Know Your Kitten Better: When Do Kittens Lose Their Baby Teeth?
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Have you ever looked at a small cat's teeth? Ever wondered what lies inside its baby mouth?
Well, if you notice a little bit, they don't look quite different from a human newborn's mouth, and they also have small sharp incisors that grow out at first.
Our little furballs need more care than normal when the teeth are coming out, as a cat is in quite a lot of pain during this period.
Teething is quite natural, and a veterinary check-up helps the owner of a little cat understand the needs of their small one.
Cats aren't that expressive, and it might be a little challenging to know what they want. Therefore it is important to notice the little differences in their behavior.
If the kittens stop eating or start biting the human, then it might not be seen as a concern at first, but it should be kept in mind that this can quickly become a habit after they get their permanent teeth, and then if they bite, it won't be cute anymore.
You might want to learn more about other fun facts about your furry little friends. So go ahead and look at some other articles like why do cats sleep on you and why do cats drool.
What is a kitten baby tooth?
Kittens are young cats, and like any other newborn, their teeth grow and then fall to grow back as permanent teeth.
Like humans, cats also have two sets of teeth, and kittens have 26 deciduous teeth. These are known as baby teeth or milk teeth.
When kittens become adults, they have 30 permanent teeth. Kittens are born without any teeth, and the deciduous teeth start showing up through the gums after about two to four weeks of age and stop erupting after six weeks to eight weeks of age.
If you have a tiny kitten, then it is very important to take dental care. Start brushing their teeth as soon as they develop proper gum to avoid the discomfort of the teething process.
When the milk teeth start falling out, and the permanent adult teeth start to grow, the brushing should be stopped. In this case, it is better to consult a vet so that they can advise on maintaining the kitten's health.
What is a kitten baby tooth made of?
Kittens are born without any teeth, and they begin to get their primary teeth when they are in the two to eight weeks of age till 26 retained deciduous teeth grow out. The kitten in this stage has three upper and lower incisors, one upper and lower canine, and three upper and lower premolars.
All these are on both sides of the gum.
After this, the kitten starts with the teething process once they are 11 weeks of age. When the kitten is teething, its permanent teeth begin to grow, producing 30 adult teeth.
The signs of new teeth of the cats are visible by four months of age when they will have full-grown out incisors. By five months, they will have four canine teeth. Within six months, all the premolars appear. Only adult cats have molars, and the teeth may come out after one year.
How to prevent kittens from eating their own baby teeth?
Kittens are almost like human babies, and like any other newborn, they tend to pop right inside and chew whatever they see in front of them, especially during teething.
Humans need to keep in mind that when a kitten is teething, it might try to eat its own tooth. The kitten may swallow the teeth when it starts to fall.
The best way to stop them from doing that is by giving them soft and wet food and also soft toys that they can chew on.
Soft toys are specifically available for teething kittens, and chewing on toys also helps the pet to have strong and healthy gums. If the kitten tends to reject everything, giving them cold food and toys may be necessary, as the cold things soothe their gums.
If this also does not help, then contacting a veterinarian is the best choice. A pet's health should be prioritized, especially dental care should be kept in mind as they learn to chew their food slowly during this period, and chewing becomes hard if they have dental disease.
Do all kitten breeds lose baby teeth at the same age?
The primary teeth of an average kitten shed once the 26 teeth appear, and it takes about a certain period for most cats to lose baby teeth and have adult teeth grow out.
All kitten breed start to lose their teeth, mostly between six to nine years old, and during this period, teething starts, which then lets these cats have adult teeth. It is normal for a cat to get their canine teeth a little later, and till the adult cats have no dental disease, they get their permanent teeth quite quickly.
When a kitten starts teething, the brushing should be stopped not to cause them any discomfort. During this period, it is also essential that the kitten's dental health be prioritized and get regular veterinarian dental checks.
Until there are any signs of dental disease, the pet would have normal tooth growth, but if the gums are sore or the cat tends to yowl a lot while eating, they should be taken to a veterinarian as a painful tooth can affect the health of the pet.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for know your kitten better: when do kittens lose their baby teeth? then why not take a look at why do woodpeckers peck wood? and how to avoid woodpecker's pecking, or why do worms come out wh
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An experienced and innovative entrepreneur and creative writer, Abhijeet holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Application from Birla Institute of Technology, Jaipur. He co-founded an e-commerce website while developing his skills in content writing, making him an expert in creating blog posts, website content, product descriptions, landing pages, and editing articles. Passionate about pushing his limits, Abhijeet brings both technical expertise and creative flair to his work.
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