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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / July 2006Why dry food does not clean teeth
There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental health. Here is an article written by a veterinarian that explains why cat food does not "clean" a cat's teeth: http://tinyurl.com/e7ewr MaryL > There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) > concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental health. > Here is an article written by a veterinarian that explains why cat food does > not "clean" a cat's teeth: http://tinyurl.com/e7ewr > > MaryL I actually posted this yesterday but it's in the Main Coon thread so hopefully it will attract more attention here. Great article! Lauren >> There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) >> concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Lauren Sorry...the Maine Coon thread has grown so long that I missed your post. As you said, it's a great article, so I guess it doesn't hurt to have a duplicate posted. Thanks, MaryL : Sorry...the Maine Coon thread has grown so long that I missed your post. As : you said, it's a great article, so I guess it doesn't hurt to have a : duplicate posted. Not only doesn't hurt, this is almost required. This myth is kibble cleaning their teeth is so widespread that people like us would have keep posting and reposting such articles before we make any dent. > : Sorry...the Maine Coon thread has grown so long that I missed your post. As > : you said, it's a great article, so I guess it doesn't hurt to have a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > cleaning their teeth is so widespread that people like us would have > keep posting and reposting such articles before we make any dent. Absolutely. It doesn't help that uneducated vets keep promoting kibble to their clients :( Sorry...the Maine Coon thread has grown so long that I missed your post. As > you said, it's a great article, so I guess it doesn't hurt to have a > duplicate posted. > > Thanks, > MaryL No apologies necessary, Mary :) I'm glad you posted it separately because that thread is too long anyway. Lauren > There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) > concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental health. > Here is an article written by a veterinarian that explains why cat food does > not "clean" a cat's teeth: http://tinyurl.com/e7ewr > > MaryL Its nice to see vets starting to wake up to something I've been harping about for >20 years. http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Dry_Food_vs_Canned_Food.__Which_is _reall I'm thoroughly convinced dry food is probably the leading cause of CRF in cats. The lower water intake and all that acid *has* to negatively affect the kidneys. Of course no pet food company will ever fund a study to prove it. Thanks for posting the link! Phil >>There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) >>concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > Phil Absolutes in any arena are never a good idea, IMO. My vet says a balance of wet and dry food is good and recommended I cut the wet food down to 1/2 can per day per cat (Friskies Prime Fillets) and supplement with Science Diet Oral Care since one of my boys had a mild case of ginigvitis. After using the SD for a few months (I leave a bowl of the chow out at all times for them to nibble from), both cats' teeth were pearly white and their breath had virtually no smell to it. They are both very healthy, happy 5 yr olds, and have no litter box issues. > Absolutes in any arena are never a good idea, IMO. and you're absolutely sure about that? > My vet says a balance of wet and dry food is good and recommended I cut > the wet food down to 1/2 can per day per cat (Friskies Prime Fillets) > and supplement with Science Diet Oral Care since one of my boys had a > mild case of ginigvitis. maybe a semi crunchy food is better If food is real dry, it just shatters upon contact - no tooth surface contact, especially near the gumline. If food is crunchewy, a tooth would sink in up to the gumline allowing maximum tooth contact. I think pet food makers should consider a hybrid wet/dry food product dry enough to come in a bag, wet enough to do away with can food healthy enough for a lion, but made for a small house cat as humans, we don't look to food only to keep our teeth clean, we have to brush, so I think the ultimate cat tooth care will include a daily brushing a flossing Phil P used the term shatter some time ago on here, on this same topic, didn't want him to think someone was stealing his coinage > I think pet food makers should consider a hybrid wet/dry food product > dry enough to come in a bag, wet enough to do away with can food > healthy enough for a lion, but made for a small house cat I don't think it would be possible to make something like that. It's not that hard to serve dry food AND wet food. I have dry food available 24/7, and I serve canned food twice a day. There's some waste since they don't finish the canned food, but it's no biggie. It's worth it to me. : It's not that hard to serve dry food AND wet food. I have dry food : available 24/7, and I serve canned food twice a day. There's some : waste