Many of us might wonder what exactly the cat’s breath should smell like. You sweat and smell what you eat. But many wonder why My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food. A vet might reply that it is not atypical of cat smells. While a layman might state that it could not be any flowery if not this. So what it should be like? Let us find out together.
An Introduction:
Many of the cat parents complain that their time with the kitty is quite painful as they yearn to be cozy around them. This turns out to be a real pain when the cat’s breath stinks. While you aim at smooches, the nose creases with a frown on the forehead.
While this might be normal in some cases as the cat tends to metabolize the food. It can be dangerous and mark the beginning of a health condition. This is known as halitosis in cats. Although this is a medical condition, the good thing is that a solution is available.
If you wonder, My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food. We need to cater to the underlying pathology of this issue in cats. Generally, the smell it will produce will co-relate with the food you fed it. It is believed that soft food and canned food are more likely to create this problem. The food being slimy tends to stick to the mouth and teeth. Hence, smell strays. The metabolites like ammonia might be causing the trouble.
Introducing Halitosis
The above discussion brings us to the subject of Feline halitosis. Or simply tagged as bad breath in cats. It can have many underlying reasons. Some of them include cat feed, some sort of infection, foreign particle invasion, and even periodontal disease. Sometimes, it might be related to even more troubling causes. Such as liver malignancy, and diabetes with some underline internal Pathology.
Indicating Some Symptoms of Bad Breath in Cats
Dealing with issues like My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food. And catering to it as a problem makes us come with down some symptoms associated with it.
It is not only bad breath but many other conditions might prevail hand in hand. We have shortlisted some common symptoms that you may identify along with the bad breath. Below is the list.
● The cat might become aggressive and display irritability
● Some sort of appetite loss may be observed
● Sometimes it also accompanies Bleeding gums
● Depression is identifiable in some felines
● Drooling and diarrhea can be indicative of stomach issue
● Pain and excessive urination.
● Also seen along with red runny eyes
● Lethargy follows halitosis
● One can identify with Mouth dysfunction and Oral cavity lump
● Paws in the mouth and pain
● The trouble with closure and mouth opening
● Cat exhibits reclusiveness with rare self-grooming activity
● Some might identify swelling in the face and lymph nodes.
Understanding Reasons For the Bad Breath in Cats?
As discussed earlier, My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food is cat halitosis. While it can be simply caused by food ingestion. Some other things can entice the issue. Some of them are serious health issues. And might be a point of concern. Requiring your immediate action and reaching out to the vet.
We are discussing these factors individually:
Oral Inflammation and Cancers
First on the list is the oral cavity directly related to the site or origin of odor is of prime importance anatomically. Conditions like oral cancers can fuel bad smells.
The tumor is a hub of inflammation and bacterial invasion. Thus the foul smell can also produce foul mouth odors, As the tumor spreads, it gets heavy on infection and causes halitosis. Till the time of diagnosis of mouth cancer, the carcinoma turns bad. Leading to a bad prognosis or worsening medical conditions. Little can be offered as help in this case.
Enlargement of the esophageal tube or conditions like tonsillitis and gingivitis can be another cause. Along with pharyngitis a.k.a inflammation of the throat is equally bad. Conditions that somehow lead to bacterial colonization of blood like sepsis. Sometimes, a cat might eat up its litter known as Coprophagia. This all brings to one outcome which is a bad smell.
Stomatitis
It is one of the conditions that is associated with the entire oral cavity. The mucous lining of the mouth is completely inflamed and can be one of the causes of incomplete digestion and hence bad mouth odor.
It is one case that demands medical attention. One needs to check with a vet for alternative food options and a health regime to better the underlying condition.
Gingivitis
It is close to stomatitis yet different. Gingivitis is specifically reserved for inflammation of the gums. A cat might develop this condition following dental issues. However, bacterial infection or invasion by agents like viruses can cause the same. Sometimes allergies are to be blamed. They can equally elicit an inflammatory reaction. Thus, a bad smell.
Seeing a cat with a vet is our advice. He may recommend a treatment regime or even suggest a test and vaccination against FIV and Calicivirus.
The Gastric reflux
Issues with digestion or metabolism pose serious threats. Not being able to process food may cause gastric reflux. The food reaches back to the oral cavity. The closer it is, the more it causes burning. Plus it causes the smell of food that reverses back to the oral cavity. This time being half processed and having the smell of some metabolites.
Periodontal Disease
The next cause is close to the preceding one. The cat especially in its growing age when weaning around the third and sixth month might pose such issues of foul smell. So if you are one claiming My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food, check with the state of the cat’s growth.
Vets widely agree on periodontal disease as the leading cause of bad breath in cats. The deposit of plaque on teeth surfaces or round gum causes so. This is the colonization of bacteria. This in turn causes irritation of gum and the development of infection. The infection can cause pus formation and smell build-up in the designated area.
The easiest way of spotting this problem in your feline is by looking into some tooth and gum issues. Some of them might be bleeding gum, irritability, or dental pain. Under such circumstances, one is asked to practice brushing with the feline. Some vets believe that diets can help prevent the deposit of plaque. Dry food shall support this cause.
