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Expert: - 1/15/2010


Question
Hello Norm

My tomcat lost his top left canine tooth yesterday while he was biting and bothering my female cat. I noticed it lately though when I saw his gum bleeding slightly. I checked his mouth and the huge tooth was missing. I am so saddened. I know that old cats do lose their teeth but he's just 3 years old, and he lost his canine tooth? I assume the tooth won't be replaced ever again, right?

Let me ad that although he does have some plaques in his other teeth but his canine teeth (all 4 of them) were completely clean and healthy. Why did he lost his tooth then? He's a pedigree Persian which is used for breeding programs. Will he be able to live healthily from now? Since yesterday he's doing well and normal and looks OK. I noticed the tooth had come out completely by its root. Please let me know what you think.

Soheil

Answer
Soheil,

Hello, again!  I would not worry about the loss of one of the canines.  This is not uncommon.  Lots of cats lose one canine or another.  Loss of teeth in cats, especially the canines can be due to a variety of reasons and, sometimes, they have just done something silly.  Fortunately, cats teeth are not structured like ours and they do not have canals like ours do.  Also, in the modern day, indoor cats really do not need their teeth at all.

The tooth is gone forever and the cat really will not miss it.  His health will not suffer and he will still be able to grasp the female to breed.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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