There is no need to hesitate here; you must immediately seek help from a veterinarian who will prescribe treatment.
The main reason for the unpleasant odor is the large accumulation and growth of harmful bacteria. They begin to develop for various reasons, for example, diseases of the oral cavity, teeth, lungs, kidneys, liver, etc. In any case, the doctor will order an examination and determine the cause.
Why does my breath stink?
If your cat has a rotten smell coming from his mouth, this is not a reason to panic. Often such consequences can be from simple overeating. Here it will take time until the food is digested and its remains leave the oral cavity.
It happens that some types of food leave behind a foul odor. These include fish, raw meat, fermented milk products, and canned food for cats. If an animal consumes these types of products, especially a couple of times a day, then you should be prepared for the consequences of an unpleasant odor.
Another reason lies in the oral cavity. Even a person’s teeth become weaker over the years, hence the unpleasant odor.. The same can be said about cats. They can develop caries, plaque on their teeth, tartar, and much more. Bleeding gums and inflammation are also not uncommon. Accordingly, a lot of harmful bacteria appear in the mouth, which causes it to smell rotten.
These reasons should not cause much concern to owners. But there are also more serious consequences, various kinds of dangerous diseases, due to which the entire digestive system suffers. Animals, like people, may develop gastritis, ulcers and other problems with digestion, liver, and lungs. This may also indicate viral diseases, the presence of benign or malignant tumors, and worms. This cannot be left without due attention.
Owners of breeds such as Persians, Britons or Siamese cats should pay special attention to the smell of rot from the mouth, as they are prone to more serious and unpleasant diseases than other breeds.
You need to carefully monitor your pet. A lot of cats and kittens eat anything in the trash. These are their instincts, so it’s worth keeping a close eye on them and not letting them pick up any rot from the ground.
Typically, veterinarians divide cats into three main categories, each of which has its own causes of unpleasant odor:
- Kittens up to one year old.
- Cats from 1-9 years old.
- Cats from 9-20 years old.
If the smell appears in kittens, the reasons may be heredity or:
- Disruption of the process of changing teeth, the formation of an incorrect bite in the kitten, as a result of which harmful bacteria multiply much faster.
- Damage to the oral mucosa in kittens. This may be a consequence of eating solid food or injury from a sharp object. This is easy to notice; ulcers and wounds appear in the mouth. When food is eaten, the wound becomes inflamed and harmful bacteria appear there.
In cats from 1-9 reasons can be stone on the teeth that appears due to eating disorders or too hard food, trauma to the oral mucosa, inflammation that can appear due to various types of infections.
In cats aged 9-20 years, an unpleasant odor is the cause of metabolic disorders substances as a result of malfunction of the digestive system, diseases of internal organs such as kidneys, lungs, stomach, intestines, as well as diabetes mellitus, and other diseases.
Only a veterinarian can tell you exactly why a cat’s breath stinks of rotten meat.
How to treat
Before doing anything, you need to conduct an examination on the animal, after which the veterinarian will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment. You should not self-medicate, as this can lead to more serious consequences.
If the cause of the smell of rotten fish from the mouth is diseases of the oral cavity or tartar on the teeth, then the animal needs regular teeth cleaning and other procedures. All these methods are carried out in a veterinary clinic. After this, owners should brush their teeth themselves for preventive purposes. Special gels, brushes, and solutions are sold for kittens that will help get rid of the problem.
If a kitten is found to have caries, periodontitis, tumors with pus, chipped teeth, etc., then it will require surgical intervention. This is the only way to remove stone from teeth or remove a tooth.
A good owner will check their kitten's mouth regularly. If plaque, ulcers or wounds appear there, this indicates an infection. In this case, you should consult a veterinarian.
If the cause lies in the stomach, intestines, kidneys or liver, then the kitten’s mouth may smell rotten. You can get rid of such reasons only after undergoing tests and examinations.
Prevention
What to do to prevent your kitten from developing problems with an unpleasant odor:
Sometimes cat owners are faced with such a problem as bad breath from their pet. Of course, her breath itself is not particularly fresh, and that’s normal. But if the smell has become particularly strong, pungent and unpleasant, then it is necessary to find out why the cat’s breath smells. This symptom has a special name - haliosis and can indicate a variety of diseases.
Various reasons can lead to unwanted odors. Sometimes this simply indicates the development of a large number of bacteria in the oral cavity, which may be due to the characteristics of the breed or a particular animal. In this case, regular brushing of your teeth or treating your gums with special products will help. And it’s worth taking care of it as early as possible. Otherwise, dental diseases may develop, which will lead to more serious health problems. And sometimes bad breath indicates existing health problems.