LPS: Lymphocytic Plasmacytic Stomatitis
This is one big condition that is stomatitis with causative agents being some external dealers. Some of them could be Bartonella. Some viruses like the calicivirus, feline leukemia virus, and FIV or feline immunodeficiency virus.
These all lead to rich inflammation of the mouth hence the pain and odor. You can identify bleeding gums, swollen gums, and painful episodes amongst cats. All indicative of Lymphocytic Plasmacytic Stomatitis mapping route to bad breath.
Sometimes the vet might suggest a solution such as partial removal or regular teeth brushing. In case of severe infections, antibiotics might be recommended.
Metabolic diseases: Liver and Kidney Dysfunction
While we mention poor oral hygiene or oral inflammation as the underlying cause of bad breath in cats. It might be more than this. Some other organs being infected or affected can have this as one of the side effects or one of the symptoms.
One such issue would be the liver or kidney, seen in older cats. The liver and kidney fail to function properly and crash to detoxify the body’s serums. In turn, leading to deteriorating health and bad odor accompanying it. One can identify this with cats with practices like high water intake and frequent urination.
With liver issues, some common symptoms would be lethargy, poor appetite, or vomiting on intake. The treatment will follow the right diagnosis. Reaching out to the vet is a must. Some diet alterations and modifications of mineral intake can lend some help.
Diabetes
My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food could be sometimes fruity in fact. It is a big hint toward the underlying diabetic condition of the cat. The cat presenting insulin resistance leads to sugar build-up in the body thus, a fruity odor is observed.
This can further be associated with loss in weight for cats, frequent urination, and increased appetite. Here one needs to work on medication for diabetes. As this issue is resolved, the fruit smell will resolve in continuation to it.
Diet
Not choosing the right type of diet is the biggest cause of all. At least this relaxes the parents that nothing serious is happening to the cat. It’s just the food that needs to be altered.
The cat might be producing an aroma of food consumed. Fish or meat in the diet could be strongest in terms of lingering odor. Not to forget that cat could be munching on pretty much anything. Not only what is being fed. Eating rubber or even litter could be quite a reason too. Check on its intake. Or follow vets’ advice in case the food fed is the problem.
Road to Diagnosis
If you find yourself constantly saying that My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food. Then the best thing is to find an underlying reason. Some of the indications are given above. One can match any of the above to figure out.
However, a better way would be to check with a vet nearby. He can help you by taking complete medical and dietary details of the cat. This will help nullify all health issues and relevant suggestions. This will help with routine check-ups and the underlying trouble.
Sometimes mere dental hygiene will be a solution. In other cases, relevant tests will be conducted. Removing suspicions of FIV or other inflammation as one of the causes is a must. An X Rays or ultrasounds will generate authentic results.
A physical examination of the cat’s oral cavity will be mandatory. The entire mouth area or oral cavity will be assessed. Including the roof, gum, and teeth. Any dental treatment or procedure required will follow. Or as per the cat’s condition, one will be suggested will medication be followed. Not to forget dietary alterations will always be there.
Solution to the Problem of Bad Breath in Cats
Here are some of the solutions, as discussed alongside the diagnosis. We have summarized some actions that one can take.
Please read below:
● Brushing a cat’s teeth to keep up dental hygiene suffices the need most of the time.
● Changing toothpaste, routine, or strokes of the brush helps sometimes.
● Note that it is not easy to reach into a cat’s oral cavity. It takes effort and can only be done when the cat is in a calm mood.
● Sometimes dental procedures like scaling help improve gum health.
● A regular check-up with the vet and allowing sampling can help nullify the presence of infections.
● The use of antibiotics in case of oral inflammation helps a lot.
● Corticosteroids might be prescribed for allergies and conditions like corticosteroid stomatitis.
● Metabolic issues and cancer will be treated with the right medication or radiation. Or as per the vet’s recommendation.
● A change of diet could be a point of consideration. Dry food helps fight against plaque deposition.
● Choosing a natural diet, the one close to its carnivore nature helps. Canned food is better avoided.
● Easy-to-digest items can help in cases of metabolic disorders.
● Cat chews are recommended in such scenarios.
● One can also use water additives and gels to improve the cat’s dental hygiene.
● Last but not the least, a regular check-up with a vet never harms.
Conclusion
My Cat’s Breath Smells Like Cat Food is one of the typical problem statements with cat parents. If you are sure of this, the cozy episodes with felines could be a real challenge. In this case, one needs to immediately find some correction tools.
This could be medically called halitosis amongst cats. It can have, multiple reasons. Starting from poor oral hygiene to wrong dietary intake. In worst cases, it could be indicative of an underlying disease. In this case, a range of diseases can be checked out by checking the accompanying symptoms.
The right diagnosis at the right time is the only way out. For this, reaching out to the vet timely is a must. Other than this some regular physical tests should be made. If nothing serious accompanies it, changing diet can help. Or simple steps like dental hygiene practices can help too. In case of mere infections, having antibiotics will help.