Did you know that 1 in 3 cats have dental disease by the time they turn 3 years old?

That is a startling statistic which can easily be avoided. Taking steps to keep your cat’s teeth clean and healthy will help prevent a painful and expensive future at the vet.

While brushing your cat’s teeth is the most effective way to avoid periodontal disease, supplementing that routine with daily dental treats for cats can be extremely helpful.

Giving your cat a dental chew as a part of their regular oral care regimen will promote clean teeth, healthy gums and overall wellbeing.

In this article we share information on how to choose the best dental treats for your cat, as well as important features to consider before purchasing. We also note our 5 favorite cat dental treats that we bet your kitty will love! 

5 Best Dental Treats For Cats

Greenies Feline Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor Dental Cat Treats

Greenies dental treats for cats are a crunchy snack packed full of essential health benefits.

The unique shape of each morsel scrapes away plaque and tartar as your cat chews, promoting healthy teeth and gums in between routine brushings.

These cat dental treats are formulated with vitamins and minerals to support your cat’s overall health and wellbeing. Greenies dental cat treats are available in several delicious flavors and package sizes.

They’ve earned the VOHC seal of approval, and each treat is less than 2 calories. These particular treats boast an irresistible chicken flavor that your cat will absolutely love. These savory treats will surely be a hit with your feline crew.

Pros:

• Available in several flavors
• Unique shape and crunchy texture remove plaque and tartar from your cat’s teeth
• Earned the VOHC seal of approval
• Formulated with vitamins and minerals to support your cat’s overall health
• Less than 1.5 calories per treat

Cons:

• These treats are crunchy, and may be difficult for a cat with sensitive teeth to chew. 
  

• Affordable
• Round shape and porous texture effectively clean teeth
• Produced in the USA
• Calcium and taurine promote dental health and overall wellbeing

• These treats are not formulated specifically to freshen breath, but they will help scrub away germs that cause bad breath.

These nutritious, crunchy dental treats are great for cats who may have food allergies or a sensitive stomach.

Made with limited ingredients, Emerald Pet Feline Dental Treats don’t contain any grain, gluten, soy or dairy. The fun fish shape of these cat dental treats will provide maximum cleaning by scraping plaque and tartar off of your kitty’s teeth.

Emerald Pet dental treats for cats are available in a variety of flavors, and each treat is less than 2 calories.

The treats are sourced and made in the USA to ensure safety and quality. These delectable snacks are ideal for daily use – simply follow the feeding instructions on the label.

Pros:

• Multiple flavors available
• Sourced and made in the USA
• Fish shape of the treats effectively cleans teeth
• Less than 2 calories per treat
  

Cons:

• Only available in one size package.

Virbac cat dental chews use a dual-enzyme system to reduce and eliminate harmful oral bacteria while working to freshen your kitty’s breath.

These treats are freeze-dried to lock in moisture, flavor and aroma. The abrasive texture gently removes plaque and tartar from your cat’s teeth, while they enjoy the delicious taste of chicken.

Virbac oral hygiene chews for cats are proven effective in cleaning teeth and freshening breath if administered daily. These dental treats do some in different flavors to suit your cat’s flavor preferences. They are plant-based and don’t contain any gluten, corn or artificial ingredients.

Virbac cat dental chews come from a long line of trusted oral care products for pets.

Pros:

• Cleans teeth and freshens breath
• Available in other flavors
• Freeze-dried chews have an abrasive texture to effectively scrape plaque and tartar off teeth
• Suitable for daily use

Cons:

• These dental chews are more expensive than other choices.

Choosing the Best Dental Treats for Your Cat

Each cat has unique oral healthcare needs, which means a treat that may be effective for one kitty may not work as well for another.

When picking out dental treats for your cat, it’s more important to choose one based on your cat’s current oral health situation.

If you have a cat with sensitive teeth or a senior cat who’s missing some teeth, you’ll want to purchase softer dental treats that don’t require as much effort to chew.

Freeze-dried treats can be a great option for kitties with teeth and food sensitivities. Always be sure to check the ingredients list if your cat has specific food allergies.

3 Additional Ways to Keep Your Cat’s Teeth Healthy

Aside from dental chews, there are some other ways to keep your kitty’s teeth clean and healthy:

Brush their teeth regularly:

Brushing your cat’s teeth is ultimately going to be the most effective way to clean their teeth and freshen breath. Nothing beats a good old scrubbing when it comes to oral hygiene. Read our best cat toothpaste and cleaning guide.

Use a water additive:

There are special formulas that can be added to your cat’s water to promote healthy teeth and gums. These additives are flavorless and can be poured into any water bowl or fountain. It’s an effortless way to promote dental health.

Get annual veterinary teeth cleanings:

Once your cat reaches adulthood, you will want to consider taking them to the vet each year for a thorough dental checkup and cleaning.

Taking preventative measures when it comes to your cat’s health is much cheaper than dealing with high vet bill in the future.

Features to Look for in Dental Treats for Cats

Below are some important features to consider when choosing the best dental treats for your cat:

VOHC seal of approval: VOHC is the acronym for Veterinary Oral Health Council. Some dental treats for cats have this seal on the packaging, which means that the VOHC has deemed the treats effective in plaque and tartar reduction. But don’t worry – just because cat dental chews don’t have the VOHC seal doesn’t mean they won’t be beneficial for your cat!

Flavor: A majority of cat dental treats are available in popular proteins such as chicken and salmon. Luckily most of the treats on our list come in several different flavors, so you can pick one based on your cat’s preferences.

Texture and shape: Dental treats for cats generally have a unique shape specifically designed to scrape plaque and tartar off teeth. Some shapes are larger than others, and the size is important to take into consideration if your kitty has trouble chewing.

Caloric intake: Cat dental chews tend to have about 2 calories per treat on average.

If your cat is on a weight management plan, you may want to purchase cat treats that have less than 2 calories per snack.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do dental treats for cats work?

Most cat dental treats on the market today have been proven to help reduce plaque and tartar while offering breath-freshening qualities. Dental treats should not completely take the place of brushing your cat’s teeth, but they make an excellent supplement to your cat’s oral hygiene routine.

How do dental treats for cats work?

Dental treats for cats often have a unique shape and texture which helps scrap plaque and tartar off a cat’s teeth. Sometimes the treats are even formulated with ingredients to kill oral bacteria and freshen breath.

What should I do if my cat has terrible breath?

If brushing your cat’s teeth and giving them dental chews isn’t freshening their breath, there may be a more serious underlying health concern. If your cat still has rancid breath despite your best efforts to treat it, we recommend seeking veterinary advice.

Conclusion

Good oral hygiene is crucial for your cat’s overall health. It’s up to us as cat parents to help our cats maintain clean, healthy teeth. If left unchecked, poorly cared for teeth and gums can cause dental disease which can be painful and expensive to treat. Take preventative measures by brushing your cat’s teeth and supplementing with delicious dental treats!

Additional Resources:

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/Health_Information/CW_Dentist.cfm

http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/10-steps-cat-dental-health#1