[bob47]

Originally Posted by OrangeBlossomBaby

A couple of things to know about cats and teeth: domestic cats, if fed appropriately, would have no need for teeth at all. Ground food - raw or canned, whether home-made or commercial, in pate or minced form. Remember cats can't chew anyway; they don't have molars. Their teeth are designed to rip and bite - nothing else.

Some cats are genetically predisposed to losing teeth. It's not a medical problem as long as you feed it appropriately. My current cat lost a lot of her teeth while she was still a kitten. Definitely the genetic part, the doctor said she was healthy, but overweight, when I adopted her (I got her when she was just around 1-1/2 years old). She has her lower fangs but not her upper canines or incisors, and she's mostly gums on the left side of her mouth.

I give her those tiny little grain-free kibble bits as treats every night, but other than that she eats exclusively a wet diet, mostly pate, sometimes shreds. But I usually have to mince up the shreds for her since she has trouble breaking them into swallowable pieces.

Very helpful information. Thank you.