Cat Toothache Symptoms

Cats often give no blatant outward signs that they feel pain. Cat owners must stay alert to monitor possible signs that their cat suffers from a painful injury or condition. Many cat owners assume that, with proper diet, cats' teeth will stay healthy, but cats can, in fact, develop problems with their teeth. Cat owners should consider that their cat has a toothache if it exhibits any of the following symptoms.

  1. Mealtime Behavior

    • Watch the cat at mealtimes to note its food consumption. Cats in pain, whether from a toothache or otherwise, tend to eat less. Cats with toothaches may attempt to eat but then drop their food when the pressure on the affected tooth proves too painful.

    Pawing or Overgrooming

    • Watch to see if the cat paws at the side of its mouth. He may paw the area that hurts him. If he seems to over groom that area, it offers another possible sign of a pain in that location. The over grooming may cause hair loss on that side of the cat's face.

    Drooling or Licking Lips

    • Notice if the cat produces excessive saliva or licks its lips repeatedly. This may indicate a pain in her tooth.

    Bad Breath

    • Smell the cat's breath. An infected or decayed tooth may cause the cat's breath to smell foul.

    Mouth Bleeding

    • Watch for any sign of bleeding that comes out of the cat's mouth. The cause of a cat's toothache may come from an infected gum which often results in bleeding.

    Sleep Pattern

    • Note the cat's sleeping patterns. If the cat wakes repeatedly and seems to have trouble drifting off into a good cat-sleep, she may have a toothache.

    Behavior

    • Monitor the cat's behavior to see if it acts belligerent or aggressive. Such a change in behavior in a normally placid and calm cat may indicate pain.

    Lowered Ears

    • Look at the cat's ears. Tooth pain can cause a cat to keep her ears lowered.