In this article on our site we are going to explain the causes that answer the question of why my cat's mouth smells bad. Unfortunately, bad mouth odor is quite common in this species, especially in older specimens.
It is usually related to some problem inside the mouth, but it should be noted that, in some cases, an unpleasant odor is due to systemic disease. In any case, a visit to the veterinarian is mandatory, as we will see below.
My cat's mouth smells really bad
The first circumstance that can cause a cat to smell rotten breath, that is, give off a truly unpleasant smell, it is a disorder called gingivitis or gingivostomatitis.
Gingivits in cats
This is inflammation of the gums, which can also spread to the tongue and, in general, to the entire oral cavity. If we detect that our cat's mouth smells fishy, rotten or acquires any unusual odor, we can try to examine its mouth. It is not always easy, since these types of problems can cause a lot of pain, which prevents the cat from letting her mouth open.
Periodontal disease in cats
If we succeed, it is common for us to notice that the gums are red, there may be tooth missing or that some have tartar, plaque dental and very poor condition. In that case too, it may be due to so-called periodontal disease.
It is distinguished from gingivostomatitis in that there is no inflammation around the tooth There may be pus and bleeding on simple contact. If during the examination we detect a foreign body that has remained embedded between the teeth, it may be the cause of the bad smell.
Other symptoms of halitosis in cats
If we are not able to examine the mouth, we may detect other symptoms such as hypersalivation, difficulties eating or, directly, anorexia, bad appearance of the coat because the cat cannot clean itself, etc. Both disorders require veterinary treatment. It is not always easy to solve an oral problem because there may be involved viruses such as caliciviruses, which are characterized by causing ulcers.
In the case of periodontal disease, an cleaning of the mouth with ultrasound is performed, for which it is essential to anesthetize the cat. Damaged teeth are removed. Extraction is also the treatment of choice for severe or unresponsive gingivostomatitis. But gingivitis is not the only cause that explains why a cat's mouth smells bad. Less frequently, tumors can grow in the mouth or nose or develop infections that also end up causing a bad smell.
Here we leave you another article on How to know if my cat is sick?
My cat's mouth smells very strange
If we notice that our cat's mouth gives off a strange smell, which some define as acetone, we could be facing a symptom of kidney diseaseIn these cases, why the cat's mouth smells bad is due to the accumulation in the body of substances that should be eliminated by the kidneys. When these fail, in addition to bad mouth odor, we may notice that the cat loses weight, vomits, has a bad-looking coat, may stop eating or eat less, become dehydrated and, above all,it is very common to drink and urinate more
Kidney failure is more common in older cats and can occur acutely or chronically. Of course, you have to go to the vet Normally irreversible damage has already occurred, but treatment can be prescribed to improve our cat's quality of life. Changing him to a special diet for these problems, encouraging him to drink and administering the necessary drugs to treat the symptoms that arise, increases his quality of life.
A similar or slightly fruity odor is related to another systemic disease, which is diabetes in cats, which can appear with symptoms such as increased appetite and water consumption, although the cat remains thin, increased urine output, etc. It is a chronic disease but can be controlled with diet and insulin.
My cat's mouth smells like croquettes
Finally, vomiting is another cause that can explain why our cat's mouth smells bad. In that case, if we feed it with feed, it can vomit it whole or more or less digested. Your mouth will smell of food and you may notice other symptoms such as diarrhea or upset stomach, anorexia, dehydration, etc. But not always. Sometimes the only different sign that we observe is that our cat vomits from time to time. It is common for caregivers to attribute it to the elimination of hairballs, but the truth is that it can be inflammatory bowel disease or colitis in cats. That is why we should never assume it is normal for a cat to vomit several times a month.
Another cause of intermittent vomiting that lasts over time is kidney disease In this case, the smell that the mouth of the cat will be similar to acetone, but not always, especially in the early stages of the pathology. As we can see, it is essential that we go to the vet.
Cat's oral hygiene
Having seen the usual causes that explain why a cat's mouth smells bad, we can take into account some recommendations to prevent bad breath in cats. For example:
- Dental cleaning: get the cat used to dental cleaning as soon as possible. There are special toothbrushes and toothpastes for cats and they are the ones we should use.
- Caring for your diet: offering foods that help clean teeth.
- Go to veterinary checkups: at least once a year and include a checkup of the mouth, as well as a blood test and urine, especially in older cats to detect systemic diseases early.
For more information, you can read this other article on How to improve my cat's breath?
