Alice White
Small cats are playful and wrangle with each other. They chase after butterflies and gradually conquer the area. In many respects, they are like the children of men discovering their world. But do kittens have milk teeth just like human babies? This post deals with the question and provides answers on the subject of milk teeth in cats.
Baby Teeth in Cats
Cats do not have teeth when they are born. The milk teeth erupt after a month at the latest. After two months, the kittens have a full set of 26 milk teeth. When the cat is 3 to 4 months old, the milk teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth.
How Long Do Kittens Keep Milk Teeth?
Cats keep milk teeth until the permanent set of teeth displaces them. The permanent teeth that grow back dissolve the milk tooth roots so that the 26 teeth fall out. The rear molars of the deciduous dentition are missing. Only in the permanent set of teeth are they supplemented by four teeth, so that the complete set of teeth of a full-grown cat comprises 30 permanent teeth. The change of teeth starts after 3 to 4 months and is complete after seven to eight months. Then the young cat’s milk teeth have completely disappeared.
Do Cats Have Problems With Milk Teeth?
Yes, some cats have problems with their milk teeth, on the one hand when they first erupt and also when the new set of teeth comes through. Small kittens sometimes have gum infections, causing increased saliva discharge, bad breath, and reluctance to eat. The jaw pain keeps them from chewing on hard pieces of food.
Similar to humans, kittens can suffer from an itchy jaw, which is a typical feature of erupting teeth.
What Happens to the Cat’s Milk Teeth When They Change Teeth?
As mentioned, the new teeth dissolve the roots of the milk teeth so that they begin to wobble until they fall out. Some kittens lose their teeth while eating and just swallow them with them. Others spit them out, then in rare cases, you may be able to find the teeth in the apartment. Cat owners often do not notice the change of teeth at all, at least not if the cat does not suffer from an inflamed jaw.
Milk Teeth Only Stay for a Few Weeks and Fall Out Again Quickly
Small cats only have milk teeth for a few weeks and permanent teeth are available by eight months at the latest. If you notice that your kitten is obviously having problems with erupting milk teeth or changing teeth, you should see a veterinarian. An inflamed jaw is not to be trifled with because the bacteria from pus can spread throughout the cat’s body and affect other organs.
