Dental treats can make be a nice addition to your cat’s diet that not only taste great, but also work to remove plaque buildup and improve dental health. There are a whole bunch of various shapes, sizes, and flavors out there, each claiming to be the most effective dental treat.
We’ve taken a look to find out which are worth your money.
If a quick recommendation is all you’re after, then we can happily point you in the direction of Greenies Roasted Chicken Dental Treats, which our cats absolutely love. Read on to find more in-depth reviews about a range of cat dental treat products and how effective we found them to be.
The biggest differences between the dental treats listen in the above are typically the vitamin content and flavoring. There really isn’t very much variety between brands when it comes to cat dental treats, so it’s mostly down to finding a flavor and shape that your cats love.
The Best Cat Dental Treats
1. Greenies Roasted Chicken Dental Treats
These cat treats seem to be a great choice for helping keep your cat’s teeth clean and breath fresh. They are veterinarian recommended to help reduce tartar buildup, which is as good as it gets in the dental treat industry.
The manufacturer makes these treats in (supposedly) the perfect shape and size to polish your cat’s smile.
The fact that these treats are full of vitamins and minerals is just another thing to love about them. You will find both Vitamin B12 and Vitamin A supplements in Greenies dental treats.
They meet the standards of AAFCO Cat Nutrient Profiles for adult cats. Adding these dental treats to your cat’s diet is a great way to give them proper nutrition while also working on their oral health.
We love the fact that these treats come in a variety of flavors that cats seem to thoroughly enjoy. Any way to get your cat’s teeth cleaner without them fighting you is a clear win.
These treats are available in salmon, tuna, and oven-roasted chicken flavors. Each of which our cats devoured. Be sure to follow the feeding guidelines on the package of your treats. This will let you know how many treats your cat can have per day depending on their weight.
These dental treats are designed for cats over 1 year of age and in order to get the full dental health benefits, they should be fed daily.
2. Purina DentaLife Cat Treats
Coming in both chicken and salmon flavor, these treats are a hit with most cats from what we’ve read online. They are softer than the other cat treats on list, which is part of what makes them so great at removing tartar buildup.
Your cat’s teeth will be able to easily penetrate them, making sure they get clean all the way to the gum line. As your cat chews on these, all sides of his or her teeth will be getting some exposure to the treat.
A huge plus to Purina’s Dentalife treats is that they are free of artificial flavors and colors, yet somehow still manage to be tasty enough for your cat to gobble down
After eating these treats, your cat is likely to have noticeably fresher breath and cleaner teeth, making cuddle time even more enjoyable. You can add them to your cat’s diet as long as he or she is at least 1-year-old. With the delicious flavor and texture cats enjoy, you should have no problem getting your cat to eat these.
As with all treats, you should watch out for overfeeding these treats. No matter how much your cat begs, make sure to limit them to the recommended daily amount to prevent weight problems.
3. Greenies Catnip Dental Treats
To really entice your feline friend into eating dental treats, Greenies makes them in a catnip variety. These treats have the same unique texture and shape to make sure your cat’s teeth get clean. Feeding your cat these treats is a super simple way to improve their oral health.
Like all of the flavors of Greenies dental treats, the catnip variety has been proven to help reduce tartar. They are bite size so it is easy to give your cat the proper amount. Be sure to follow the guidelines on how many to give your pet.
Even the smallest of cats can enjoy up to 11 of these per day, with bigger felines enjoying up to 18 per day. Made with all natural ingredients, these treats also have vitamins and minerals to help keep your cat healthy and happy. These treats are great for any cat at least 1-year-old.
We like using these treats because Greenies are the #1 recommended by veterinarians. Also, we love that they are part of a complete and balanced diet so they are good for a cat’s overall health. This product is a great option for anyone looking to help clean their cat’s teeth at home.
4. Wellness Kittles Crunchy Cat Treats
One of the best things about this product is right in the name. They are grain-free, making them a great addition to your carnivorous cat’s diet.
We like that they are made with premium, natural ingredients, including fresh fruits and veggies. You won’t find anything artificial in these cat treats, including colors, flavors, and preservatives.
Coming in a variety of delicious flavors, getting your cat to eat these treats should be no problem. They use real meat, instead of meat by-product, to make sure it is a top-notch product for your cat. Since there are less than 2 calories per treat, you may feel a little more comfortable letting your cat go to town with these dental treats.
Although these treats make fewer claims about cleaning teeth, munching on the crunchy texture may help remove tartar from your cat’s pearly whites. Your cat will be more than willing to try and see if they work!
The makers of this product are proud of the fact that they are manufactured in the U.S.A. There is a Wellness Guarantee, which makes this a great product to test out with your cat.