So, the following diseases can contribute to the appearance of haliosis:
Finding out why your cat's breath stinks can be difficult due to the variety of possible causes. It is best not to delay visiting the veterinarian. Only he will be able to accurately determine the source of the trouble and prescribe treatment. Before contacting a specialist, you can only try to roughly determine the origin of the smell in order to imagine the scale of the problem.
Relationship between cat age and odor occurrence
The age of the furry patient is of great importance when determining the causes of the problem. Usually, the default assumption is that odor in older animals is due to disease. In kittens and very young cats, the cause is initially thought to be a lack of hygiene. For them, it is often enough to replace part of the food with something harder, purchase special toys that can be chewed, or occasionally brush their teeth. A comprehensive examination of such patients is often not necessary; a visual examination is sufficient. But the health of mature pets needs to be studied more carefully.
Cats suffering from haliosis are usually divided into 3 groups:
- young animals up to one year;
- from one to nine years;
- over nine.
In kittens and young cats, up to a year old, serious diseases are quite rare; most often, bad breath in a cat of this age is caused by a violation of the change of teeth.
Malocclusion or baby teeth that do not fall out in time form gaps in which pieces of food remain. This creates a suitable environment for bacteria to multiply, resulting in odor. Breeds with a flattened muzzle are more prone to such problems. Also, the cause may be damage to the oral cavity, trauma.
The second group is adult animals. They have a much longer list of possible diseases. Diseases of internal organs and tumors are relatively rare, but problems with the gastrointestinal tract are a common cause of odor. Most often this is due to poor quality or unsuitable food. The main cause of haliosis in animals of this age group is tartar. Its formation leads to the formation of space between the gum and the neck of the tooth, where food particles are packed. Without proper treatment, tooth loss will follow. And this problem is also related to diet. Eating predominantly soft food causes the cat's teeth to become coated with plaque.
In older cats, over nine years of age, the variety of causes of bad breath is greatest. In addition to various diseases of the internal organs, there is an increased risk of tumor formation and diabetes. Plus, there is still the possibility of oral injuries, chipping and tooth loss.
What exactly could the smell be?
If no serious diseases are identified, then the cause of the odor is bacteria in the oral cavity. And in this case, the owners can cope with the problem on their own, at least in its initial stage. And oral and dental hygiene plays a big role, which can be done at home.
Brushing your teeth at home
You can remove plaque, or even tartar, yourself. But to do this, you need to know exactly how to brush your cat’s teeth at home. To do this, you need to get a soft, small toothbrush, cotton swabs and special toothpaste. You can find a brush and toothpaste for cats at any pet store or veterinary pharmacy. Under no circumstances should the paste be used on people; it will harm the animal. In addition, its pungent smell and taste will most likely turn him away from such events forever. And it will be possible to repeat the procedure, except by using anesthesia.
It is best to accustom the animal to the procedure while still a kitten, then it will calmly tolerate cleaning.
If this has not been done, then you can try to master cleaning with an adult, especially if it has a calm character. Before you brush your cat’s teeth at home, you need to make sure that she is in a calm, good-natured mood and not irritated. You can start with a light massage of the gums, stroking them, touching them with cotton swabs.
After a few sessions, you can already accustom your cat to using toothpaste. First, you can let it smell, put a little on your lips. Well, then use it when manipulating gums and teeth. On sale you can find brushes that fit on your finger, which is very convenient. Cleaning must be done daily. At the same time, you can inspect the gums for the presence of wounds, ulcers or cuts. All these measures will help avoid more serious health problems for your pet.
As a rule, health problems with your pet can be avoided, or their course can be significantly alleviated. To do this, it is enough to have basic knowledge about the characteristics of the animal, the specifics of its breed, and age. And also pay attention to him, monitor his appearance, mood, appetite. The smell from a cat's mouth will be a reason for attentive owners to take a closer look at it. Think about your pet’s health, its diet and lifestyle. And naturally, this is a serious reason to contact a veterinarian. Then the reason for the changes will become clear and it will be possible to adjust the cat’s lifestyle so as to solve the problem. And in case of illness, detect it immediately and treat it successfully.
Greetings friends! Today I’m answering the question – why does a kitten’s breath smell? Let's consider the main reasons for this unpleasant phenomenon.
Normally, a healthy baby has a smell from the mouth; of course, it can hardly be called fresh, but it is not offensive or pungent. At the same time, we do not observe drooling, and the animal itself must be active and have a good appetite. In other cases, when a kitten has bad breath, a disease should be suspected.
