How often should I brush my cat's teeth for healthy gums and teeth?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Cassie. I think it's a great idea for you to start brushing her teeth, and that can help with the gingivitis. Be sure to use a pet toothpaste, as human ones are toxic for cats. You can get a pet toothbrush and paste at a pet store. I'd brush her teeth three times a week. I hope this helps!

I have found that a lot of cats will allow you to wrap your finger in gauze and gently rub the gum line that way. If they will tolerate that it may be a bit more effective then just your bare finger. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Rubbing very hard could increase irritation to the gums, but I think it would be somewhat difficult to do this - Moo would probably get upset and not allow it! If you are seeing blood on the gauze this could simply be a sign of gingivitis that should hopefully improve with routine dental care. If you are unsure whether or not you are finger brushing the right way you could potentially schedule an appointment with your veterinarian to have a technician/nurse show you the proper way to use the gauze.

Hi there! It is always best to feed them twice daily. You just have to split the daily amount of food in two feedings. How often you bathe Zuri will depend on many factors such as if she is indoors or outdoors and how often she grooms herself. As a general rule it should be every 1-2 months though will depend on that. You want to brush Zuri 2-3 times a week given she is a shorthair breed. Good luck!

Cats generally do not require bathes because they are so great about cleaning and grooming themselvs. Their nails naturally shed every 6-8 weeks and having them clipped actually leads to scratching because they want to make them sharp. As far as hair trimmed, that is personal preference for you. Try to brush her daily to get her used to it so there will be no tangles or mats. IF a mat does develop, then she will it cut out by the groomer. Her teeth should be brushed at least 3 times a week if able and you can do this at home with finger tooth brush and feline approved tooth past to help.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! You are my hero for trying to brush Nala's teeth. If you haven't tried to start with the left side first, do that. Yes, at least getting the enzyme tooth paste on the teeth will do something. The brushing does help the most. Try to brush at least 3 times per week. They also make a tooth brush that fits on your finger tip, that may work better for her. Also check out the link for the Veterinary Oral Health Council's recommended products. Otherwise just keep trying! Practice makes perfect and also hopefully Nala will acclimate. She may still be sensitive on the one side from the cleaning. I hope this helps and I wish you and Nala the best! http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3497 http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products_cats.html

Ideally you want to brush your dogs teeth once a day. But if you can brush 2 to 3 times a week then that would be great to reduce tartar and gingivitis from developing. Best wishes with Jackie and maintaining her good oral hygiene. : )