Expert: Jessica - 4/30/2011

Question
Hi. I have a 7 year old male orange tabby cat, (that stays inside, other than when he sneaks out on occasion) Three days ago, he got out, and returned a few hours later and seemed to be fine. The next day, I fed him at the usual time, but he didnt want to eat. Which is VERY uncommon for him. I left the food in the bowl thinking he would come back to it if he got hungry, and left for work. When I returned, the bowl was empty, but i noticed that he vomited everything up. He seemed a little sluggish for a couple of hours, i gave him a little milk and he finally ate that evening, and didnt throw up this time. He seemed to be feeling better. Today, i noticed he kept licking his mouth, so i looked, and sure enough, his canine tooth on the top right has fallen out. He doesnt seem to be in any pain at all, he is acting fine, lets me touch on and around it without even squirming. My question is, is it normal for him to be losing that tooth? What should i do? Will he be okay?

Answer
Hi Jamie,

It's common for cats to lose teeth, although it isn't "normal". Losing teeth is a sign of oral disease. There are a number of reasons for it in cats, but the most common reason for it in a cat of this age, and especially of the canine teeth, is probably a condition called tooth resorption.

Tooth resorption is a condition where the body, for unknown reasons, begins to break down the enamel of the tooth. Then the dentin is lost, and if the tooth hasn't fallen out by then, the pulp can even be painfully exposed. But typically, as the enamel and the dentin are absorbed by the body and tooth shrinks away, the root becomes too loose to hold on, and the tooth is lost. It's not certain what causes tooth resorption, but it's suspected that the body is unable to make a distinction between the bone of the jaw, where cells are regenerated, and the tooth, where cells are not regenerated. Once cells from the tooth are taken away, they are never replaced.

Cats who lose their teeth are fine, even if they are left completely toothless. Most do best on canned food, but they can do fine on dry food as well. However, your kitty should have an oral exam. If he's suffering any kind of oral disease, whether it be tooth resorption or another issue, it should be addressed. He may have a root left behind that needs to be removed, and often, other painful resorptions are taking place in the mouth. These teeth should be removed rather than allowed to fall out naturally. Other conditions such as stomatitis (a severe inflammation in reaction to bacteria in the mouth) and gingivitis can also cause tooth loss. A dental cleaning and perhaps some tooth removal may be required.

Good luck!

Jessica