The Croatian portal Index.hr presented interesting facts about cat's teeth, and we are passing them on to you.
1. The age of a cat can be determined by its teeth
Just like humans, cats have two different sets of teeth. The first is a set of 26 "children's", i.e. milk, which appear between 2-4 weeks of age. They are then replaced by adult teeth, at the age of 3-4 months. Adult cats have 30 teeth.
2. A cat's teeth are built for eating meat
Unlike molars of humans and herbivores, such as e.g. cows and horses, molars in cats do not have flat surfaces, intended for crushing grains and other plant matter. They use their sharp and serrated molars to remove the meat from the bones, which they then "cut" into pieces and which they can swallow whole. Also, cats can only move their jaw up and down.
3. Cats use their front teeth for grooming
Cat's incisors are the perfect grooming accessory. With it, they can easily and quickly remove all unwanted guests in their fur coat, such as e.g. fleas, which they then swallow whole.
4. Cats also have tooth decay
In humans, caries occurs on the surface of the teeth, while in cats it is the other way around. It usually starts at the neck of the tooth, below the gum line. Most of the time, people are not even aware that their cat has cavities, until you notice that they are missing a tooth. Therefore, be sure to consult with your veterinarian about dental examinations, because caries in humans and cats are equally painful, only they will not show it to you. Do not let your pet suffer, but regularly check his teeth.
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