My cat grinds teeth when I brush them. Is this normal or safe for her?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! As you suggest teething is likely as this is the time that would be expected. Teeth grinding, also known as bruxism, is a classic sign of discomfort or mild pain. I recommend toys for her to chew on which will help with this. This process usually ends at about 7 months of age. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. These symptoms could be related to dental problems or issue with the temporomandibular joint. The latter being rather uncommon in young cats. As long as Frank is bright, has good appetite and does not show any mouth discomfort or halitosis, I would suggest to monitor him at home for the next 1-2 months. If the symptoms do not get any better you should take him to your local vets then.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The biting of the brush can indicate that she is itchy, cats will lick or bite themselves when an itchy area is scratched or brushed. Some will salivate. Another possibility is that she is biting it because she is getting annoyed. Cats can still be purring but show annoyance by turning their ears, flicking their tail or lightly biting a brush or your hand/arm/fingers. I would stop brushing her when she starts biting the brush or only do it in short intervals so you do not irritate her too much. I wish you the best!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a sign of teeth pain. If this continues, I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check the mouth to see for any possible reasons so that therapy if needed can be started. This may be transient so hopefully that is the case and she does great. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are likely describing teething which is basically a normal type of behavior when puppies are growing up and it is secondary to mouth discomfort as teeth are growing. I recommend that you get Ollie teething type toys which you can get at your local pet store or online. Anytime that he tries to nibble at you or something he should nibble on, you say no and give him the toy. This is likely going to resolve the issue. Good luck and have a great day!

So sorry that Winnie is not feeling well! Winnie can be refusing to eat for a variety of reasons, however, from what you have described, it sounds like Winnie is grinding her teeth. Cats typically grind their teeth if their mouth is painful, and likely are unwilling to chew which could be causing her to not eat. This can be due to damage to the jaw, either from trauma, infection, or bone destruction. Depending on her age, different dental diseases could be causing these signs as well. Cats are also prone to developing conditions such as stomatitis (or inflammation of the mouth and gums), or she may have fractured a tooth. As all of these conditions are painful, Winnie should be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible, especially if she is refusing to eat. Her veterinarian will be able to diagnose the condition and treat her to make her more comfortable. Her veterinarian will also be able to rule out other causes of decreased appetite, such as intestinal disease or a different condition affecting her jaw or mouth. In the meantime, you can try to offer her soft canned food, or even dilute the food with some water so that she does not have to chew, but rather can just swallow the food. I hope Winnie feels better soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bosbos. Based on his age, I suspect that he is teething. Most kittens erupt their adult teeth between 4-6 months of age. If the noise continues or he has difficulty eating, then I recommend that he sees his veterinarian to ensure there is not another problem. I hope this information helps!