Dental disease is one of the most common problems vets see in cats, and long-haired breeds get no special protection from it. Here is how we look after our Maine Coons teeth, and what we tell our kitten families to do.
Why Maine Coon dental care matters
By middle age a large share of cats have some degree of periodontal disease. It is painful, it is progressive, and cats are very good at hiding it. A cat with a sore mouth usually does not stop eating. They just eat differently, swallow food whole, or get quietly grumpier. By the time it is obvious, treatment usually means extractions under anaesthetic.
Maine Coons live a long time, commonly 12 to 15 years. A cat with twelve more years ahead of them has a lot to gain from a mouth that does not hurt.
Start while they are kittens
This is the single most useful thing in this article. A twelve week old kitten who has their mouth handled every day grows into a cat who tolerates tooth brushing. A five year old cat who has never had a finger near their gums is a much harder project.
Begin by touching the muzzle and lifting the lip for a second or two, then stop and give a treat. Do that for a week. Then run a finger along the outside of the teeth. Then introduce a tiny amount of cat toothpaste on your finger. Only then bring in a brush.
How to brush a Maine Coon cat teeth
- Use toothpaste made for cats. Human toothpaste contains fluoride and sometimes xylitol, and cats swallow it.
- Use a small soft brush or a finger brush. Many large cats do better with a finger brush.
- Brush the outside surfaces only. That is where plaque collects, and the tongue does a reasonable job on the inside.
- Angle the bristles towards the gum line and use small circles.
- Aim for thirty seconds. Daily is ideal, three times a week is still worthwhile.
- Stop before your cat wants to stop. End on a good note every single time.
If a session goes badly, go back a step and rebuild. Forcing it teaches your cat that mouth handling is something to escape.
What to look for between brushings
- Bad breath that is worse than usual. The most common early sign.
- A red line along the gum where it meets the tooth.
- Yellow or brown build-up, particularly on the upper back teeth.
- Drooling, pawing at the mouth, or dropping food.
- Eating on one side only, or going off dry food.
- A kitten who keeps a baby tooth alongside the adult tooth. Mention it to your vet.
What else helps
Brushing is the gold standard, but it is not the only thing that helps. Dental treats and diets designed to scrape the tooth surface can reduce build-up. Water additives and dental gels exist and are easier to use, though the evidence behind them is weaker than for brushing. Look for products carrying the Veterinary Oral Health Council seal, which means they have been tested rather than simply marketed.
Chewing matters too. Cats who only eat soft food get less mechanical cleaning than cats whose diet includes something they have to work at.
Professional cleaning
Even with good home care, most cats need a professional dental cleaning at some point. It is done under general anaesthetic, because you cannot scale below the gum line of an awake cat, and it includes dental x-rays that show what is happening at the roots.
Ask your vet to check your cat mouth at every annual visit, and expect that a thorough cleaning will come up eventually. It is far cheaper and far kinder to deal with it before teeth need removing.
What we do before your kitten comes home
Every kitten we raise has their mouth handled daily from an early age, and their teeth and bite are checked as part of the vet exam before pickup. The habit is already started when they arrive. Keep it going and you will have a much easier job in five years.
More on daily care in our Maine Coon care guide, or see which kittens are available.