My cats teeth

Question
I have a 2 year old brown tabby cat that I rescued off the streets. In the past couple of months I have noticed she does this wierd chewing motion with her teeth. She is eating her dry food fine, but when she is finished swallowing, she keeps chewing on one side of her mouth like there is something stuck in their. I know there isn't anything stuck in her teeth, but maybe she has a tooth problem in her back molars? I have also noticed she doesn't care for her favorite treats anymore. They were called temptations, but I guess they were a little bit too big for her to chew and they are hurting her teeth. I have tried looking in her mouth, but can't get her mouth open wide enough to look that far back. I have not had her teeth looked at since I got her, and maybe that is the next step or can I solve this on my own?

Answer
Michelle,

I think you are spot on about having her teeth looked at by your vet.  It does sound like your cat may have a tooth (or teeth) problem.  A classic sign that cats have a tooth problem is when they stop eating favorite treats or food, and by making odd sounds or weird motions.  

Usually, when a cat has a tooth problem, the most obvious symptom is when they stop eating something they normally really like.  This is usually because it's too hard or too crunchy, and it causes them pain.  They may also make odd motions with their mouth, or make strange sounds, and this (in my experience) has often occured when the cat has a loose tooth.  Ideally, if you can look in her mouth and touch some teeth and see if there are any obvious loose teeth, or any teeth that cause her pain, or to squirm or cry when you touch them, then you would know for sure if you are dealing with a tooth problem.  But it's understandable if you can't get that far back in her mouth to do an assessment.  Most cats don't like to have their mouth opened and your fingers inserted into them!  However, you will need to get her to a vet so that your cat can have a proper tooth exam.  

If your cat has an infected tooth, dental caries, or even a loose tooth, these are all things that need to be taken care of sooner rather than later.  It wouldn't surprise me if she does have tooth problems since she was on the streets, and frequently, cats that live on the streets for any period of time have more tooth issues than a cat that hasn't lived on the streets.  Any type of tooth problem can cause and/or lead to other health problems, such as kidney failure, heart problems, GI problems, thyroid problems, bone problems.  Basically, any tooth problem is a potential portal of entry for any and all bacterial into the body.  It is well known that teeth problems lead to chronic health problems like those I just mentioned.  Even though it will likely be costly to get a dental done on her, it will be much less expensive now to get the dental than if you wait, and then she develops chronic health problems, which inevitably cost much more money down the road in more frequent vet visits, lab draws, tests and procedures, meds, hospitalization, etc.  

My recommendation is to bring her into the vet and let the vet do an exam.  If your cat is particularly difficult to examine, the vet may need to sedate her (very lightly) so she can actually open her mouth, and get a good look around.  If it's determined she needs to have a tooth or teeth extracted, or at the very least a dental done where she just gets her teeth cleaned, she will have to be sedated to have that done.  It makes it easier on the cat and the vet doing the dental.  My guess, though, is that your vet will probably find a loose tooth or else an infected tooth, and they will probably want to get that dental done asap.  

Does she have any tartar on any of the front teeth that you can see?  Can you notice any around the gumline, or else just any yellow present on her teeth in the front or off to the sides?  If you do notice any of this, then it's likely she's got some in the back because the back teeth always seem to have double what the front teeth have.  Another thing I want to point out is that kibble is the worst food you can feed your cat for teeth care and maintenance.  Kibble contains nothing but carbs, and contrary to what the pet food industry says (kibble cleans their teeth), it does the exact opposite.  Cats don't chew their food, as cats teeth aren't designed for chewing.  They're designed for ripping and tearing, and when cats eat kibble, the kibble pieces sit at the gumline or on the surface of the teeth, and all those carbs just turn into sugar, which then starts to rot the teeth.  And nutritionally, kibble is poor.  Canned would be much better for cats nutritionally and for teeth care and maintenance, and raw is even better, as it's a natural teeth cleaner and tooth flosser.  I feed my cat raw, and she's never had a dental (she's almost 3), and her teeth are sparkling white--with no bad breath either.  The vet is amazed that her teeth look so good and she doesn't need a dental.  So, you may want to consider getting her off kibble for future teeth maintenance.  

Good luck, and maybe with any luck, she won't have any problem--maybe it's just an odd habit she picked up while on the streets!

Savannah