What is teething? According to the Oxford dictionary, teething is the eruption through the gums of the milk teeth. In lame man’s term, it is the process of development of the teeth in man and animals. Kitten is a young cat, usually below seven months.
Teething does not just happen. There are certain things to expect when your cat is teething. If you care about your kitten, you need to know about teething and prepare for it. One great thing to invest in right away would be kitten teething toys.
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Do Cats Teeth?
Yes, cats teethe although they teeth when they are still young kittens. However, as the cat gets older and changes to a more substantial diet, the kittens initial set of teeth is replaced with a permanent one gradually.
Teething in both puppies and kittens is very similar, although one begins earlier than the other. During teething, cats endure the pain and don’t show it at all. This is more reason why you, as a caregiver, should be very observant to know when your kittens teeth.
You can know when your kittens teeth by the signs they exhibit during teething. Knowing the symptoms will enable you to help them to ease the pain. You can also train them on what to chew and what not to chew.
When Do Kittens Drop Their Milk Teeth?
A common feature of mammals (kittens included) is that they are born without teeth. Because kittens do not have teeth to chew food, their first meal is their mum’s milk. After about two weeks, they begin to grow their first teeth, which later increases to 26 baby or otherwise called milk teeth after about six weeks.
Like earlier stated above, the first set of teeth falls off and gives room for a permanent one to grow. This is when the problem of teething comes up.
Dr. Eldredge says that kittens bleed when they lose teeth at this stage. Be rest assured that the bleeding will stop by itself.
Symptoms of Kitten Teething Issues
There are signs to watch out for to know if your kitten is having trouble with teething. According to Dr. Eldredge, the following are symptoms of teething issue:
- Alteration in Appetite: your kitten tends to chew more slowly than usual or is unwilling to eat its kibble. You are expected to check their gum to see if there is any swelling. Then you should soften their food or give them more of canned food.
- Indisposed During Playtime: your kitten that is usually lively when playing suddenly hesitates to play because it has a sore mouth. Halt any play that might be harmful to the kitten.
- Meowing Than Usual: the meowing becomes more frequent than expected, it can result from teething.
- Extreme Drooling: certain kittens drool terribly when teething, so always check their mouth when you notice such.
- Retained Teeth: occasionally, kitten baby teeth might not fall out while the new adult tooth grows beside it in the same spot. Take such kitten to the veterinarian for a checkup.
Guidelines to Assist Your Kitten When Teething
By now, you should know when your kitten is teething. So it is equally important to understand how to help the kittens find it easy to teeth without pain.
Kittens love to chew when they discover they now have teeth. You have to train them not to chew hard things that will damage their new not-too-strong teeth. They love to chew cords, so cover the cords to make them safe to chew for the kittens.
You can also buy them toys that are easy to chew. You can buy or even make the toy by yourself with soft plastic, leather, or rubber. Be sure to allow your kitten to play with these toys only with your supervision so that they do not swallow them.
It is advised that you also give your kitten interactive toys, e.g., cat-safe grasses, to keep their minds and bodies busy.
How Do You Promote Good Dental Health?
Always brush your kitten’s teeth with a toothbrush of their size and toothpaste certified for pets. However, during teething, avoid brushing their teeth so that you do not harm their teeth.
Check your kitten’s mouth from time to time, daily or weekly. Cats may sometimes have an ‘off’ bite, so do well to frequently take your kitten to the veterinary doctor for a periodic checkup.
In conclusion, the period in which a kitten teeth does not span so long. In general, it is barely about three months, so if your kitten goes through a lot of pain while teething, be rest assured that it will pass quickly.