Odontiasis: Kitten Teething

February 22, 2025

The Gnashing of Baby Teeth

Candilee Jackson

Teething. Whether a mother to human children or “mommy” to your fur children, teething is not a pleasant time in any household. Because of the age involved in teething, little ones cannot tell a parent or caregiver where it hurts, but the evidence of little teeth buds in a baby’s mouth is a dead giveaway. And, believe it or not, kittens are much the same, right down to not being able to tell us where it hurts.

Kitten Teething Stages

Kittens are born without teeth, and their set of 26 baby teeth “begin erupting around three weeks of age, and are usually fully in between six and eight weeks of age.”¹

The second teething stage begins between three and four months of age and lasts two to three months. The first teeth are the incisors, or  front teeth, which are followed by the canine teeth. The last permanent teeth to erupt are the premolars and molars.¹ A normal feline will have 30 permanent, adult teeth.

Signs of Teething¹

1. Kittens may be reluctant to eat; chew differently, prefer soft foods. Drooling can also occur if teeth are missing or recently lost.
2. Excessive chewing may occur. Fortunately, kittens are not as aggressive as puppies, but chewing eases the pressure from erupting teeth.¹
3. Kittens may shake their heads or paw at their muzzles, a very clear indication of where the discomfort is.
4. Because there is mild discomfort, some kittens may become grumpy and may not want their faces touched. Grooming them may mean additional irritation for those already-sensitive gums.

How Can We Help a Teething Kitten?

Teething isn’t painful for the most part, but if a kitten seems to be in pain—especially if you notice significant changes in its eating habits or personality— it’s important for you to consult a veterinarian. Flavored ice cubes, made from chicken broth or plain yogurt, frozen in an ice cube tray or a wet, soft cloth that has spent about half an hour in the freezer, can be used to help relieve pain in the gum area.¹

Other ways to make the teething process more comfortable for a kitten is to avoid petting or rubbing their mouth and face, and play more gently.

During teething, kittens should have soft food available. You’ll want to either soften their dry food with warm water or feed them canned food—but don’t suddenly change their food from dry to wet. Changes should be made gradually over a few days. Any treats provided should be soft and chewy rather than hard.

To help teething kittens relax, provide calming pheromone sprays in the environment, such as Feliway, offer natural calming treats, or mix up to ½ a Zylkene (milk protein) capsule with some baby food and let kittens lick it up.

What NOT To Do

Do NOT use topical anesthetics such as Oragel and other, similar, over-the-counter products. Benzocaine, the anesthetic additive found in many first-aid creams, sprays, and gels, can cause damage to red blood cells in cats, even if only applied topically.”¹

Additionally, hold off on brushing a kitten’s teeth until the teething process is over.

Preventing Inappropriate Teething

Of course, you will want to ensure appropriate safety measures are in place throughout your household, especially with items likely to be targeted for chewing by a kitten. During teething, kittens can have an excessive desire to chew things they normally would leave alone, such as electric cords and hard items like plastic or wood. Try to anticipate this by kitten-proofing your environment before teething starts. Protect cords and wires with plastic covers made expressly for chewing avoidance. Put double-sided pet tape on items that cannot be easily removed to make these items less attractive for chewing.³

Toys To Help Teething Kittens

In preparation for a new kitten who will be teething at some point, select appropriate toys that will not damage either baby teeth or incoming adult teeth, and will also not injure tender gums. A cold, wet washcloth often works well. Nylon toys can be placed in the freezer before play to help soothe sore gums.

Although they were designed for puppies, baby-sized Kongs, which can be filled with soft treats, can also be used for teething kittens.

Another helpful toy to consider is the soft Catstages wiggle worm. It is catnip infused, to help attract kittens, and its shape and texture are well suited to teething kittens. Other soft chew toys that contain catnip can be useful as well; the herb can help the kittens relax and reduce their discomfort while providing them with a safe fabric plaything they can gnaw nonstop.

Catstages also makes plastic chew wheels. These are best suited to a kitten that  has some of its adult teeth and is already chewing. The wheel and attached fabric tails offer your kitten plenty of stimulation. The soft rubber is gentle on the gums but is also satisfying for a kitten to bite into. The wheel’s small ridges also help to keep a kitten’s new teeth nice and clean.

Certain types of teething balls made for human babies can also be helpful for kittens. Balls that are made of nontoxic latex and foam have a soft, spongy texture that is very satisfying for a kitten that wants to chew. They are also great for keeping brand-new “grownup” teeth nice and clean, and getting your furbabies off to a good start with their overall dental health.

 

Sources:

1. Jill E. Sackman, DVM, PhD, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist, interview by MPH Candine L. Jackson, November 1, 2023.
2. n.d. “Kitten Teething.” Purina.com, accessed November 1, 2023. https://www.purina.co.uk/articles/cats/kitten/health/kitten-teething.
3. Christine O’Brien, “Kitten Teething: Age, Timeline, Signs and How You Can Help.” HillsPet.com, accessed November 01, 2023, https://hillspet.com/cat-care/behavior-appearance/kitten-teething