Now let's list the main causes of odor
Changing teeth. When a kitten changes teeth, inflammatory processes occur in the oral cavity. We can observe a red border around the teeth. The appearance of an unpleasant odor during this period (on average at the age of 4-8 months) is considered normal and does not require treatment; everything will go away on its own when the permanent teeth grow.
Help is needed if the tooth cannot erupt on its own and when the baby tooth has not yet fallen out, but a permanent one grows nearby.
Feed or spoiled food. Domestic cats, for the most part, like to check the trash can, perhaps you threw out something tasty: the remains of missing sausage, cheese, salted fish and other delicacies; after such a diet, the kitten’s breath will smell. In addition to the unpleasant odor, spoiled food can cause serious problems. Read about the dangers that await a kitten in an ordinary apartment, in it I talk about garbage and more.
Sometimes ready-made dry food can cause an odor in a kitten, especially if you use low-quality economy-class food.
Foreign body. Often a foreign body can remain in the oral cavity for a long time, for example, a thread, a sliver, a fish bone (river fish is especially dangerous, it has many small bones). The foreign body damages the gums, palate, gets stuck between the teeth, in the throat, which leads to inflammation and odor.
Viral diseases. Kittens most often become infected and/or these two infectious diseases, in addition to the general effect on the body, damage the mucous membranes of the mouth. The kitten develops ulcers in its mouth, drooling, proliferation of microorganisms and, as a result, an odor.
Tartar. This problem rarely occurs in kittens, but with an incorrect bite, serious feeding disorders, or other concomitant diseases, a stone can form at an early age.
Plaque and tartar disrupt the nutrition of the tooth, cause inflammatory processes, which leads to the development of microflora.
The cat has plaque on his teeth
Dental diseases. Cats, like people, can have dental injuries, caries, and they can fall out for some reason. If several teeth are missing or damaged, the animal will begin to adapt - chew carefully or not use all of its teeth. And this phenomenon will lead to a decrease in the load on healthy teeth, plaque and other negative consequences will appear.
The cat has a broken fang
Salivary glands. The mucous membranes of the oral cavity are constantly covered with saliva; during feeding, more of it is released to make it easier to swallow food and not cause injury. But with diseases that disrupt the functioning of the salivary glands, saliva may be secreted insufficiently, or, on the contrary, too much.
If there is a lack of saliva, the food will periodically injure the tongue, gums, palate, that is, the oral cavity and esophagus, which will cause inflammation.
And if saliva flows without interruption, this will lead to damage to the skin on the chin and the places where it will fall, which will lead to the development of microorganisms and, again, to the appearance of odor.
Tumor. Neoplasms appear extremely rarely in kittens, but they can still be the reason why a kitten’s breath smells and is worth mentioning. Most often, a tumor of the tongue develops; see in more detail, I show the example of a young cat.
As the tumor grows, the tissues disintegrate, bleeding occurs, and the cat cannot eat or care for itself normally.
Systemic diseases. Here we can highlight not just one reason, but a whole complex. It is clear that any disease affects the body as a whole, but there are those in which a pronounced odor appears from the cat’s mouth.
For example, with kidney disease, when their ability to effectively remove metabolic products is impaired, an ammonia smell will appear. Also, if you have diabetes mellitus or diseases of the liver, stomach, or intestines, an unpleasant or correct, specific smell from the mouth will occur.
Poor oral hygiene. Most cats, if fed and maintained properly, do not require additional dental care. You just need to periodically show the animal to the doctor so as not to miss the onset of the disease.
But if a cat has a malocclusion from birth, eats mainly soft wet food and is a purebred cat, then most likely she needs to brush her teeth regularly. To do this, use special paste and brushes for animals. Provide good quality chewable treats.
Let's sum it up
Friends, above I have listed only some of the reasons that will help you understand why your kitten has bad breath, but there may be many more.
In any case, the appearance of a smell, especially a sharp and unpleasant one, should alert you. The first thing you can do is to carefully examine the mouth; perhaps you can help the animal yourself, for example, remove a foreign body.
I cannot give you any other specific advice, since treatment depends on the identified cause, and, as you have seen, there are quite a lot of them.
If you find an unpleasant odor from an animal’s mouth, it is best to contact a specialist; in extreme cases, write in the comments and I will try to help you.
And in this video I practically repeat everything that I wrote in the article, that is, I also answer the question why a kitten’s breath smells. For those who prefer to watch and listen, enjoy watching.