Teething cats may have smelly breath.
Between the ages of 6 and 8 weeks old, a kitten begins to lose her baby teeth and start the process of growing in her adult teeth. These teeth come in stages until the age of about 6 months. During this time, your cat will feel the need to chew, bite and gnaw on objects around your home to relieve the pain of teething. Prevent destructive chewing by providing appropriate objects for your cat to chew.
Teething
During the teething process, a kitten's gums become sore and inflamed as her new teeth begin to cut through the gums. This inflammation can cause an unpleasant, bad odor that you can smell on the cat's breath, a condition that will resolve itself after the teething process has finished. Biting and gnawing on items or even your fingers helps a kitten relieve the pain of the teething process, but it can also lead to destructive chewing around your home or even aggression. Prevent issues with aggression later in life by ceasing play immediately if the kitten attempts to bite your hand or feet and ignoring her. Keep play safe by using a cat toy, not your hands, to interact with your kitten.
Toys
Place durable cat toys made from rubber, plastic or fabric around your home, especially in areas that your kitten has shown an affinity for chewing. Vary the textures of the toys to prevent boredom. Encourage your kitten to chew on the toys by soaking them in chicken broth or rubbing your hands over them to cover them in your scent. Look for toys that are specialized for teething in your local pet supply store and choose toys that are similar to the textures your cat seems to prefer chewing. For instance, if your cat enjoys chewing fabric, buy fabric cat toys, but if your cat chews cords or furniture, get toys made of rubber or plastic.
Alternatives
Along with traditional cat toys, soak a washcloth in water or chicken broth and place it in the freezer before giving it to your kitten to chew. The cold will provide some pain relief for her gums while she chews the frozen cloth. If your kitten has an affinity for chewing on plants, give her some barley grass in a pot near her food dish to chew on. This prevents her from ingesting potentially toxic plants and provides her with some fiber in her diet. Plastic straws also provide a good teething surface for your kitten, and you can place a bit of canned cat food in their ends to tempt her to chew on them.
Warnings
A kitten who is teething may seek out dangerous objects to chew on if she does not have appropriate toys or other items to use. To prevent accidental injury from destructive chewing, cover electrical cords and wires with protective plastic or metal covers, found in pet supply and electronics stores. Other preventive methods include spraying the cords, wires and other dangerous objects with a bitter pet deterrent spray or placing double-sided tape around areas containing them, recommends the VetInfo website. Place any loose items of clothing away in closets or cabinets your kitten cannot access; place toxic plants out of reach or outdoors, until her new teeth have grown in.
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