Ah, that dentist fresh feeling. Twice yearly cleanings, regular brushings and a diet of crunchy potato chips will do the trick. Hold on. A diet of crunchy potato chips? How does that prevent tartar build up and promote oral health? Well actually, it doesn’t. And just as silly is the argument that a diet of dry kibble is beneficial to your pet’s oral hygiene.
The mechanisms of a cat’s mouth are such that very little “chewing” is actually done at all. Their teeth, jaw and mouth are designed for shredding and ripping meat. Most of the time, kibble is swallowed nearly whole. Certainly, if there is any contact, the kibble shatters after touching only the tips of their teeth. This does not impact the gumline, where the tartar builds.
A Kibble Diet and Feline Health
To be fair, kibble does have its place on the hierarchy of pet foods. Although, it’s pretty close to the bottom, falling behind RAW, home cooked and canned. It does boast convenience and it’s true, the cost may be somewhat lower then a canned diet for your feline friend. However, the possible oral benefits manufacturer’s boast are quickly matched by a canned diets superior protein levels, palatability, minimal processing and high water content.
Typically cats have a very low thirst drive. In the wild, up to 70% of their water is derived from their kill. A cat or kitten that exists solely on a very dry, crunchy kibble will likely not take in enough water to properly flush the kidneys and allow the body to naturally detoxify. This opens the window for a host of urologic issues, including frequent UTIs (urinary tract infections), kidney and bladder stones as well as increased risk of diabetes and other health issues such as upper respiratory distress.
In addition to this, pet parents who feed kibble are more likely to “free feed” their cat, leaving food out all day long for their pet to graze on. This is problematic in that the mere smell of their food alkalizes their urine. Urine output with a very acidic pH is what is required to dissolve stones and prevent germ growth. Alkaline urine output is also intensified when your cat is fed a poor quality diet with inferior protein sources.
“Low quality protein causes the urine to be alkaline, whereas a cat fed on high quality, easily assimilated protein tend to have an acidic urine. An acidic urine prevents the growth of germs that cause FUS.” – Source The New Natural Cat, Anitra Frazier
On top of poor quality proteins and little water content another drawback to a kibble diet is that they typically contain high amounts of grain which are nearly indigestible for cats and through over processing have lost most of their natural nutritional content. This further supports a canned or wet diet, going beyond dental health concerns to a more holistic approach by addressing the overall well being of your pet.
To conclude, dry food is a major contributor to feline urologic problems. Ideally, cats should be fed a wet diet. Realistically, aim for a 50/50 split. Of course, this applies only to a healthy feline. Cats with bladder/kidney issues or those who suffer from frequent UTI’s should never be fed dry.
Some dental issues appear to have genetic tendencies or stem from other, underlying conditions which may possibly require advanced treatment. For most pets, to prevent tartar build up and increase the both the quality and length of your pet’s life, regular brushing should be part of their grooming routine from about 3 months on. Check with your Holistic Veterinarian for a treatment plan for your four legged friend.
Shawnda Chambers - Shawnda Chambers is a mother of four, a certified yoga instructor and a reiki practioner. As the founder of Bhavana Yoga, Shawnda ...
