Happy Friday, everyone! I hope everyone is excited for the weekend.
We adopted a kitten about a month or so ago. She's a tortoise cat and adorable. A lady found her, tried to find her home and ended up putting an ad on Craig's List, which we answered. She's incredibly soft, has an energetic personality, great appetite, and unfortunately, bad breath! She's had two different types of food, so I don't think it's that. I've examined her mouth, and there are no sores visible (as I said, she has a great appetite and has no problems eating). I was thinking perhaps she's losing her baby teeth and her gums my be causing it?
Anyone out there have any ideas what could be causing it? I've had probably a hundred cats throughout my lifetime, so I am very familiar with them. :) I hope this ends. I'll be taking her to get "fixed" in about a month, so if she's still stinky, I'll bring it up then, of course.
Thanks, everyone! Have a great Friday!
L.
She should have a vet exam if she has not already, but it could just be the gums being inflammed while she is teething. Or she could have some residual food (wet or dry) sticking around on her teeth or gums. You can start getting her used to having her teeth and gums brushed by introducing your finger with some wet gauze wrapped around it and gently rubbing over them. But it really seems rank, get her checked out at the vet.
My dog had this same problem. His breath was horrible. Turns out he had some kind of gum infection ( I didn't see it either). The vet gave an antibiotic and that cleared it up.
Has she had any initial vet exam? She should have already -- I figure she has--? If not: She was a stray and you have no idea where she's been or if she's been around other cats who might have carried diseases. Cats can transfer a number of diseases to humans, so for your family's sake as well as the cat's, get her to the vet now if she has never had an initial checkup either with you or with the lady who so kindly "fostered" her.
If she HAS indeed had that checkup and the bad breath has recently begun, I'd call the vet now and describe what's going on to see if the vet wants her to come in. If she has a gum infection (see an earlier post about that possibility), waiting a month to get it diagnosed means that she waits a month to even start treatment and that could end up damaging her gums and teeth. And if this is a digestive issue, she would be spending a month possibly not getting good nutrition. I'd ask the doctor by phone whether you should bring her in now. I hope your kitty is fine!
Could be indicative of some kind of infection. I'd take her in prior to her next vet visit. A month is a long time to wait if it's an infection.
If there is no obvious cause, and changing diets didn't help, I would get her checked by a vet. Bad breath in cats can be indicative of kidney or liver disease, or feline leukemia.
Or, it could simply be gum disease, or maybe something causing her stomach upset or messing with her gastrointestinal tract. (But if she is eating fine, I doubt that's it..)
I would give it a week or so, then take her to the vet if it doesn't get better.
Keep water where she can get to it at ALL times...get her some snacks that help with bad kitty breath...see if she likes just a little peppermint oil in her water (very little)...good luck!
I do agree that the vet is your 1st best possible answer...
she needs her initial well-baby check-up anyway, before she gets spayed. she might have a gum infection.
get her checked out.
khairete
S.
