My cat's breath smells like catfood

[margomaps]

Plus, her teeth get a lot of plaque buildup very quickly. We had the vet clean her teeth once or twice, but they put her under, kept her overnight, and the bill was something like $200. And all the plaque was back in less than a year.

She's a great cat, and I really don't want her to suffer the perils of bad dental hygiene in pets: tooth loss, blood infections, and even heart disease.

We've tried giving her these "pet dental chews" -- they don't seem to do much. We've tried brushing her teeth, but she hates it and the experience is pretty traumatic for her.

She's also obese. We've had her on Iam's "weight loss" formula, giving her less than the recommended amount per day, for like 6 years. And it hasn't helped one bit.

I've read that changing a cat's diet from "catfood" to a more natural diet -- poultry (cooked or raw, including skin, feathers, and bones) -- can really help out with dental health as well as weight.

Anyone have any experience with something like this?

[coastie]

Plus, her teeth get a lot of plaque buildup very quickly. We had the vet clean her teeth once or twice, but they put her under, kept her overnight, and the bill was something like $200. And all the plaque was back in less than a year.

She's a great cat, and I really don't want her to suffer the perils of bad dental hygiene in pets: tooth loss, blood infections, and even heart disease.

We've tried giving her these "pet dental chews" -- they don't seem to do much. We've tried brushing her teeth, but she hates it and the experience is pretty traumatic for her.

She's also obese. We've had her on Iam's "weight loss" formula, giving her less than the recommended amount per day, for like 6 years. And it hasn't helped one bit.

I've read that changing a cat's diet from "catfood" to a more natural diet -- poultry (cooked or raw, including skin, feathers, and bones) -- can really help out with dental health as well as weight.

Anyone have any experience with something like this?

Eh, somewhat have experience here...

First off, I would'nt give the kitty poultry bones, as they tend to splinter-which is bad. And if you do change it's diet, then stick to it. Changing back and forth to cat food isnt good either.

Ever considered taking the cat for a walk for the obesity? Playing with "chasing" toys is good, too.

And dont get me started on the endless fun that a small flashlight or laser pen can be....

[pcosmar]

Kitty Mints?

BTW, I have 10 cats. I just don't smell their breath.

[margomaps]

Eh, somewhat have experience here...

First off, I would'nt give the kitty poultry bones, as they tend to splinter-which is bad. And if you do change it's diet, then stick to it. Changing back and forth to cat food isnt good either.

Ever considered taking the cat for a walk for the obesity? Playing with "chasing" toys is good, too.

And dont get me started on the endless fun that a small flashlight or laser pen can be....

Good point about the splintering bones. I've read that uncooked bones will not do that, but I'm a little hesitant to take the risk.

Never considered taking the cat for a walk. My cat is bewildered by the outdoors -- I don't think it would work out very well. We did buy her a walking harness a long time ago, but she's too fat to wear it. :D

We do use a laser pointer to get her to run around. We've been doing that for years...but perhaps not enough.

[margomaps]

Kitty Mints?

BTW, I have 10 cats. I just don't smell their breath.

Well, the breath doesn't really bother me so much. Our cat does like to sleep on our bed near our heads though, so you can sometimes smell it when she yawns.

It's more that the bad breath is an indication of unhealthy bacteria in the mouth, and a precursor to more serious dental problems. At least that's what the vet told us.

[pcosmar]

I think you will find that any healthy cat has "cat breath". I wouldn't worry unless it smells like dead rotted breath. Fish smell is normal.

[margomaps]

I think you will find that any healthy cat has "cat breath". I wouldn't worry unless it smells like dead rotted breath. Fish smell is normal.

Ahh....it's pretty gross. And I don't believe the thick yellow plaque is normal. Then again, maybe I'm being a sucker about this and my vet is milking me $200 for those stupid cleanings.

[constituent]

put 'em outside to chase the snakes and mice for food.

[pcosmar]

How old is your cat? My oldest is about 15.
If it is really bad, like rotted meat, there may be an infection.
Do you feed dry food? Check into greens, cats will chew grass and leaves. They need their veggies too.
A little yellow on the teeth is normal,crusty build up is not.

[Pete]

Do you give her dry (crunchy) food?

We give the cat a bowl of dry food and another with a small quantity of a good canned food. Cleanliness of teeth is not a problem.

[margomaps]

How old is your cat? My oldest is about 15.
If it is really bad, like rotted meat, there may be an infection.
Do you feed dry food? Check into greens, cats will chew grass and leaves. They need their veggies too.
A little yellow on the teeth is normal,crusty build up is not.

I guess I'm not good at distinguishing between a disgusting smell, and a really disgusting smell. :p

Yeah, she gets dry/crunchy Iams. Never really thought about the greens. I do know that if we have a house plant, she'll almost always try to eat it -- and then throw up right afterwards.

