Cats lose their teeth while they are still kittens. The actual teething process typically begins around 3-4 months of age and is usually finished by the time the kitten is about 6 months old. During this period, your kitten loses its 26 sharp baby teeth, and they are replaced by a full set of 30 permanent teeth, which, with the right care, can last for the rest of its life.
To understand when cats lose their teeth, it helps to know the whole process from birth. A kitten is born completely without teeth. The first small, needle-sharp baby teeth emerge as early as 2-3 weeks of age, while the kitten is still nursing. By the time it leaves home at around 12 weeks, it usually has a complete set of baby teeth - and shortly after, the actual teething process begins.
The timeline of a cat's teething from birth to adulthood
The development follows a fairly predictable pattern, although an individual kitten may be a little earlier or later. In the first weeks, the kitten is toothless and lives exclusively on mother's milk. From 2-3 weeks of age, the baby teeth emerge, and around 12 weeks of age the set of baby teeth is complete with incisors, canines and the front molars.
From around 3-4 months of age, the permanent teeth begin to push out the baby teeth, and the process continues over the following months. By around 6 months, the vast majority of cats have got their full set of adult teeth. The adult cat has more teeth than the kitten, because the rearmost molars only exist as permanent teeth and do not have a baby tooth as a predecessor.
How to tell that your kitten is teething
Most kittens lose their teeth without any trouble, and many owners barely notice it. One of the clearest signs is that you find a tiny baby tooth on the floor, in the carpet or in the food bowl. However, you by no means always see the teeth, because kittens often swallow the loose teeth while eating, completely without any harm.
Another well-known feature of this phase is an increased urge to gnaw and chew. When the teeth are coming in, the gums can itch and feel sore, and many kittens try to relieve it by biting everything from furniture legs to fingers. You may also notice slight redness along the gums or a bit of bad breath during the weeks when the teeth are breaking through. Some kittens eat a little more cautiously during this period, because the mouth is sore.
When teething calls for a trip to the vet
Teething is a completely natural part of a kitten's development and rarely requires you to do anything. Nevertheless, there are situations where it is a good idea to have a vet take a look at the kitten's mouth. This applies if a baby tooth does not fall out before the permanent tooth has emerged next to it - a so-called retained baby tooth, where two teeth sit in the same spot. This can push the permanent tooth crooked and cause a misaligned bite.
If your kitten refuses to eat for an extended period, drools heavily, has significant bad breath or clearly seems to be in pain, you should also contact your vet. Most cases are harmless and temporary, but your vet is the right person to assess whether everything is proceeding as it should.
Give the kitten something safe to gnaw on during teething
The urge to chew is greatest precisely while the teeth are breaking through, and here you can help your kitten by giving it something safe and suitable to bite into. It diverts attention away from fingers, cords and furniture and gives the gums the resistance they need. Among our treats for cats you will find products that both taste good and are suitable for small cats that like to use their mouths.
Choose something that suits the kitten's size and small mouth, so the treats are manageable. A good chewing experience during this period is not only about relief in the moment, but also about establishing healthy habits around the mouth while the kitten is young and easy to get used to it.
Meals suited to a kitten with sore teeth
While the teeth are changing, the mouth can be sore, and some kittens prefer something soft to eat during these periods. Here a smooth PÂTÉ is an obvious choice, because it is easy to chew and still full of flavour and nutrition. Our chef-prepared cat pâté is made from fresh produce and human-grade ingredients and gives your kitten a meal that is easy to manage, even with a sore mouth.
The kitten needs a meal composed for its life stage with energy and nutrients for a body growing rapidly. In our selection of meals for kittens you will find meals created precisely with the small kitten's needs in mind, which you can serve with confidence while teething is going on. Many kittens continue to eat just fine throughout the whole process, but if your kitten has difficulty eating, it can help to moisten the meal or combine it with a PÂTÉ.
Start dental care while the kitten is young
The permanent teeth that emerge during teething should ideally last for the rest of the cat's life, and that is why it is a good investment to introduce dental care early. When you get your kitten used to you touching its mouth and eventually brushing its teeth, it becomes a natural part of everyday life rather than a battle later on. It's best to wait until the worst of the teething is over and the mouth is no longer sore, so the experience is positive from the start.
If you are in doubt about which meals best suit your kitten during and after teething, our nutrition advisors are ready to help by phone, chat or email. They can guide you on feeding and nutrition, so your kitten gets the best start - and grows up with a healthy set of teeth and good wellbeing all the way through the first, crucial months.