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Tooth Extractions, What Can My Cat Eat?
In my role as the Store Manager here at Cats Exclusive over the last seven years, I have heard many cat guardians ask the question; "My cat had some teeth extracted, what can she eat?"
If your kitty had some, or even all, of her teeth removed, she can still eat normally and live a full, happy life! In fact, depending on your cat, you may not even need to make changes to her routine.
If your kitty currently eats wet food, she can likely stay on that same food! Some cats may have a tougher time eating canned food with large chunks since they have fewer teeth to pick them up with, so a minced, pate or mousse formula might be best. Adding a bit of water to those foods might also make it easier on her as she can just lick her dinner. If your kitty currently eats dry food, it may be difficult for her to get those tiny hard bits into her mouth. She may compensate for her missing teeth by swallowing the kibbles whole; or you can try soaking the kibbles in water or low sodium chicken broth to help her get them down. Wet/canned food is great for a cat's overall health so you may just want to stick with that route.
Most cats rebound really well after extractions, many acting as if nothing has happened. In the case of the kitties that were having pain associated with dental problems, they sometimes come out of the procedure acting like kittens again! Cats are great maskers of pain and many clients report not even realizing there was an issue, until they see how good their cat feels after the extraction(s). Some kitties may not feel as good as fast, and may need a little extra healing time. So keep an eye out for signs of pain while eating like shaking the head, pawing the face or mouth, taking one bite and walking away, or simply not eating at all. Thankfully, these issues are rare and most cats return to an even better-feeling version of themselves!
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| Photo by Anton Novoselov / CC BY |
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