since they don't finish the canned food, but it's no biggie... Try removing dry food for about an hour when you serve canned. They can still have dry available "22/7". I am not a big fan of free feeding but if your cats don't overeat, I suppose it is ok. > : It's not that hard to serve dry food AND wet food. I have dry food > : available 24/7, and I serve canned food twice a day. There's some [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > still have dry available "22/7". I am not a big fan of free feeding but > if your cats don't overeat, I suppose it is ok. We've been free feeding the cats for over 25 years with no problem. Jay Jay gained a little weight when I first got him, but after switching to the Maine Coon food with larger kibbles, he slowed down. Frankly, I haven't found any canned food that has glucosamine in it, and I find it really hard to get a known amount into canned food by mixing it. I have seen major improvements by putting my cats on Royal Canin's food, so I really don't want to go completely canned food. I figure they get the best of each this way. > > I think pet food makers should consider a hybrid wet/dry food product > > dry enough to come in a bag, wet enough to do away with can food [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > since they don't finish the canned food, but it's no biggie. It's worth > it to me. Well lucky cats! I wish I had someone to feed me all day I guess it's vain for anyone to think that food actually cleans a tooth... I've bought dog food in the past for my dogs (in my previous life) I wonder what would happen if a little cat had to eat that big chunky crunchewy dog food as a staple, I think their teeth would be much cleaner.. it's all just corn right? a little lamb a little rice... they would be forced to chaw on it, to break a piece off that's bound to scrape them bones Rheel good >> I think pet food makers should consider a hybrid wet/dry food product >> dry enough to come in a bag, wet enough to do away with can food [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] >since they don't finish the canned food, but it's no biggie. It's worth >it to me. That's what I do. And it's sort of important to have the boys acclimated to dry food because sometimes I go away and a neighbor or cat sitter will come in once a day and give them wet food. I can't ask them to come in twice. This way the boys can always eat a bit more of the dry so they aren't hungry. > >>There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) > >>concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Its nice to see vets starting to wake up to something I've been harping > > about for >20 years. http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm#Dry_Food_vs_Canned_Food.__Which_is _reall > > I'm thoroughly convinced dry food is probably the leading cause of CRF in > > cats. The lower water intake and all that acid *has* to negatively affect [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Absolutes in any arena are never a good idea, IMO. Are you absolutely sure about that? > My vet says a balance of wet and dry food is good and recommended I cut > the wet food down to 1/2 can per day per cat (Friskies Prime Fillets) > and supplement with Science Diet Oral Care since one of my boys had a > mild case of ginigvitis. Oral Care is one of the few (3) dry foods that actually does have some small dental benefit. That's because the nuggets are large and not brittle and don't shatter when the cat bites into them. The teeth can sink in before the nuggets break, so there is some degree of abrasion. However, the dental benefit doesn't offset the negative effects of feeding dry food to cats. If you have a good relationship with your cats and they trust you, you can easily clean their teeth by wrapping a gauze sponge around your finger and dipping in in saline or home-made slightly salty water or tuna water or even chicken broth. > Oral Care is one of the few (3) dry foods that actually does have some small > dental benefit. That's because the nuggets are large and not brittle and > don't shatter when the cat bites into them. The teeth can sink in before > the nuggets break, so there is some degree of abrasion. However, the dental > benefit doesn't offset the negative effects of feeding dry food to cats. don't be stealin my material Phil >>>>There have been several of threads recently (on several newsgroups) >>>>concerning the question of whether dry cat food is needed for dental [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] > > Are you absolutely sure about that? Never say never ;-) >>My vet says a balance of wet and dry food is good and recommended I cut >>the wet food down to 1/2 can per day per cat (Friskies Prime Fillets) [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > dipping in in saline or home-made slightly salty water or tuna water or even > chicken broth. Thanks for the tip. they really hate the toothbrush idea so I'll try the gauze for a 2-pronged effort! > > If you have a good relationship with your cats and they trust you, you can > > easily clean their teeth by wrapping a gauze sponge around your finger and [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > toothbrush idea so I'll try the gauze for a > 