[pcosmar]

Treats and Greens
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3261+1902

[freelance]

I guess I'm not good at distinguishing between a disgusting smell, and a really disgusting smell.

Okay, let's try this. Did the bad breath come on overnight? Out of the blue? If so, have the vet draw blood and check for chronic renal failure. I'll spare you all the care-giving details unless and until you find out that's the problem. Don't let the name scare you. It's bad, but it's called "old age," and the only reason that they get CRF is because they live so long now that they're domesticated.

[Lois]

Put her on the BARF - Raw Food Diet - and she'll be fine. Raw bones are good for her. Our cats prefer raw food to cooked, and they like to catch their own outdoors.

[Mortikhi]

We are here to save this country. Who gives a ___ about your cat's breath.

[pcosmar]

We are here to save this country. Who gives a ___ about your cat's breath.

Actually it is a nice break from Lies, Trolls, and Whiners.
There is a thread on education level though.

[Cali4RonPaul]

We are here to save this country. Who gives a ___ about your cat's breath.

Getting Ron Paul elected is a move in the right direction in getting this country back on track. But saving this country from its decline in basic values is another, and that is done individual by individual.. Being aggressive and rude has its place some place on the internet. But it DEFINITELY does not belong on a presidential election site targeted at fellow Dr. Paul supporters. Just take it easy there, because I have been reading your comments and you are really jabbing at people for the most trivial things. It sounds like you are wasting your own time.

[Corydoras]

Never really thought about the greens. I do know that if we have a house plant, she'll almost always try to eat it -- and then throw up right afterwards.

You can grow oat greens in pots specifically for nibbling. Houseplants are often irritating and sometimes outright toxic, so they tend not to stay down when nibbled.

[margomaps]

Okay, let's try this. Did the bad breath come on overnight? Out of the blue? If so, have the vet draw blood and check for chronic renal failure. I'll spare you all the care-giving details unless and until you find out that's the problem. Don't let the name scare you. It's bad, but it's called "old age," and the only reason that they get CRF is because they live so long now that they're domesticated.

Nah, she's had the same bad breath for quite a long time (years). She's about 10 years old. She did have an illness last year (constant throwing up), and she went through a battery of blood tests and other evaluations. They said she was fine -- just had a hairball issue.

[Bryan]

We are here to save this country. Who gives a ___ about your cat's breath.
Yes, we are here to save the country but as Dr. Paul likes to say, we need to have a good time doing it. Cussing someone out (now edited out) does not fit that and also violates the forum guidelines. This topic is allowed here but a excessive amounts of them are not. Please read the forum guidelines:
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=22

And let us be civil here, OK? This thread is about cats (I have three myself, four if you count the stray)...

[margomaps]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'll have to see about getting my cat some greens to munch on. And except for the fact that it's utterly revolting to me, the raw diet sounds like something to look into.

And Mortikhi, thanks for...well...nothing. This is the "General Politics & Other" forum. Off-topic items like my cat's health -- while admittedly a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things -- are perfectly allowable here. I'm sorry you felt it was necessary to interject your irrelevant comment into my thread.

[CMoore]

I feed my cats Purina Cat Chow and they do very well on it. I know a cat breeder who swears by a raw diet, but I have never found anything any better than cat chow. One of my cats lived to be 21 years old.

[margomaps]

I feed my cats Purina Cat Chow and they do very well on it. I know a cat breeder who swears by a raw diet, but I have never found anything any better than cat chow. One of my cats lived to be 21 years old.

Yeah...but did its BREATH STINK???? ;)

Wow though, 21 is pretty impressive. If I can't get my cat's weight under control, I fear she won't make it even close to that age.

[CMoore]

Well, as he got closer to the end of his life, I could detect a slightly "off" odor to his breath, but it was not very noticable. My vet had an "elderly cat" check up she did for him to check his blood work and do a dental exam. Something like that might be helpful.

[trispear]

I once gave my cats store bought cat-food - it was like crack! I couldn't wean them off the shit, they tore into the bag like mad, huddled about my feet for food, and other things they never did before. Catfood contains a lot of filler that have carbohydrates (which they would hardly ever get in nature) that can cause diabetes II and stuff.

I eventually got them off of that crap cold turkey - it was a pain. They wouldn't eat real food for a couple weeks. I think there must be some type of addictive agent in that stuff?

I wouldn't know what to tell you. I live in a rural area. I never had my cats declawed, just spayed or neutered with shots. We kept them outside - they hunted and were happy, and we gave them scraps or leftovers. During really cold winter nights, we let them in and eventually bought a cathouse for them that was suitable for anything above 0F - their winter furs developed to cope as well. No catlitter because they didn't stay in inside (we tried that once but couldn't take the smell permeating through the place even when "clean") but they were fully domesticated, usually came when we called them and loveable.

