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My senior cat has tooth pain and won't eat. What pain relief is safe?
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | 12 years and 3 months old | 3 lbs
my cat is 12 yrs old tooth pain not eating loss of weight and have tried all I can think of... milk honey, senior milk from store, wet food, broth, child tynol..... what can I do to ease the pain so he can eat until I can afford to get him to vet next month.
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS
Veterinarian
Published on February 7th, 2017
There are no safe OTC pain relievers you can give him, as many are toxic to cats and are fatal if given. He has to see a vet as soon as possible for his tooth pain, and I can give you some resources that may help you afford a vet. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website.
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962
https://www.redrover.org
https://www.carecredit.com
http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets
http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/
1Pet Parents found this answer helpfulRelated Answers from Veterinarians
Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA
Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer
I'm sorry to hear that Willy isn't feeling well! Unfortunately, if his mouth is so painful that he isn't able to eat, there really isn't much that you can do at home that will help - he really needs to be seen by a vet right away, as this isn't something that can wait until next month. Please don't give him anymore children's Tylenol or any other over-the-counter pain medications for humans, as these are very toxic for cats.
If his mouth is extremely painful, it's possible that he may have a broken or infected tooth that will need to be removed. He could also have a a tumor of some kind in his mouth, or a problem called feline stomatitis, which causes severe inflammation and pain of the gum tissue, and needs to be treated with prescription antibiotics and steroids to provide any relief. Since he isn't eating, I would also be concerned that he may have some other problem besides just dental pain such as chronic kidney or liver disease. All of these problems are quite serious, and will need veterinary care in order to help him - home remedies will not be helpful for problems like this.
If costs are a concern, you can check to see if there is a low-cost SPCA clinic in your area that could help, so that you can have him seen by a vet as soon as possible. You can also apply online for Care Credit, which is a payment plan accepted by most vet clinics: www.carecredit.com0Pet Parents found this answer helpful