Teeth Cleaning for Cats

Question
Hello and thank you for volunteering your time to this valuable service.
There seems to be alot of mixed feelings about dental cleaning for cats.  I have an 8 year old Maine Coon who is happy as a cat can be, no problem with his teeth, no sensitivity at all or adversion to touch.  One vet has told me that all cats need their teeth cleaned by age 7 and another vet said usually they only recommend it if there is significant tartar (which I'm not sure I'd recognize).  I don't want to put my little guy (well big guy) through unnecessary anastesia or pain.  I would welcome your thoughts and experiences.  Thank you.

Answer
Well, my personal opinion is that is shouldn't be done, unless medically it is a necessity. Especially if it is an older cat, which yours is. There can be very bad reactions to the anesthesia. There are edible toothpastes and cat toothbrushes you can buy and brush your cats teeth at home. Most cats aren't gonna like this too well. You can wrap them in a bath towel to avoid being scratched. Anesthesia has been known to cause deaths to cats, especially in older ones. I would be cautious if I were you and look up some stuff online. Ask your veterinarian about it if he/she is one you trust and make them aware that you are informed of the risks and see what they have to say. Some vets will recommend it even if its unnecesary. So if your cat's teeth are white, and the gums are pink and not red, I would just give him home teeth brushings. I hope this helped. Have a good night.