Some lived a long time (20+ years), average was 7. None died of disease, hardly had disease and never were obese. The only reason they died young was the cars. Some are stupid and see a car coming and crouch on the road trying to hide from this predator and some wised up and got the hell out of the way.

We never figured out a way to keep them off the road and it got worse when this area got more developed. Still, they lived a happy life outdoors among a few other cats and were almost never bored or sad so we didn't think too much of it.

Can't give you a perfect solution - don't know if you live in a city or crowded suburb. If I ever get another cat, I'll still keep it outdoors because I think they are happier and healthier that way. I'd like a solution to the car problem - but collars/electric fences don't work - the cats get them snagged on branches or something and hate them anyway. Physical fences don't work unless totally closed in. Bleh.

Edit: Also never had a problem with chicken bones. We fed them everything.

[thehittgirl]

I saw some breath mints for cats in Shop Rite. Everytime I go their, I'm practically broke, so I haven't gotten them yet.

My cat has horrible smelling breath. But she's healthy.

[Corydoras]

http://www.petextras.com/catgrassseeds.html

I haven't done business with these people (I have no cat at this time) but here's an example of where you can get small quantities of live seeds for oats, wheat, and barley.

[Man from La Mancha]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. I'll have to see about getting my cat some greens to munch on. And except for the fact that it's utterly revolting to me, the raw diet sounds like something to look into.

And Mortikhi, thanks for...well...nothing. This is the "General Politics & Other" forum. Off-topic items like my cat's health -- while admittedly a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things -- are perfectly allowable here. I'm sorry you felt it was necessary to interject your irrelevant comment into my thread.


Well if you went 100% raw vegan with maybe some raw dairy you would live a long pain free life. So feed them what nature gave them 100% raw meat and some greens. Personally I'm not a cat person and to anybody that does not take the personal responsibility and keep there cats inside or in their yard, I won't guarantee what would happen when they wander onto my land and chase and kill my friends the birds and squirrel's.:p



Pottenger's Cats — A Study in Nutrition
by Francis M. Pottenger, Jr., MD
From 1932 to 1942, Dr. Francis Marion Pottenger, Jr. (frequently misspelled Pottinger) conducted an experiment to determine the effects of heat-processed food on cats.

This ten-year cat study was prompted by the high death rate among his laboratory cats undergoing operations to remove their adrenal glands. At that time, there were no chemical procedures to measure the strength of adrenal extract. So, manufacturers used cats. Cats die without their adrenal glands. So, the amount of extract the cats needed to keep them alive allowed the manufacturers to calibrate the strength of their product.

Dr. Pottenger fed his cats a diet of raw milk, cod liver oil and cooked meat scraps, which included liver, tripe, sweetbreads, brains, heart and muscle. This was considered the optimum diet.

Concerned with the cats poor postoperative survival, Dr. Pottenger noticed the cats showed a decrease in their reproductive capacity and many of the kittens born in the laboratory had skeletal deformities and organ malfunctions.

By a quirk of fate, since the number of cats donated by his neighbors in Monrovia, California kept increasing, he couldn't handle the demand for cooked meat scraps. So, he ordered raw meat scraps from a local meat packing plant, including the viscera, muscle and bone. Always a scientist, Dr. Pottenger fed these raw meat scraps to a segregated group of cats so that he could observe any change. Within a few months, this group appeared healthier, their kittens more vigorous, and they had a higher survival rate after their operations.

The contrast between the two sets of cats was so startling, it prompted Dr. Pottenger to perform a controlled experiment to verify these facts scientifically.

The experiment included 900 cats over four generations and was well documented by Dr. Pottenger. The cats were divided into five groups. All the groups were supplied the same basic minimal diet, but the major portion of the diets were varied. Two of the groups were fed whole foods (raw milk and meat - real foods for cats). The other three groups were given processed foods: pasteurized, evaporated and condensed milk.

All four generations of the raw meat and raw milk groups remained healthy throughout their normal lifespans. The first generation of all three processed food groups developed diseases and illnesses near the end of their lives. The second generation of all three processed food groups developed diseases and illnesses in the middle of their lives. The third generation of all three processed food goups developed diseases and illnesses in the beginning of their lives and many died before six months of age. There was no fourth generation in any of the three processed food groups. Either the third generation parents were sterile or the fourth generation cats died before birth! Remember, all four generations of the raw food groups were healthy throughout their normal lifespans.

As for applying his results to human nutrition, Dr. Pottenger said, "While no attempt will be made to correlate the changes in the animals studied with malformations found in humans, the similarity is so obvious that parallel pictures will suggest themselves."

Does this give you an understanding of why so many children are now developing cancer? Why there were no fertility clinics 30 years ago?

There is no similar experiment in medical literature. The findings were supervised by Dr. Pottenger along with Dr. Alvin Foord, professor of pathology at the University of Southern California and pathologist at the Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. These studies met the most rigorous scientific standards of their day........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Pottenger
.