These treats are considered appropriate for kittens as well as adults, provided they are eating dry food without problems.
Are Cat Dental Treats Worth Buying?
Taking care of your cat’s teeth is one of the most important things you can do as a responsible and loving pet owner. Dental issues are incredibly common among cats and dogs and can lead to much worse problems if not taken care of. Although treats alone are not enough to stop this, adding dental treats ones to your cat’s diet can play a part in keeping your cat’s mouth healthy. Dental treats for cats are usually much smaller (obviously) and softer than dental chews for dogs, but work in essentially the same way.
It is important to only feed high-quality dental treats. Otherwise, you are just adding empty calories to your cat’s diet. This guide is designed to go over why taking care of your cat’s teeth is so important and how to know if you are buying the right treats to help keep them healthy.
The Importance of a Healthy Mouth
Cats are carnivores and their bodies are designed to hunt and eat prey. As a result, their teeth are essential to their overall health. In the wild, cats keep their teeth sharp and healthy by chewing on bones and tough meat. Domesticated cats need more help taking care of their oral hygiene.
One of the biggest reasons to take care of your cat’s teeth is that the problems that start there often spread to other parts of the body. It is true that a lot of cat owners are not terribly concerned with some periodontal disease. Once that disease spreads to the organs and bloodstream, they end up with a far more serious and concerning problem.
Both preventing and treating periodontal disease is essential to keeping your cat healthy and happy.
So how do you know if your cat’s mouth and teeth are in good shape? There are a few things you can check at home, although your cat probably won’t enjoy it. Look at your cat’s teeth. They should either be white or slightly yellow. For most breeds of cats, the gums should be a light, healthy-looking shade of pink.
Some cats do have pigmentation in their gums. Often, the easiest thing to check is your cat’s breath. While it may not smell great, the breath shouldn’t be horrible. At the end of the day, a veterinarian can give you the best diagnosis of your cat’s oral health.
Qualities of Effective Dental Treats
When shopping for your cat teeth cleaning treats, do not be overly impressed by anything that claims to result in minty fresh breath. Instead, you should be looking for something large enough that your cat has to chew it.
Many of the smaller treats that claim to remove plaque with their texture are actually small enough for your cat to swallow whole. When it comes to both treats and cat dental chews, the bigger the better.
If your cat’s teeth have to really dig into the treat, it will help clean them down to the gum line.
On top of size, read any claims made by the manufacturers about any testing they have done. You will want treats that have been clinically proven to improve dental health.
Be sure that the treats have been shown to leave little to no residue behind. A treat that ends up sitting your cat’s teeth can actually make things worse instead of better.
Many treats on the market do nothing more than freshen your cat’s breath, which is great but only masks deeper issues. Be sure to find dental treats that attack the problems at their source.
Other Considerations
If you are shopping for any type of treat or food for your cat, there are some guidelines to follow. Ideally, nothing your cat eats will have any artificial colors or flavors.
Many manufacturers have figured out how to make tasty treats without chemicals and other unnatural things. Artificial coloring is something that is simply done to appeal to humans. Along the same lines, artificial preservatives should be avoided.
It is important to always properly seal your cat’s dental treats so that they can stay fresh.
Ingredients are always important with anything that goes into your cat’s body. Real meat is preferable over by-products. Formulas that are grain-free are great as well because your carnivorous cat has no use for grain. Watch out for anything that is full or carbohydrates or empty calories.
Caring for Your Cat’s Teeth
Buying good quality dental treats for cats is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to oral health. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you the exact condition your cat’s teeth are in and what steps may be necessary to take care of them.
As your cat ages, it will become even more important to have regular check-ups with your veterinarian. Often, a deep clean will be called for at least once in a cat’s lifetime. This involves sedation and can be quite pricey. However, it can greatly increase your beloved feline’s life expectancy.
Brushing your cat’s teeth at home is a great, although not easy, way to help keep them clean.
Your cat will probably not enjoy this process, and it is important not to push them too hard. Getting your cat used to it gradually may be a better approach.
For other cats, gauze or dental wipes is a much better option. If you do brush your cat’s teeth, it needs to be with a toothbrush and paste that was specifically designed for felines.
Although people have traditionally thought that dry food was better for a cat’s teeth, recent research has suggested canned food is preferable.
This is because the moisture in canned food helps wash away plaque, where crunchy kibble can actually sit on your cat’s teeth. Food particles left behind can cause decay.
Final Thoughts
Dental treats are a good way to treat your cat and maybe freshen breath and reduce plaque and tartar in the process.
Keep in mind that your cat’s dental treats will count towards their daily calorie count and adjust their meals accordingly. Although they will likely eat the whole bag if you let them, dental treats should be given as directed to prevent weight issues.
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