I was giving my boy kitty boy some head kisses when he opened his mouth and the most horrible odor came from his mouth. I was wondering if mouth odor is normal for cats or if there is something that I can give him like a kitty breath mint.

I would assume that it is from his food, he does get canned cat food once a day.
Or do i need to change his canned food. Should i brush his teeth like you do with canines?

Boo, nyzki,Poppy

I do know with my 3 cats, there were times they had bad breath and for them, they did need their teeth cleaned and after the vet did it...there was no bad breath. So I do know that is one answer that worked for bad breath. Perhaps others had other situations. It was the vet who said they had plaque and needed cleaning else I would not have thought of that but I think it is a symptom of tartar buildup maybe. And soft food was what mine ate also.

It is the hard dry food that keeps the teeth clean so some give a mix of wet and dry food. I stopped giving my Little Guy dry food cause it caused him to not be able to pee which is a medical emergency for boys. But I also was told at the end of his time that his x-rays showed a narrow bladder so he might have been smaller inside than most boys. I know people who feed boys a lot of dry with no problem. It is just something to be aware of with dry food. And Little Guy's twin brother, Keeper, never had a problem with dry.

It will be interesting to see how others handled bad breath cause I am sure this is not an uncommon thing with kitties.

hope this helps.

Thanks for the replies.
I never would have thought of possible tartar causing Boo's bad breath. Also what are greenies? Is this something that I can purchase in a store? Also Boo does get a mixture of food not just canned food. But, I guess that he needs a little extra help when it comes to his dental needs.


Boo, nyzki, Poppy

YUCKY BAD BREATH is often caused by build up of plaque. Also bacterial germs breed in mouths that are not cleaned or brushed. Just like us, they have teeth that need proper care.

In addition to plaque, sometimes food that is eaten can leave bad breath. Or if something eaten doesn't agree with our stomach can cause acid indigestion, which can produce HORRIBLE ODOR.

Although, I must confess I have never brushed any other teeth except my own and my 2 chihuahuas. They get their teeth cleaned once per year by my vet. Daily they get their teeth brushed by me with a peanutbutter flavored toothpaste.YUMMY!
For those inbetween occasions of bad breath, I keep doggie breath mints. They also make one for cats.

Good luck brushing Boo's teeth. I'd love to hear how it goes.

Hi again: I read some of the replies you have gotten and just want to add a couple of things.

I believe the once a year vet cleaning recommended is good (kind of like the dentist cleans our teeth much better than we can). I think it would help them keep their teeth longer. My 3 cats were so bad to get to the vet, I didn't do that and Keeper was okay until he left me. The Little Girl had bad breath but when I took her to the vet for something else and wanted to leave her to get her teeth cleaned (it is done under anesthetic) that vet didn't want to take her at that time. Her breath smelled until we lost her. Little Guy lost most of his teeth over the years but I did manage to get him in at times for teeth cleaning.

When he had bad breath and the vet cleaned his teeth, the mouth odor was gone for at least 2 years if not longer so a vet cleaning really does help to clean out any tartar or plaque that can hardened and be hard for us to get out. They can get cavities and gum disease just like people but bad breath is a sign to have a vet really look at the teeth condition. Some of the problems cats can get can be painful and they could refuse to eat due to pain. I think usually it is a simple explanation of tartar buildup that just needs cleaning rather than cavities, etc.

What Golath said about her doggies is good...she has their teeth cleaned once a year and she also tries brushing herself. Some cats may not like tooth brushing and if so, I think the vet cleaning would be your best bet as it lasts a long time and you will get an update on the current teeth condition.

I saw greenies, that Joanne talks about, in pet stores...like Petco, etc. I haven't tried them but she has said her cats love them..I don't know what they do except they are a food treat I think.
Maybe they are crunchy to help clean teeth. That is what is written on the package "Greenies".

Again, I hope this helps.

Wonderful, I will be calling my vet to find out what he reccomends. Boo, is doing fine when he eats,so it doesnt look like he is suffering any mouth pain. But, just to be on the safe side I will be following what my vet says to do. Also I will be looking for the Greenies. Maybe some extra treats meant to clean his teeth and breath might just do the trick.

thanks again Boo,nyzki,Poppy