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My cat has painful, infected gums and can't eat. What should I do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 6 years and 4 months old

My cat has tooth problem,has missing teeth but the gum is very big and infected,can't eat and feels hard pain how can I help

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By David Elbeze, DVM, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on January 11th, 2017

FIrst of all feed him only wet food for now, you will need to bring him to the vet quite urgently, from the sound of it he will probably need an invasive procedure to remove the remaining teeth as the teeth are usually the cause of the severe gum disease. he will also need antibiotics and anti inflammatories.

2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Emily Fukuzato, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on March 22nd, 2020
Hello and thank you for reaching out to Pet Coach. The way he is chewing sounds like it could be tooth/dental or jaw pain. And it sounds painful. I would recommend to feed him soft food ONLY at this time until he can get into a vet for pain medication and evaluation. If he usually eats dry food, wet it with water and let soak until it is soft. Otherwise it is ideal for him to eat canned food only at this time. If he has a tooth infection he will need pain meds and antibiotics until it can be taken care of. Best of luck and hope he is feeling better very soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on October 16th, 2018
I am so glad you found us! I would continue to monitor Meatball for signs of pain from the cracked tooth, including decreased appetite, pain when you touch the tooth, lethargy, hiding, etc. If he has issues with the tooth, it may be possible to simply remove that tooth and not do a full cleaning or dental x-rays, but you should discuss that option with your vet. Wet or dry food is fine, whichever he prefers.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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