Expert: Jessica - 7/1/2009

Question
Dear Cat Lover I have a semi feral cat, that lives outside,as I am allergic to it, we have had him for at least 10 years, and I have recently noticed that his top Incisor teeth are now very long and you can see them when he is just sitting with his mouth closed, is this normal? Thanks for your help, as he would be extremely hard to catch and very distressed if I had to take him into a vet, we also have his sister, who has no signs of this (they were both dumped on our garden)
All help appreciated
Kind Regards
Tina

Answer
Hi Tina.  It’s very common for a cat’s eight tiny incisors to fall out.  Frequently, they do this on their own over time without much of a problem, and many cats are missing most of their incisors by the time they are just 5 years old.  If you are seeing any of his incisors, they are certainly hanging on by just a thread, and if you can get him to hold still, you are likely to be able to pull them out with no problem at all.

However, the canines (sometimes called the fangs), if these are what you’re seeing, are a different story.  These teeth are very deeply rooted, since it’s what cats use to hold onto struggling prey.  A bad canine tooth doesn’t often fall out easily and usually requires surgical removal.

Most often, when you see canine teeth beginning to show when they hadn’t before, it’s because of a problem called resorptive lesions which are forming.  Essentially, the body has decided to attack the ligament that holds the tooth in place and break down the root of the tooth.  As this happens, the part of the tooth that is normally buried deep under the gum is pushed farther and farther out of the gum, resulting in longer teeth, which now protrude out of the mouth.  When there are resporptive lesions on the upper teeth, the kitty has a vampire look, and when there are resorptive lesions on the lower teeth, he may have a bulldog look.

Eventually, once the ligament and root of the tooth have been eaten away, there is no longer anything to anchor the rest of the canine tooth in place, and it falls out.  It’s preferred not to wait the process out, as it can take over a year for this to happen, and it’s quite a painful process that often leads to infection.  Removal of the affected teeth by a veterinarian is suggested.

As long as the cat does not depend on hunting for his meals, he will generally survive just fine without his canines, although an outdoor cat may also depend on his canines for self-defense.  Hopefully you live in a peaceful area, and this is of no concern.

As mentioned, a dental procedure is recommended, but if you can’t catch him keep a close eye on him.  If he stops eating, he certainly needs to get to a vet right away.  That probably signals he’s got more widespread dental disease affecting his back teeth, where chewing becomes extremely painful.

I hope all goes well!

Jessica