My cat is sleeping more and clingy. Could gingivitis be the cause?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Angie. She is a beautiful cat!! I love her markings and her face, just gorgeous. I'm concerned that she has another dental problem causing her loss of appetite or she may have an illness. Typically in cats, a loss of appetite and lethargy are the first signs of illness. I think it's best that she sees a vet for a health check. I'd take her into one first thing in the morning. I hope this helps!

If Bella has lost teeth on the right side of her mouth, that would be very painful for her and cause her not eat. It would also make her lethargic and unable to clean herself properly. I would take her into a vet now. She sounds very sick from losing her teeth, which could have been caused by severe gingivitis and rotting teeth. She will likely need pain medications and antibiotics, and the vet can treat her mouth. Do not give her any human pain medications, many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. Please take her into a vet now.

Hi and thanks for your request. These signs could be due to severe gum inflammation and even infections, with abscesses building up on the dental roots (so sometimes not completely visible. These signs are quite concerning and another check up would be needed as antibiotics may be best given. Multiple dental extractions and cleaning are recommended in these cases. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

That looks like pretty painful gingivitis. There also may be some lesions on the neck of the canine tooth (FORL). Your vet will inspect the whole mouth and may suggest a tooth cleaning under anesthesia where the teeth are also cleaned underneath the gingiva. Unfortunately the teeth can look very clean, but underneath the gingiva bacteria congregate and cause tooth decay, inflammation, and, in serious cases, heart and kidney disease, This is not an emergency, but should be addressed soon.

Your cat should be examined by a veterinarian for a work up and treatment. There are a lot of diseases that could cause those signs including diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal issues, thyroid disease, and cardiac disease. Your vet may need to run lab-work and take X-rays to diagnose.

Poor Meredith! Lethargy is a very general sign of illness in cats, and it can be caused by systemic illness, infection, inflammation, or injury. Given that she is eating and drinking as normal, I would monitor her for now. If she is still lethargic in another 24-48 hours, I would have her seen by a vet. Should she stop eating or drink, or develops other signs such as vomiting and diarrhea, I would have her seen by a vet right away.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Jax hasn't been feeling well. Does he go outside? If he does, even if you can't find one right now I would be concerned that he suffered a bite of some kind, as cats can develop abscesses fairly easily when they suffer a trauma. I would be concerned by his behavior, as it does sound like there may be an underlying issue going on, such as an infection, GI upset, or an underlying medical issue (such as kidney disease or diabetes). If he doesn't perk up, start eating and getting some energy back, I would recommend he be evaluated by his regular veterinarian to determine the underlying cause for his change in behavior, have any necessary testing done (xrays, bloodwork) and start any treatment he may need to resolve it. Good luck!