2-pronged effort! If your nervous about sticking your finger in your cat's mouth, you can try using a Q-Tip dipped in saline or you can wrap a gauze sponge around a finger splint (http://www.supports4u.com/finger.htm). Gotta be careful around cat's teeth- they can penetrate bone and cause osteomyelitis (a bone infection). Good luck, Phil >>>If you have a good relationship with your cats and they trust you, you > [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > > Phil No worries - my boys are as gentle as can be and routinely let me check their teeth and gums with my bare fingers. They just hate the texture of the toothbrush. Knock wood, in their 5 years they have never snapped or swiped at anyone, even the vet. The most I've seen is a hiss now and then, and never at me :-) >> > If you have a good relationship with your cats and they trust you, you >can [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > >Phil Cat Five just goes bonkers for the CET Fish Flavored chews. Her vet introduced them to us to keep her teeth clean, one chew per day, and in the 2 years we've had her she hasn't needed a cleaning at her check-ups. She's also on a mostly dry/occasional wet diet. The chews were pricey at the vet, but a bag of 96 are around $25 on-line. They're like a tan colored "foam" about the size & shape of a Combos pretzel bite snack, and have a crinkly-papery outer shell that holds it together for chewing. If I flick the edge of the shell, she's on full-alert and attacking me for it :) She also knows the sound of the plastic zip-loc bag they come in. If I open that bag regardless of where she is in the house, there's a meowing cat at my feet in seconds ;) Sometimes she bats it around before eating it, and it's funny as hell to watch her chase it. I have been getting them from healthypets.com but they were backordered for a while. Here's another order link that also has some nutrition info about them (which healthypets didn't): http://americanvetsupply.com/i_018VR-CET702_C.E.T.+Chews+Cat+Fish+96+Count.php  Signatureannoyed@net.spammers Craig, Kathi & "Cat Five" the tabby girl > I have been getting them from healthypets.com but they were backordered for > a while. Here's another order link that also has some nutrition info about [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > annoyed@net.spammers > Craig, Kathi & "Cat Five" the tabby girl Darn, they have fish in them. I'm allergic to fish and know if one of my cats licks me after eating these, I'd have a reaction. Plus I wouldn't be able to touch them. But thanks for that site. They have the CET cat toothbrush, which I think is the best toothbrush I've used: http://americanvetsupply.com/i_018VR-CET303_C.E.T.+Toothbrush+with+Paste+for+Cat s+303.php Lauren (and Mickey & Meesha) Raise Your Paw for Raw! See my cats: http://mickeymeesha.photosite.com/mm/ >> I have been getting them from healthypets.com but they were backordered for >> a while. Here's another order link that also has some nutrition info about [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >See my cats: http://mickeymeesha.photosite.com/mm/ There's also a poultry flavored chew, but I just looked at its ingredients and fish is listed in it too. Sorry about that. I can certainly understand the allergy deal as I still have some (mostly pollens). I tried the toothbrush on her but she really didn't like it, even with the flavored toothpaste the vet gave to us. Signatureannoyed@net.spammers Craig, Kathi & "Cat Five" the tabby girl > Cat Five just goes bonkers for the CET Fish Flavored chews. Her vet > introduced them to us to keep her teeth clean, one chew per day, and in the > 2 years we've had her she hasn't needed a cleaning at her check-ups. The CET chews work well because they're large and soft which allows the teeth to sink in all the way to the gumline- where all the problems begin. A CET a-day provides more dental benefit than an all dry food diet. The stuff about their "dual enzyme system" is just an advertising gimmick since there isn't any science to back it up. Phil > > Cat Five just goes bonkers for the CET Fish Flavored chews. Her vet > > introduced them to us to keep her teeth clean, one chew per day, and in [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Phil They make the chicken-flavored toothpaste I use for my cats ... > The CET chews work well because they're large and soft which allows the > teeth to sink in all the way to the gumline- where all the problems begin. > A CET a-day provides more dental benefit than an all dry food diet. I'm glad to hear you say that -- I started Hodge on them a month or so ago. When he boarded last weekend, they said his teeth still looked good from the cleaning. Fingers crossed. SignatureWeb site: http://www.slywy.com/ Message board: http://www.slywy.com/phpBB2/ Journal: http://slywy.blogspot.com/ >>The CET chews work well because they're large and soft which allows the >>teeth to sink in all the way to the gumline- where all the problems begin. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > ago. When he boarded last weekend, they said his teeth still looked good > from the cleaning. Fingers crossed. FYI... Science Diet Oral Care does the same thing.
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