Cat Gingivitis: The Progressive and Painful Prelude to Dental Disease in Felines
In the world of feline health, maintaining oral hygiene is of utmost importance. Gingivitis, the inflammation of a cat's gums, can be a serious issue if left untreated. This inflammation, typically caused by a build-up of plaque on a cat's teeth, can progress to periodontal disease, leading to chronic pain, tooth loss, and increased veterinary costs in the long term.
Gingivitis in cats can be caused by various factors, including dental plaque and tartar, feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), viral infections, tooth resorption, poor oral hygiene, genetic predisposition, diet, and soft or wet food diets. Some breeds, such as Abyssinians, Siamese, and Persians, are more prone to dental issues.
If not regularly removed, plaque hardens into tartar, which further irritates the gums and worsens the inflammation. Common signs of gingivitis in cats include red, swollen gums, bleeding gums, bad breath, drooling or saliva with traces of blood, difficulty eating, pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face, decreased appetite or weight loss, changes in behaviour, and drooling.
Treatment for gingivitis in cats may involve professional dental cleaning, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, and regular at-home dental care. Mild cases can sometimes be managed at home with daily tooth brushing and dental-friendly products. However, once tartar is present, it can only be removed professionally.
Professional dental cleaning, including a full dental scale and polish under general anesthesia, is a common first step in treating gingivitis in cats. This procedure removes tartar and plaque, reducing inflammation and promoting healing. Medical treatment, such as anti-inflammatory medication, antibiotics, or immune-modulating drugs, may be used in severe cases or cases like FCGS.
Newer treatments focus on targeted antiviral therapy, especially for chronic or severe cases linked to feline calicivirus, combining antivirals, antibiotics, and low-dose anti-inflammatory drugs, often delivered as a palatable oral paste that reduces inflammation and promotes healing over weeks to months.
Ongoing at-home care is critical, including toothbrushing with pet-safe toothpaste, dental treats or chews that help reduce plaque-causing bacteria, and sometimes water additives designed to control oral bacteria (though caution is advised with senior cats). Regular veterinary dental checkups help monitor oral health, detect early issues, and maintain treatment success.
In summary, treatment typically involves professional veterinary dental cleaning and assessment, tooth extractions if teeth are damaged or contribute to inflammation, medical therapy with anti-inflammatories, antibiotics, or antiviral agents, at-home dental hygiene (brushing, dental treats, water additives), and regular vet monitoring and follow-up care. This comprehensive approach improves inflammation, controls bacterial and viral factors, and supports long-term oral health in cats with gingivitis.
Emma Chandley, who graduated from the Royal Vet College in London in 2011 and has a keen interest in surgery, has provided valuable insights into the treatment of gingivitis in cats. She went on to do a postgraduate certificate in small animal surgery, and was then awarded advanced practitioner status in the same discipline. This article was last updated in July 2025 by Emma Chandley.
There are many products available for at-home dental care, including pet toothbrushes, dental diets, water additives, dental gels and sprays. It's essential to consult with a vet to determine the best course of action for your cat's oral health.
- Inflammation of a cat's gums, known as gingivitis, can lead to severe issues if not treated.
- Dental plaque and tartar, feline chronic gingivostomatitis (FCGS), viral infections, tooth resorption, poor oral hygiene, genetic predisposition, diet, and soft or wet food diets are some causes of gingivitis in cats.
- Abyssinians, Siamese, and Persians are among the breeds more prone to dental issues.
- Not regularly removing plaque can cause it to harden into tartar, worsening the inflammation.
- Signs of gingivitis in cats include red, swollen gums, bleeding gums, bad breath, drooling or saliva with traces of blood, difficulty eating, pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face, decreased appetite or weight loss, changes in behavior, and drooling.
- Treatment for gingivitis in cats may include professional dental cleaning, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, and regular at-home dental care.
- Mild cases can be managed at home with daily tooth brushing and dental-friendly products.
- Tartar can only be removed professionally once it's present.
- Professional dental cleaning, including a full dental scale and polish under general anesthesia, is a common first step in treating gingivitis in cats.
- Medical treatment, such as anti-inflammatory medication, antibiotics, or immune-modulating drugs, may be used in severe cases or cases like FCGS.
- Newer treatments focus on targeted antiviral therapy, especially for chronic or severe cases linked to feline calicivirus.
- This combined approach of antivirals, antibiotics, and low-dose anti-inflammatory drugs is often delivered as a palatable oral paste that reduces inflammation and promotes healing over weeks to months.
- Ongoing at-home care is critical, including toothbrushing with pet-safe toothpaste, dental treats or chews, and sometimes water additives designed to control oral bacteria.
- Regular veterinary dental checkups help monitor oral health, detect early issues, and maintain treatment success.
- Emma Chandley, a veterinarian with a keen interest in surgery and advanced practitioner status in small animal surgery, provided insights into the treatment of gingivitis in cats.
- Many products are available for at-home dental care, including pet toothbrushes, dental diets, water additives, dental gels, and sprays.
- Consulting with a vet is crucial to determine the best course of action for a cat's oral health.
- This article on cat gingivitis was last updated in July 2025 by Emma Chandley.
- In addition to oral health, understanding various medical-conditions, chronic-diseases, cancer, respiratory-conditions, digestive-health, eye-health, hearing, health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, sexual-health, family-health, autoimmune-disorders, mental-health, men's-health, skin-care, therapies-and-treatments, women's-health, parenting, cardiovascular-health, cbd, neurological-disorders, skin-conditions, lifestyle, and more are essential aspects of pet care.
