All cats are not created equal! Some can do more than just look pretty while sleeping or chasing after balls, but they require additional features for mental and emotional well-being.
Just like humans have different personalities, individual cats come with their own set of teeth. Some have very few bottom teeth, whereas others have almost none at all!
Many cat owners believe that animals cannot feel pain, which is why some let them suffer physically or emotionally for extended periods of time. This may be true when it comes to physical injuries, but what about internal ones like heart disease or cancer?
Canine dental health has been linked to several diseases. If your cat does not appear to be thriving, it could be because there are missing or damaged teeth. Or maybe his top teeth grow quickly, making him seem healthier than he is.
This article will discuss whether or not cats have bottom (or false) teeth.
Why are cats’ teeth important?
When a dog or cat eats, it uses its top teeth to clamp down on food and pull it away. If dogs have bottom teeth, they don’t need them for this process!
Some people believe that when cats eat, they use their lower jaw as a sort of scooping device to push the food up into their mouth, where their top teeth break off. This isn’t true.
Cats do not grow new teeth if they’re eating things like meat, which tend to stick in the mouth. Therefore, even though some may think that your cat has lost one set of false teeth, she hasn’t! She probably just didn’t bother to chew her meals very much.
If you see your cat drooling and looking slightly demented, chances are she is trying to push something through her throat that will go down wrong. You can help get this thing out by using a spoon.
Are cats’ teeth the same as humans’?
Many people believe that dogs have false, removable top or canine teeth while cats do not. This theory is called dichotomous thinking because it assumes that animals can be categorized into two types, like dogs or don’t-care pigs.
This assumption was made back in prehistoric times when some tribes would characterize wolves as either kind or gentle or aggressive depending on their behaviors. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always hold true in the real world!
In fact, many experts now agree that all living species possess both sets of permanent teeth. What differs between species is how many deciduous (baby) teeth they have and what style of adult dentition they posses.
Deciduous teeth are those that eventually disappear before being replaced by the next set of adult teeth. For example, baby mice do not need very strong protective tooth enamel so they lack these during early stages of development. They instead rely on spongy bone to protect themselves until they grow up.
Likewise, kittens lose their first few teeth just like mice do, but at a much faster rate due to their thinner dental enamel. An average cat only has about one third the amount of protection from harmful substances as an adult dog!
So why does evolution sometimes go through repeated changes? The answer may lie in differences in stress levels. Animals with weaker defenses are more likely to suffer damage or even death from external factors such as infectious agents, physical trauma, or nutritional deficiencies.
What are the different types of teeth?
All mammals have two sets of incisors, or top teeth that grow in length as they develop and dogs’ canines, which is why some people refer to them as “canine-dentalized” animals.
However, not all species outgrow their lower teeth! Some cats retain their cheek teeth (crowns) well into adulthood, with only slight changes occurring to the enamel coating and the shape. This is because even though they grow new top teeth, there is no growth at the back so they keep using what they already had!
Some individuals believe that this difference between adult size tooth production is due to nutritional differences, but this theory has been disproven. Even if one animal gets more nutrition than another, its developing teeth should be getting the same amount of nutrients needed for growth.
This article will discuss the five main categories of cat dental anatomy and how each type develops. Then, we will talk about how to determine whether your kitty has any missing or extra bits of dentistry.
Where are cats’ teeth located?
Most dogs have at least one set of top or canine (canine-like) teeth, but some cats do as well! Some people refer to these as fang teeth because they look like very long canines.
Many kittens are born with all baby teeth in place, which is why they often seem less than one year old. It takes them until around six months to lose their first tooth. This happens due to them not having any adult teeth yet.
At this stage, many veterinarians will say that your cat no longer has baby teeth and therefore does not need to be given dental care anymore.
However, most cats never get their next tooth replaced, so it becomes important to check if your cat has its second upper premolar (upper cheek tooth) or lower third molar (wisdom tooth).
How can I tell if my cat has bad teeth?
Although most cats have two sets of upper canine (eye) teeth, they only need one set of lower canine teeth. Therefore, many people assume that every kitten or young cat does not need any lower canines!
This assumption is wrong!
In fact, most adult domestic short-haired spayed/neutered tomcats do require at least one lower canine to help them eat. These dogs are called obligate carnivores![1]
If you find this hard to believe, then here’s something very important to know about your cat’s dental health.
Luckily, there are some simple ways to determine whether your cat needs an extra row of teeth in its mouth.
Can I get my cat’s teeth fixed?
Many people are concerned about whether or not their cats have what is called top or cusp (smile) teeth. These are the canine teeth that grow in at around six months, when your cat grows his or her mouth.
Usually only one does, but sometimes two or three come out as canines! This usually happens because your cat loses its baby teeth and the next set needs to develop, so it becomes sort of stuck.
This doesn’t always happen, though- some kittens are born with all four sets of adult teeth, while others aren’t!
Your dentist will probably be able to tell if yours have just one tooth coming in by looking at x-rays, but there isn’t much you can do unless he or she removes them.
Do I need to get my cat’s teeth cleaned?
Only one area of your dog’s or cat’s mouth requires professional dental care– their teeth! Unfortunately, many people tend to skip this important step because they think that their pet doesn’t have any bottom or even top teeth.
In fact, most dogs don’t! Almost all large dogs (or dogs over three months old) will not grow new top dentition, but they will develop additional sets of teeth in the back of their mouths. These are known as canine false dental plates or fangs.
Canine false dental plate syndrome is entirely natural and does not pose any health risks for your animal. However, it can be aesthetically displeasing and require cosmetic surgery to remove them.
Luckily, there are ways to discourage growth of these extra teeth. You do not need special equipment to perform oral hygiene on your dog or cat; you just need some water and a soft cloth or brush.
What are the different types of dental care?
Finding out what oral health means for your cat depends on how you define it. If you consider only human-type teeth as important, then yes, most cats have adequate dentistry!
Most veterinarians agree that even though some breeds (like Persian or Russian Whites) have very special looking teeth, they do not play an essential role in food processing or socialization.
So if you’re never going to take your cat to the dentist, then they are probably fine. But if you like to brush your dog’s teeth, or give them their own bowl to keep clean, then it is worth understanding what oral health really means for your cat.
It can mean more than just having nice looks!
Something to note – although many people refer to “false” or “baby” canine teeth, this applies mostly to dogs. For every species, there are true canines and premolars! False canines are actually called tubercles, and false baby teeth are known as deciduous teeth.