Many owners of furry pets are concerned with the question: when do kittens change their teeth and what should be done in this period of animal development. This is an important stage in the life of a mammal, the baby needs special care at this time. The teeth of an animal - an indicator of his health, they must be white and strong, have a proper bite.
Change of teeth in kittens
Small kittens are born toothless. This is foreseen by nature - the smooth gums do not hurt the mother's nipples, because the first month of their life babies feed on her milk. At the 2-3 week of life, the first dairy teeth begin to erupt in cats. Their appearance passes unnoticed and does not cause trouble, because pets are small and can not move around the room. By the month they already have 26 sharp teeth in the jaw, pets can eat solid food on their own. Many owners are interested in the question - do teeth change in cats, how does this happen and what is accompanied?
Do the teeth fall in the kittens?
Dairy bone tissue in the jaws of cats is replaced by a permanent step-by-step. Inexperienced owners, if a kitten has a tooth, do not know what to do. It is not necessary to panic - the main thing to examine the oral cavity. If the old teeth do not interfere with the even growth of new ones and drop out in time - there is no need to interfere with the process. It may happen that the wounds in the cavity do not heal and fester, the gums become inflamed. Then you need to contact the veterinarian, so that the pet does not earn periodontal disease. Healthy gums in the baby should be pinkish color with no red margins along the bone line.
It happens that the milk teeth do not fall out, and the root ones are already growing. This situation requires an examination by a veterinarian. From an overabundance of teeth, gums can be injured and an incorrect bite can form. Subsequently, the problem will affect the pedigree characteristics of the animal. In this case, the doctor removes the old tooth and the constant does not interfere with the growth.
At what age do cats change their teeth?
Typically, from three to four months, the baby's teeth begin to fall out in kittens when they change to permanent. This process is lengthy, everything happens gradually. The change of teeth in different animals takes from 12 to 20 weeks, as a result, a full set of strong permanent molars will appear in the upper and lower jaws of a pet by the age of 6-8 months.
Change of teeth in kittens - symptoms
When the cats have their teeth changed, the experienced owner will notice this from the behavior of the pets. Pets become restless, often loudly or plaintively meow, informing the owner about their discomfort. Kids can refuse to eat because of loss of appetite. Sometimes they get an unpleasant smell from their mouths, but it goes on for several weeks if there are no inflammations in the cavity.
When kittens change their milk teeth to indigenous ones, they need a full-fledged diet, in which calcium and phosphorus must be present. Then the bone tissue in the animal will form strong and healthy. In the menu it is necessary to enter sour-milk products, cottage cheese, low-fat beef, rabbit and chicken, vitamin-mineral supplements in tablets or drops. At this time, the animal's body is weakened and all vaccinations are contraindicated to the baby.
Often when the kittens change their teeth, they begin to gnaw everything - wires, things, shoes. It is better to buy them safe rubber toys in the store or chewing dainties. And attempts to bite the hands of the owner during this period of the fluffy pet should be immediately suppressed, otherwise such a habit can remain with him for life. To clean the oral cavity of pets should be taught from childhood, so that the gums and bone tissue are always healthy.
Do kittens have tooth canines?
Each owner should know if the teeth change in cats for up to one year to monitor the formation of the right bite in the animal. First, the change of milk incisors takes place 2-4 weeks, then canines (first lower, then upper) 3-4 weeks, lastly molar molars and premolars grow 3-8 weeks. Constant teeth in a cat should be 30 pieces. On both jaws in front you can see two canines and six incisors. Four more molars grow from above, and from the bottom - 3 on each side.
Change of teeth in Maine Coon kittens
Newborn Maine Coons, like their relatives, are born without sharp teeth. The first incisors grow in their second week of life. By the age of three months, the pet becomes the owner of a complete set of milk teeth - there are 26 of them. The animals grow, the teeth change in kittens at the age of four months. They grow gradually - first incisors, then canines, then molars and premolars. An adult cat has a maine coon 30 teeth - the set of changed dairy is added to the root. Pets do not chew food, but use jaws to gnaw, tear and nibble food.
The growing cat gets a full adult jaw by the age of 7 months, sometimes the process is late and ends at 9. In dogs of this breed, there are rare diseases of the oral cavity and tartar, but it is better to ensure that the animal receives periodically hard food to clean the enamel. Maine coons often have baby teeth adjacent to growing roots - then they need to loosen to speed up the process of loss.
Change of teeth in British kittens
Many owners are interested in the question, at what age do teeth change in British kittens. Dairy (26 pieces) are cut from them from 10 to 30 days of life. From the 3rd to the 8th month they drop out and grow up permanent. In this period it is important to examine the jaw of the baby in order to avoid the formation of an incorrect bite. When the kittens change their teeth, pay attention to the position of the lower canine and the uppermost incisor. He should not come in contact with him or go into the gums, otherwise the likelihood of a snack or undershoot is high. Such defects are often the cause of disqualification at exhibitions.
To correct a situation it is possible with the help of a special massage of the gums or breaking off the edge of the canine, which the vet will be able to hold. Changing the teeth to permanent (30 pieces) in the British begins at 3.5 months and ends at 5.5. The order of their appearance, as well as at all relatives - cutters, fangs, molars, premolars. During this period, pets often refuse to eat. Sometimes the process can take up to 10 months.
Change of teeth in Scottish kittens
On the question of how much the Scottish cats are changing their teeth, experienced breeders give an unambiguous answer - dairy begin to erupt from 14 days, at the age of 4-6 months in their place grow indigenous. In an adult animal, like all felines, there should be 30 of them - 16 on the upper jaw and 14 on the lower jaw. A normal bite is considered straight or scissor-shaped, when the upper incisors, overlapping the lower incisors, touch them. Deviation from the standard will be the advance of the lower jaw (bulldogs) or undershoot, when the teeth do not touch.