Just like a human baby, your kitten will go through a teething phase. During this phase, your kitten’s gums will be sensitive, and nothing will be safe from their desperate need to chew.
This guide will help you recognize the signs of discomfort in your kitten and offer a few tips and tricks to help soothe their gums while keeping their teeth healthy.
How to Know if Your Kitten is Teething
Unlike human babies, kitten teething starts when their baby teeth, also known as deciduous teeth, start to fall out to make way for their adult teeth. While kittens can grow at different rates, teething typically starts when your kitten is around 6 months old.
It’s important to know the signs of teething in your kitten so you can help relieve their discomfort (and prevent a lot of chewed-on furniture). You’ll know your kitten is teething when:
- They start to eat less or chew slower
- They start chewing excessively on everything
- Their gums are sore or inflamed
- They show other signs of mouth discomfort like drooling or pawing at their mouth
- They seem irritable
How to Help a Teething Kitten
If your kitten has started teething, you’ll want to relieve their discomfort in any way possible, while protecting your furniture from any collateral damage.
Here are 5 tips to help your kitten when they’re teething:
1. Provide Chew Toys for Your Kitten
Teething kittens, like babies, want to chew on anything and everything that they can get their mouths on to help relieve the discomfort they feel. This could mean your hands or your leather couch if you don’t provide them with healthy outlets.
Soft chew toys, like rubber or soft plastic, are the best options for kittens with sore gums because they won’t damage your kitten’s teeth. Putting your kitten’s toys in the freezer can help soothe your kitten’s irritated gums.
Offer your kitten a variety of toys to choose from, so they can decide what feels best on their mouth.
2. Hide All Exposed Cables and Wires
Because teething kittens are always on the lookout for chew toys, any cables or electrical wires laying out can be especially dangerous.
Put away any exposed cables, as well as any other hazardous materials like toxic plants, to keep your kitten safe.
3. Feed Your Kitten Wet Food
Your kitten’s crunchy kibble may be too rough on their aching gums. If you notice your kitten chewing their food slower or avoiding it all together, consider switching to soft, wet food. This will help them keep up with their vital nutrients while alleviating a lot of their discomfort.
If switching to wet food isn’t an option for you, softening their dry food with a little water can also help encourage them to eat.
4. Avoid Brushing Your Kitten’s Teeth
Your cat’s dental hygiene is extremely important but taking a break from brushing your kitten’s teeth while they’re teething is a good idea.
Brushing can be painful while your kitten’s teeth fall out and regrow, and any negative associations they create with dental care now will make brushing their teeth as an adult harder.
5. Check Your Kitten’s Teeth Weekly
Take a look in your kitten’s mouth at least once a week to monitor how their adult teeth are growing in. While all cats’ mouths can grow and develop at a different pace, stubborn baby teeth can cause your kitten’s adult teeth to grow in misaligned, which can lead to discomfort later in life.
If you notice anything out of the ordinary, schedule a check-up with your local vet.
Choose the Right Food for Your Teething Kitten
For your kitten to grow strong and healthy, they need the right nutrition. Our line of cat foods provides the vitamins and nutrients your kitten needs with whole, human-grade ingredients that you can trust.
Health Extension also offers a variety of delicious wet food options to provide balanced nutrition without bothering your kitten’s gums.
Shop our selection of cat foods for your teething kitten today.
