Cats are born without teeth. As in human beings, they do not have any type of tooth during the first weeks of life. They come out when they are puppies, but it is important to note that there are two types of teeth throughout their lives: milk or primary teeth and definitive teeth, that is, those that are permanently kept in the cat’s mouth.
Differentiating between baby teeth and permanent teeth is important to understand the state of the feline teeth and the care it needs. In the two stages, you will require different care so that your oral health is optimal. Find out when cats come out and how many they have in each set in this article.
How many teeth does a cat have?
What kind of teeth should a cat have? People who adopt a kitten for the first time at home are probably unaware of this fact. Two types of teeth appear in felines: milk teeth and permanent teeth.
Baby teeth are made up of 26 pieces that will fall out when the permanent teeth appear. During the transition process between both types of teeth, we must bear in mind that it hurts cats when they get new teeth. We will notice that they are more irritable and that they bite all kinds of objects to calm down.
On the other hand, the definitive teeth of felines are made up of 30 pieces distributed throughout the jaw through the following structure:
- Lower jaw: 1 molar on the ends, 2 premolars on the left and 2 on the right, 1 canine on both sides and 6 incisors.
- Upper jaw: 1 molar on both ends, 3 premolars on the left and 3 on the right, 1 canine on both sides and 6 incisors.
The teeth of cats are notable for a broad development of the fangs, clearly differentiating from the size of the incisors (smaller). For their part, the molars of cats work like scissors to chop food, but without finishing chewing it.
When do cats have baby teeth?
If cats are born without teeth, at what age do cats’ teeth come out? The answer is when they begin to suckle less, that is, after the first 3 weeks of life. At this moment, the development of milk or primary teeth begins.
Milk teeth are fully visible from the first 6 weeks of life. For a few months, cats have this type of teeth in their mouth and, when the transition to permanent teeth begins, we will notice it because behavioral changes appear such as:
- Bites: Cats bite when their teeth come out. To relieve themselves, they have a special urge to chew on toys and other objects, so it is important that you provide them with some that are comfortable and safe.
- Pain: we will notice the toothache in the puppy cat due to a decrease in appetite.
- Drooling: Due to irritation of the gums, the cat drools more.
Periodically check the pussy’s mouth to make sure that, in the transition from baby teeth to permanent teeth, none of the primary teeth are retained, as it could prevent the adult tooth from coming out. In case of detecting any displacement of the definitive teeth, go to a veterinarian to correct it with the most appropriate treatment.
When do cats get permanent teeth?
Between 6 weeks and 4 months of age, baby teeth remain in a cat’s mouth. After 4 months, the primary teeth begin to fall out to be replaced by the final ones.
And how many times do cats lose their teeth? Adult teeth are permanent. That is, normally, they only lose their teeth once. However, if we do not take care of our cat’s teeth, oral and periodontal diseases can appear that can cause the teeth to fall out in the adult cat. In addition, in elderly cats, it can be normal for 1 or 2 teeth to fall out.
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