Cats Grooming Supplies
Friday June 22, 2007
While cats are basically self-cleaning animals, there are times when they definitely need human assistance, in the form of claw trimming, detangling mats, routine brushing for prevention of hairballs, dental care products to help prevent tooth decay and loss, and the occasional bathing when they've rolled in something nasty.It pays to keep a kit for storing all those needed supplies, so that you don't come up short in an emergency. This list currently totalling 17 items includes some of my own top choices.
Our Angel Kitty Bubba used to love his daily brushing with his slicker brush
Photo © Franny Syufy
Comments
Dear Franny,
I would like to know more about dental care for cats. I sometimes read on the labels of hard cat food that it freshens breath and cleans teeth. I certainly would not want to freshen my breath with tuna flavored or chicken flavored treats. Also can you comment on the safety and efficacy of cat toothpaste? I want to make sure that the ingredients won’t harm my cats. I’m a dentist and I want my two little ones to have the whitest teeth on the block.
Dear Dr. Nick,
As a dentist, you probably don’t recommend things like corn nuts or hard tack toast as tools for cleaning children’s teeth. I would be surprised that AAFCO allows such claims on dry cat food labels, however given the ongoing cat food recalls, I’m not surprised at much nowadays.
I have a series of articles on dental care for cats, but I see some broken links in the “top products” list. I’ll correct those, and also add a few more dental products to the Grooming Supplies list.
Veterinarians agree that cleaning pets’ teeth is essential to their dental health, as well as their overall health. While some cats may object to having their teeth brushes, some of the dental gels and rinses also do an efficient job, and of course, regular professional dental exams are crucial - at least annually for younger cats and twice a year for cats over 10.
As for the safety of the products, as a professional, you would be better at judging the individual ingredients than I. Feel free to give your professional feedback, and thanks for your comments and questions!
Franny
Our vet recommended using any cat cleaning solution as long as it has chlorhexedine in it, or an enzyme toothpaste made specifically for cats.
Our 5 are trained to have their teeth cleaned nightly as part of the bedtime ritual around here.
I alternate between using Drs Foster & Smith liquid dental cleanse pads, or I dip Q-tips in the liquid version and slip the Q-tip into the mouth to get the sides of back teeth, or I use the CET or Petrodex toothpaste on little tiny toothbrushes made just for cats. I alternate so they can be accustomed to me using any kind of tool or pad and not be frightened by it.
The vet says they have great teeth and their gums are very pink and healthy now, in spite of a bit of gingivitis one was developing before I started cleaning their teeth.
I submitted a short video of our bengals having their teeth brushed and it will be aired on Planet’s Funniest Animals soon. After that airs, we’re going to post it at YouTube, and you can check it there.
We’re also going to make an instructional video of cat teeth cleaning by all methods above.
:)m