Cat getting its teeth brushed

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Brush-a, brush-a, brush-em. Your cat’s teeth, that is! Did you know that brushing your cat’s teeth should be a part of your daily dental routine? Keeping your cat’s teeth clean reduces their risk of dental disease, nutritional issues, and more. Read on to learn all about why it’s important to brush your cat’s teeth and how to brush them. Or, use the links below to jump ahead to a section of your choosing!

Brushing your cat’s teeth can help prevent: periodontal disease, feline stomatitis, tooth resorption

Why is Brushing Your Cat’s Teeth Important?

Just like humans, regular teeth cleaning is important for your cat’s oral health and overall well-being. Without dental care, cats can develop a range of unfortunate dental diseases, including:

  • Periodontal disease: Inflammation of the gums caused by plaque build-up. Periodontal disease is the most common dental disease in cats. If left untreated, periodontal disease can cause your cat to lose teeth. It’s especially common in Siamese, Maine Coon, and British Shorthair cats.1
  • Feline stomatitis: An extremely painful dental disease that causes severe inflammation of the tissue in a cat’s mouth. Cats with feline stomatitis may experience severe pain.
  • Tooth resorption: Another common feline dental disease, especially amongst senior cats. Tooth resorption causes a cat’s teeth to deteriorate to the point of unusability. Cats experiencing tooth resorption may be in severe pain.

Dental issues can cause pain and difficulty chewing and eating, and can develop poor nutrition as a result. Plus, interventions can run you a pretty penny.

Image of cat getting its teeth brushed; overlaid copy that reads: Experts recommend making dental care a daily part of your cat’s routine.

How Often Should You Brush Your Cat’s Teeth?

The best defense against dental disease is simple: regular cleaning. Experts recommend making dental care a daily part of your cat’s routine. In addition to daily tooth brushing, it’s a good idea to develop an at-home dental routine that includes dental chews, water additives, and more.2 More on that later.

How to Brush a Cat’s Teeth Step-by-Step

Cleaning your cat’s teeth may sound like a daunting task, but with the right guidance, it can become an easy part of your everyday routine.

The first step is to find the right dental care products. It’s very important to use a cat toothbrush and toothpaste. These toothbrushes are smaller to accommodate your cat’s small mouth and teeth, and cat toothpastes are designed to address their dental needs and flavored to appeal to them. Never use a human toothbrush or toothpaste on your cat.

Now that you’ve gathered your supplies, you’re ready to learn how to brush your cat’s teeth.

Graphic outlining the three steps to brush a cat’s teeth; image of cat getting their teeth brushed by owner

1. Vet Evaluation

Before launching into a new dental care routine, it’s important to have your cat’s oral health evaluated by a vet. They can check for the presence of cat periodontal disease or any other cat dental diseases.

If dental disease is found, a professional dental cleaning will be in order. Your vet can perform a thorough cat teeth cleaning to remove excess plaque, as well as any teeth in unsalvageable condition. After the procedure, give your cat’s mouth 10 days to heal before performing any at-home dental care.

2. Introduce Teeth Brushing Motion

Next, it’s important to ease into brushing your cat’s teeth. In all likelihood, your cat is not at all accustomed to having their teeth touched or objects inserted into their mouth. It’s easy to imagine why this experience would be jarring for your cat. In response, they may try to bite you, scratch you, or even run away and hide.

For an easier introduction to brushing your cat’s teeth, follow these steps:

  • Position your cat in front of you on a table or other waist-height surface. As you start to handle their face and teeth, they’ll likely try to back away. Standing behind them will help keep them in place.
  • Put a small amount of toothpaste on your finger and allow your cat to investigate. You may also want to show them the toothbrush and let them smell, lick, or even rub their face on it.
  • Begin getting them used to having their mouth touched. Gently massage the outside of your cat’s mouth on top and bottom.

Pay attention to how your cat responds to having their mouth touched. They may not like it at first, so give them breaks and allow them to get used to the sensation. It may take several days to get them accustomed to having their mouth touched. Stay calm, start slow, and offer plenty of breaks and treats.

