Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My little Emily now has a grand total of two teeth left in her mouth. She has had chronic gingivitis all her life. Pretty much every year, when she had her teeth cleaned, she would lose another tooth or two. One year she had five extractions. On Tuesday she had three teeth removed.

She seems to be recovering fairly well. She is eating (canned food only at this point) and seems to be back to her usual self.

I've been assured that she can do just fine with almost no teeth, or even with none at all if it comes to that.

I'm just curious if anyone else here has had experience with a kitty with almost no teeth--and if so, if there are any problems I should anticipate.

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

Oh...poor Emily...

Emily is smart so don't worry she will adapt just brilliantly...well, that is as long as you are not presenting her whole dead carcassas for dinner

Honestly, I'm not even sure how much they even chew...Bentley, who has all of his teeth, is constantly puking up piles of whole dry food...looks exactly like it did in the bowl just a bit gooey...gross...I know...

my greyhound has lost a total of 20 teeth in two years and she still eats dry food and manages a nice pizza crust or two.

they figure it out...give that pretty girl some get well smoochies from us...
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Lisa, owned by Bentley,Alastair, Finster, & Trysta (greyhound)

I've been through this with two cats. Both did fine with a couple or no teeth. In fact, Spunky's were all removed at age 3... and he no sooner was home from the vet than he wanted his dry munchies. Of course the vet had recommended none for a few days until his gums had healed, but he wasn't in the mood to obey the Dr's orders. Not having teeth didn't seem to slow him down in the least. He still was front and center for treats, be it steak or pizza-he loved the crust. Go figure.

Cat's teeth are mostly designed for ripping apart prey more than chewing, but most seem to adapt just fine to not having the teeth, plus the ongoing problems with the gums and so forth go away and they are more comfortable.

Best wishes for Emily's speedy recovery.

Thank you Lisa and Abymom.
I feel better hearing about your first-hand experiences.

Emily seems to be getting better day by day. I think that, on Monday, I will quit putting out wet food all day and go back to our usual routine of dry food all day and wet food as a treat at dinner.

Guess that will be the real test...

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

>>I've been through this with two cats. Both did fine with a couple or no teeth. In fact, Spunky's were all removed at age 3... and he no sooner was home from the vet than he wanted his dry munchies. Of course the vet had recommended none for a few days until his gums had healed, but he wasn't in the mood to obey the Dr's orders. Not having teeth didn't seem to slow him down in the least. He still was front and center for treats, be it steak or pizza-he loved the crust. Go figure.
>>
>>Cat's teeth are mostly designed for ripping apart prey more than chewing, but most seem to adapt just fine to not having the teeth, plus the ongoing problems with the gums and so forth go away and they are more comfortable.
>>
>>Best wishes for Emily's speedy recovery.
>>

I know everyone else has already said it- but my old cat did just fine with very few teeth. The DSH I had growing up lived to be 17 and lost most of her teeth by the time she was into her teens. Thankfully, she never had any trouble with dry cat food. (She was one of those cats that would throw up pretty regularly but the vet could never find anything wrong with her. Wet food tended to make the problem worse, so I don't know what we would have done if she hadn't been able to eat dry anymore!) I think they must have very tough pallets because she did a pretty good job of crunching her food too. So try not to worry! I'm sure Emily will be fine...

how did it go? could Emily eat the dry?

>>how did it go? could Emily eat the dry?

She was recovering nicely from her dental work, and beginning to eat dry food. Then I had to take her back to the vet. It appears that she has a burn on her tummy.

The only thing we could think of is the space heater I have in my office. It's one of those things that looks like an old fashioned radiator, and she likes to sit on it. It can get pretty hot (I try to keep it turned down when she's in the office) and that's the only explanation we can come up with.

So, from now on I will just keep it on warm...

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

Yes, we have a similar issue but no burns. rigby is addicted to the radiator. it feels so hot but i still find him inching closer and closer till he's on it!

They do like their heat.

I've got Emily on the radiator and Eddie with his head up inside the lampshade.

What a pair...

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

>>Yes, we have a similar issue but no burns. rigby is addicted to the radiator. it feels so hot but i still find him inching closer and closer till he's on it!

The picture is hilarious. Only funnier if they decided to share the lampshade.
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Terry, confused human companion of Dulcinea.

He does look pretty funny. Will try to get a picture I can post here the next time he does it.

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

>>The picture is hilarious. Only funnier if they decided to share the lampshade.
>>-----
>>Terry, confused human companion of Dulcinea.

is that why Rigby is always headbutting our lamp shade? he's drawn to the heat?

Could be.
Either that or he thinks it's his and he's marking it...

Carol, Emily, & Eddie

>>is that why Rigby is always headbutting our lamp shade? he's drawn to the heat?