Teething Kitten: What To Do

Kittens, just like kids, go through a teething process where they lose their baby teeth. At around 4 months of age, your kitten’s adult teeth will begin to push on the baby teeth. Cat owners generally notice more teething symptoms during the adult teething stage at around six months. You might observe some behavior changes, like biting, chewing more, loss of appetite. Gingivitis may also begin during teething, causing gum inflammation and bad breath. These symptoms will usually go away once your kitten is no longer teething. Remember that teething is uncomfortable for your kitten so you’ll want to make sure to diminish any discomfort that you can. Here are some tips to help you soothe your kitten during their teething stage:

Biting

As your kitten is teething it will be difficult to keep them from biting everything in sight, including your fingers! Hide everything that can be dangerous like electrical cords, wires, and toxic materials. Also, keep all your valuable items out of reach. To help with pain relief, make sure they have chew toys, braided rope, or a cold wet washcloth can do the trick. These items provide an outlet for chewing needs and relieves some of the tenderness. They will also prevent your kitten from chewing on your furniture.

Managing oral pain

Your kitten might have difficulty chewing their dry food due to the pain, therefore giving your kitten wet food may be best until their adult teeth come in. You may also want to avoid brushing your kitten’s teeth during its teething process as brushing can lead to sore gums and may cause additional discomfort.

Moreover, you’ll want to keep an eye on your kitten’s tooth growth to make sure all their teeth are growing in properly and that they aren’t too close together or far apart. Your kitten will likely swallow any teeth they lose, so there’s no need to worry about finding them!

Once all their adult teeth have grown in, it is important that you brush your cat’s teeth regularly to maintain good oral hygiene for the rest of their life.

Sources:

• https://www.greencrossvets.com.au/services/kitten-teething
• /https://www.medicanimal.com/Understanding-the-common-causes-of-halitosis-bad-breath-in-cats/a/ART111480