Once your cat is comfortable with having the outside of their mouth touched, it’s time to introduce them to having their teeth brushed. Follow these steps:

  • Put a small amount of cat toothpaste on your finger.
  • Stand behind your cat and hold their head firmly with your thumb on the top of their head and your fingers holding their chin and neck.
  • Slip your finger with toothpaste underneath their lip and slowly run your finger back and forth across their teeth, mimicking a toothbrush.

Again, this process may take many days. Go slowly and reward good behavior with treats.

3. Start Brushing With a Toothbrush

When your cat is comfortable having their teeth “brushed” with your finger, it’s time to introduce a toothbrush. Apply a small amount of cat toothpaste to a cat toothbrush and perform the same motion. Hold their head firmly in one hand and brush their teeth with the other.

Brushing your cat’s teeth with a toothbrush may not go perfectly the first time, but with time, you’ll both get comfortable with the process and learn to brush your cat’s teeth with ease.

Other Ways to Care for Your Cat’s Teeth

An effective dental routine includes more than just regular teeth brushing. Explore these additional ways to care for your cat’s teeth:

  • Dental chews: Cat dental chews have an abrasive texture that gently cleans plaque off your cat’s teeth, while leaving your cat none-the-wiser. They come in the form of chew toys, chew sticks, and treats. Edible dental chews also contain ingredients that promote good dental health and freshen breath.
  • Supplements: Another tool to keep your cat’s teeth clean is a supplement for dental health. These supplements most commonly contain seaweed or kelp, which has been shown to reduce dental plaque and tartar and freshen breath.
  • Dental food: Cat dental food is designed to promote cleaner, healthier teeth. In addition to containing dental-healthy ingredients, dental food has larger pieces of kibble, which clean your cat's teeth as they chew.
  • Water additives: Water additives are an easy way to sneak a little extra dental care into your cat’s routine. They contain enzymes that can both break down tartar and freshen breath. Keep in mind that some cats may experience digestive issues from water additives, so start small and monitor their reaction.
  • Regular vet exams: Even if you religiously brush your cat's teeth every day, they’ll still likely need regular dental exams. Veterinarians are able to clean your cat’s teeth more deeply and reach places that you may not be able to get to at home. They can also assess your cat’s teeth for any damage or potential issues and address concerns before they become serious problems.

FAQs

Can cats live without brushing their teeth?

While cats can live without brushing their teeth, neglecting your cat’s teeth puts them at a greater risk of developing dental diseases like periodontitis, feline stomatitis, and tooth resorption. Down the line, these issues can lead to poor nutrition and overall health issues. For your cat’s happiest possible life, it’s important to brush their teeth daily.

What can I use to brush my cat’s teeth if I don’t have toothpaste?

Only brush your cat’s teeth with a cat toothbrush and cat toothpaste. Human toothbrushes and toothpaste aren’t designed for a cat’s mouth or digestive tract and may contain toxic ingredients like xylitol. They’ll also likely hate the taste.

How do I get rid of my cat’s bad breath?

Brushing your cat’s teeth daily should help with their bad breath. You can also give them dental chews with breath-freshening ingredients or water additives that use enzymes to freshen breath.

If your cat’s breath is particularly bad, or severely bad breath suddenly develops, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue. Contact your vet for an exam.

Is it too late to start brushing my cat’s teeth?

It’s never too late to start brushing your cat’s teeth! In fact, senior cats experience more dental issues than younger cats. If you’ve got a senior cat that’s never had their teeth brushed, it’s more important than ever to start.

Black and white cat making a silly face

Final Notes

Brushing your cat’s teeth is key to helping them live a long, happy life. While it may seem like a daunting task, it’s easier than you think to start caring for your cat’s teeth at home. By going slow, taking lots of breaks, and rewarding them with treats, you will help your cat have a manageable dental care routine in no time!

Looking for more pet care advice? Dutch members get unlimited access to licensed veterinarians from the comfort of their home. Ask questions, get answers, and help your pet live their best life. Try Dutch today.

