Do Cats Have Baby Teeth?

Cats' teeth are interesting because they are so versatile--used for catching food, eating and cleaning themselves. Because cats depend on their teeth for so much, it is important to talk to your vet about how to properly care for your cat's teeth. Doctors Foster and Smith report that 70 percent of cats have gum disease by the time they are three years old.

  1. Baby Teeth

    • Kittens grow 26 baby teeth called "milk teeth" when they are two to four weeks old. By the time a kitten is six months old, her milk teeth will be replaced by 30 adult teeth.

    Sensitivity

    • Cat's canine teeth are surrounded by very sensitive tissue. This tissue allows the cat to feel exactly where it should bite prey to kill it.

    Cleaning

    • The bones of animals that a cat catches serves to clean the cat's teeth as she eats.

    Fractured Canines

    • Sneezing is often a sign that a cat has broken one of her top canine teeth.

    Roots

    • Of a cat's 30 adult teeth, 10 have two roots each, and two have three roots each.