4 Best Cat Dental Treats To Keep Those Teeth Pearly White
Cat dental treats are super crunchy for a reason!
You know cat dental treats are a thing, but how effective are they at keeping your cat’s teeth clean and healthy?
It turns out dental treats for cats are actually pretty useful, especially since your BFF will probably like them way more than getting his teeth brushed.
The Dodo spoke with Dr. Chyrle Bonk, a veterinarian working with Excited Cats, to figure out how to find the best cat dental treats out there.
Here are some of our favorites:
How do cat dental treats work?
Cat dental treats are designed to supplement regular oral care because they’re formulated to remove all that annoying plaque and tartar that develops between brushings and professional cleanings.
“They work by mechanically scraping the plaque and tartar from the teeth while a cat chews,” Dr. Bonk told The Dodo. (That’s why cat dental treats are typically crunchy instead of chewy.)
What to look for in cat dental treats
Texture is going to be the most important thing to think about when you’re choosing between cat dental treats. You’ll want to make sure that these treats are hard and crunchy enough that they actually scrape the plaque off your cat’s teeth when he bites into them.
You also have to consider the size of the treat.
“They should be larger in size than your regular kibble,” Dr. Bonk said. This requires your cat to actually bite the treats to break them up, which means they’ll scrape against his teeth. But if your cat has a tendency to wolf down his food without chewing, you might want to watch him carefully to make sure he doesn’t choke.
Finally, opt for products that have been approved by the Veterinary Oral Health Council, which recognizes a product's ability to effectively reduce plaque and tartar.
Best cat dental treats
The Dodo rounded up some of the best dental treats for cats based on texture and size.
Greenies is a pretty popular dental treat brand, so we tried these out on our own cats to make sure they’re worth the hype. And after giving them to our cats for a week or so, even our vets noticed our cats had better breath and less plaque. “We noticed that Mick’s breath definitely improved,” said pet parent Kelsey Lyon. “He’s also had issues with plaque buildup on his teeth (most likely because we feed him soft food), and we’ve seen a decrease over the few weeks.”
Made by one of the most popular pet food brands, these dental treats are crunchy, porous and scientifically designed to fight tartar. They’re also formulated with probiotics, so they’re good for your cat’s gut health, too.
These treats work in two ways. On the outside, they’re crunchy to scrape all the plaque and tartar off the surface of your cat’s teeth. On the inside, they’ve got a DentaShield center that’s designed to prevent new tartar from forming by bonding with your cat’s saliva.
These treats are actually made with baking soda to keep your cat’s breath in check. They’re soft on the outside to be easy on his gums, but the inside is crunchy to go after that pesky tartar.
Now that you know how to find the best cat dental treats, your BFF’s teeth will be in great shape, even in between brushings and professional cleanings.
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