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Medically reviewed by

Dr. Jessica March

Frequently asked questions

Dutch is an online veterinary telehealth service. With a membership, pet parents get unlimited video consults with licensed vets for up to 5 pets, plus prescription medication shipped to your door in most U.S. states. Members can treat 150+ common conditions without leaving home, typically for less than the cost of a single in-person vet visit.

Sign up with your pet's information and book a video consult with a licensed vet at Dutch. The vet reviews your pet's symptoms, medical history, and any photos you share, then recommends a treatment plan. If medication is appropriate, it's prescribed and shipped directly to your door, typically within 1-3 business days. Members get unlimited follow-up consults at no extra cost.

Our vets can provide care and prescriptions for more than 150 issues — and over 90% of cases can be treated virtually. 

The vet can diagnose your pet based on your description of their symptoms, their medical history, seeing them during your video call, and, if needed, through uploaded photos and videos. They may ask you to do a few simple checks during the call. We also offer a number of at-home lab test kits for dogs and cats.

The health and safety of pets is our top priority. In the rare case that a vet determines a pet needs to go to a local clinic, they’ll provide a referral and offer advice on how to care for them until they can be seen. 

Some things that require in-person care include emergencies, wounds that need stitches, and issues that require blood work, imaging (X-rays or ultrasounds), or surgery.

Our vets are always available for second opinions and follow-up care after in-person vet visits — so you don’t have to navigate health issues alone.

You and your pet will have a 10-minute video call with a licensed veterinarian. Here’s what to expect:

Before the call

When booking the call online, you'll be asked a few questions about your pet. Depending on the issue, you may need to fill out a longer questionnaire about their symptoms or share photographs of them so our veterinarians can better understand what’s going on. You’ll then pick an appointment time. Make sure your pet will be with you at that time — the vet will need to see them on the call.

During the video call

One of our vets will talk to you about the symptoms your pet is experiencing, ask you questions, review your pet’s medical history if you’ve provided it, look at your pet on camera, and answer any questions you have. They may ask you to perform some simple checks on your pet, like raising their gums, if needed.

After the call

The vet will send you a message with a custom treatment plan to help your pet feel better, including a link to buy any recommended prescription or over-the-counter medications. Place your order and we’ll ship it free. If you have any questions, you can message your vet anytime or book another appointment with the same vet to follow up.

Vets at Dutch are licensed to provide care in most U.S. states. Coverage expands as new state licenses are added. The current state availability list is on the membership plans page on dutch.com.

Dutch is an annual membership service. At $132/year ($11/month), the annual membership covers unlimited video consults for up to 5 pets and is designed to cost less than a single typical in-person vet visit. Prescription medication costs are separate and shown transparently at checkout before any purchase. Detailed pricing is on the membership plans page.

Yes, in most states. Vets at Dutch can prescribe medication after a video consult that establishes the required vet-client-patient relationship. Prescriptions are shipped directly to your door, typically within 1-3 business days. State licensing and federal telehealth rules apply.

Same-day video consults are available in most states. After signing up, you can book an appointment that fits your schedule, including evenings and weekends. For non-emergency situations that need urgent attention, the intake questionnaire helps the vet prioritize the right care path.

Yes. Every vet at Dutch is a licensed veterinarian credentialed in the state where they provide care. Many have years of clinical practice experience alongside telehealth expertise. Medical oversight is led by Dutch's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kate Elden.

Dutch isn't pet insurance itself. It's a membership for direct telehealth care. Many major pet insurance plans reimburse for telehealth consults and prescription medication. Dutch can provide an itemized invoice to support reimbursement claims with your insure provider

Vets at Dutch offer convenient video consults from home, well-suited for non-emergency conditions, prescription refills, allergy and anxiety management, and follow-up care. In-person vets remain essential for vaccinations, surgical procedures, diagnostic imaging, dental procedures, and emergencies. Many pet parents use both: Dutch for routine and chronic-condition care, in-person for hands-on needs.

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