Sometimes it is a bit difficult to detect cat bad breath.

When you think about it, your cat’s breath is going to smell when she has just eaten her food, so how noticeable does bad breath in cats have to be before you decide to take action?

You could reasonably expect your cat’s breath to smell of the food she has just eaten, but that won’t be a foul, obnoxious smell. If you can smell something worse than what you consider to be normal bad breath coming from your cat, over a period of time, then you need to do some investigating into the cause.

Just like us, cats can suffer from bad breath due to gum disease or tooth decay. If this is the case with your cat then a visit to the vet will clear the problem up. The vet will check your cat’s teeth to see if there is any sign of plaque or build up of tartar. If it has been a year since the cat last had its teeth cleaned by the vet then it is time for them to be cleaned again.

This is done under anaesthetic at the vets surgery. Decaying teeth can be removed and the rest of the teeth will be scaled and polished.

You can have a quick look at your cat’s teeth any time, by giving them a quick visual inspection. If they look yellowish, and you can see tartar, they need cleaning.

Of course there is always the possibility of other causes of the cat’s bad breath, but if you take her to the vet, he or she will be able to tell you the cause of the smell. Feeding your cat wet cat food can make its breath smell bad. Try changing to a dry food and see if this makes a difference.

Diet and dental hygiene are two important factors in controlling cat bad breath.