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#1
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Brushing my cat's teeth
Hi,
How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. Is there a more effective way of holding him? I try not to rush him or be too rough and I reward him with lots of praise when I'm done. Any suggestions? I'm at least getting some of the paste in his mouth, and I figure that the enzymes in the paste might break down the tartar somewhat. Certainly, it's better to brush, but having the paste in his mouth is certainly better than nothing. On a side note, this teeth brushing was brought on by a trip to the vet. Yesterday, I brought my 15 month old cats to the vet for their annual shots and exam. Benny, who's a treat monger and runs from a hiding place when I rattle a bag of treats, had pretty good-looking teeth. (We give our guys the tartar control treats. They're probably only minimally effective, but it doesn't hurt.) Dewey, on the other hand, will eat a treat if you put it in front of him, but not with same enthusiasm as Benny. Benny will even eat Dewey's treats from his bowl if Dewey doesn't gobble them fast enough. Benny also eats more of the dry food, and Dewey eats more of the canned food. I know that dry food doesn't keep their teeth clean, but it's less likely to cause tartar buildup than canned food. Anyway, that's my theory as to why Dewey's back teeth had tartar and his gums were mildly inflamed. I've started to brush both my cats' teeth. I am not going to be too crazy about Benny's, but Dewey's need to be done nearly every day. I am trying to avoid a very expensive dental cleaning for Dewey if at all possible. Of course, if it's necessary, I'll have it done. |
#2
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Alexandra wrote:
How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. I wonder why they even make those kind of brushes for cats. They are the most unwieldy things and I quit even trying to use them. There is a great toothbrush made by CET that is designedspecifically for cats and will make your brushing experience a whole lot easier. I swear by these! http://vetmeddirect.com/index.pl?sid...6006&category= Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#3
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Alexandra wrote:
How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. I wonder why they even make those kind of brushes for cats. They are the most unwieldy things and I quit even trying to use them. There is a great toothbrush made by CET that is designedspecifically for cats and will make your brushing experience a whole lot easier. I swear by these! http://vetmeddirect.com/index.pl?sid...6006&category= Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#4
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Alexandra wrote:
How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. I wonder why they even make those kind of brushes for cats. They are the most unwieldy things and I quit even trying to use them. There is a great toothbrush made by CET that is designedspecifically for cats and will make your brushing experience a whole lot easier. I swear by these! http://vetmeddirect.com/index.pl?sid...6006&category= Megan "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." -Edmund Burke Learn The TRUTH About Declawing http://www.stopdeclaw.com Zuzu's Cats Photo Album: http://www.PictureTrail.com/zuzu22 "Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way." - W.H. Murray |
#5
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"Alexandra" wrote in message om... Hi, How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. Is there a more effective way of holding him? I use a gauze sponge wrapped around my finger or a Q-Tip dipped in normal saline (a box of 100 5 ml vials cost about $20). I sit my cat on my lap sideways, pet her head a few times with my left hand and then tilt her head back slightly and wipe her teeth with the gauze sponge on my right index finger. .Takes about 5 seconds. |
#6
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"Alexandra" wrote in message om... Hi, How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. Is there a more effective way of holding him? I use a gauze sponge wrapped around my finger or a Q-Tip dipped in normal saline (a box of 100 5 ml vials cost about $20). I sit my cat on my lap sideways, pet her head a few times with my left hand and then tilt her head back slightly and wipe her teeth with the gauze sponge on my right index finger. .Takes about 5 seconds. |
#7
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"Alexandra" wrote in message om... Hi, How can hold my cat Dewey still while I brush his teeth? I can manage to get my finger brush in for two strokes at the most. Is there a more effective way of holding him? I use a gauze sponge wrapped around my finger or a Q-Tip dipped in normal saline (a box of 100 5 ml vials cost about $20). I sit my cat on my lap sideways, pet her head a few times with my left hand and then tilt her head back slightly and wipe her teeth with the gauze sponge on my right index finger. .Takes about 5 seconds. |
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