Did you know that February is National Pet Dental Health Month?
Did you also know…
- The number one health issue facing cats today is oral care
- Oral care concerns impact almost 70% of cats
- 80% of cats show signs of periodontal disease by the age of 3
Many of those cats will never receive any home dental care, and the condition of their teeth will worsen every year for the rest of their lives.
So what can we do at home in between vet visits?
Brush Their Teeth
Brushing is best and we cat parents should regularly brush our fur babies’ teeth, but let’s be realistic. If they didn’t get started at a young age, a lot of cats simply won’t allow it. Don’t get carried away and come at your adult cat with toothbrush and toothpaste in a single day. Work up to it. Start by touching your cat around the mouth while you cuddle him. Gently pull up his lip to look at his teeth and touch a tooth. Go gently from there.
Try to work up to brushing once, twice or, ideally, three times a week. If a toothbrush scares your cat, you can get nearly the same result by wiping his teeth with a gauze pad or dental wipe from your local pet store.
Cuation: Always be sure to use a toothpaste formulated for cats and never use a human toothpaste.
Consider a Dental Rinse
One of the most recent innovations in home dental care is an oral rinse that kills bacteria in your cat’s mouth. Ask your cat’s veterinarian if this might be helpful for your cat — especially if your cat isn’t willing to let you directly clean his teeth.
Let them Play with Dental Balls
Another option is toying around — no kitty can resist playtime so take advantage of it with the toys that yield some medical magic in their mouths. Consider a dental health cat chew toy. These cat chew toys are typically filled with catnip and fibrous catnip stalks to satisfy your cat’s natural desire to crunch and chew. They help clean teeth and massage gums to improve your cats dental health.
Choose a High Quality Dental Friendly Food
And of course, there’s your cat’s kibble. We’re excited to announce that the IAMS™ brand is introducing a unique new product that’s combating dental disease by providing cats with strong, healthy teeth and gums. Brand new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE™ includes active ingredients that provide protection against plaque accumulation and a blend of minerals and added calcium to help maintain strong teeth and bones.
IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE™ has a unique larger, groovier and crunchier kibble, designed to help provide a deep clean that scrapes away plaque and tartar. The IAMS team were kind enough to send us a sample 3.5 lb pack (photo below).
The IAMS team kindly donated 5 bags (3.5 lb size) of IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE (size as shown above) to The Purrington Post which we raffled off to 5 lucky readers (the contest ended on Mar. 10th /17 and was available only to residents of the United States).
To enter the contest each participant had to submit a comment in our “Leave a Reply” section at the bottom saying:
My cat’s name is [insert your cat’s name]. I would love for [insert your cat’s name] to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because … [insert your answer].
The 5 winners were chosen at random from all correct entries and contacted by email.
Enjoy the comments that our readers submitted…we certainly did!
Q: What does the feline dentist of the year get?
A: A little plaque!
Summary
While February is National Pet Dental Health Month, dental health should be a daily ritual for pet owners all year long.
For additional information please view the Press Release: IAMS™ Cat Launches New IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE™ Proactive Health™ Cat Food
Drop us a comment in the “Leave a Reply” box below or better yet email us a photo of your cats’ pearly whites!
My cat’s name is Shera. I would love for Shera to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because Shera is just 2 years old and has already had to have her teeth cleaned by a veterinarian. I already purchase IAMS dry food, so I hope that this new ORAL Care would help to keep her teeth clean and avoid expensive visits to the vet. Thank you.
My cat’s name is Olivia. I would love for Olivia to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because I love her and she loves Iams! She is also an Emotional Support Animal and I want to take care of her as much as she takes care of me. Her Birthday is coming up on April 7 th and I want to treat her like the special cat that she truly is <3
My cat’s name is Kiwi. I would love for Kuwi to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because FelV cats deserve to win too!
My cat’s name is Sweet Pea. I would love for Sweet Pea to win a bag of the new IAMS Orsl Care Complete because she is my emotional support cat and my best friend. I am currently unemployed and she has been my saving grace. I can’t tell you how much she means to me. Thank you.
My cat’s name is Sherlock. I would love for Sherlock to win a bag of the new Iams Oral Care Complete because he came to me as an adult so I have never been successful in brushing his teeth. Also, as a veterinarian, I’d like to have a dental diet I can recommend to my clients.
My cats names are Stormy, Midnight, Missy, Patches, Fluffy, Mama Cat, Winey, Tiger, and Mrs. Stripes. I would love for my cats to win a bag of the new Oral Care Complete because my cats are special to me and part of my family. Their health means the world to me.
My cat’s name is Mia. I would love for Mia to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because she is 2 soon and the vet is always saying she has the whitest teeth she’s seen and she regarly eats iams dry food so this is just perfect for her to keep those pearly whites clean 💜
My cats name is Purrsephone. I would love for Purrsephone to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CAT COMPLETE because then when she bites my ankles….at least they won’t smell like her butthole!
My cat’s name is Henri. I would love for Henri to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because … He is the sweetest cat on earth but his breath could kill a dragon.
My cat’s name is Zoey. And Zoey would love to win a bag of IAMS oral healthdental care because she’s 7 years old and has dental problems since she was a year old. She really needs this new cat food. And Zoey says her mommy told her whether she wins one or not, she’s going to buy it. But my mommy would still love to win it for me. 😻😼🐈
My cat’s name is Jura. I would love for Jura to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because she is only 4 months old and I would love to get her started on the best possible care from the start of her lifelong feline journey ❤️
My cats name is Lily. I would love for Lily to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because I want to take care of her teeth, but she would never allow me to brush them! She loves IAMS Hairball formula dry, and treats!
My cats name is Buddy. I would love for Buddy to win a big bag of the new Iams Oral Care Complete because, Buddy builds lots of tartar on his teeth.
My cat’s name is Possum. I would love for Possum to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because Possum just had a few teeth extracted and this food might help him keep his remaining teeth longer!
My cat’s name is Ozzie. I would love for Ozzie to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because he just had his teeth cleaned by our veterinarian and he was miserable having to spend his day away from me.
My cat’s name is Floyd. I would love for Floyd to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because he is a stray/feral cat that is not tame enough for me to be able to clean his teeth.
My cat’s name is PICARA, I would love for Picara to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because she is my dearest sweetheart, my all and everything, she brings me thru every day with her love and affection. I am very afraid of her falling sick, for her dental care I cannot afford a vet to have her teeth cleaned. I really really really would love for Picara to win this new catfood. I thank you very much.
My cat’s name is Benny. I would love for Benny to win a bag of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE as he has problems with his teeth. He’s already had some removed , so I would do anything to prevent him going through that again.
My cats’ names are Snickers, Nutmeg and Tigger. I would love for Snickers, Nutmeg and Tigger to win a bag (or bags) of the new IAMS ORAL CARE COMPLETE because, they have only eaten IAMS food for their entire lives, and I bought a bag the other day, and they managed to pick out all of the larger pieces of the ORAL CARE vs the HAIRBALL, and I would be so happy to help prevent dental disease and it’s resulting complications much more than worrying about hairballs. Plus, they showed they like it better!😻😺❤️😀☀️👍😎😻😻😻❤️❤️😺😺