How to Help Your Kitten Through the Teething Stage

[admin]

http://blog.vetdepot.com/how-to-help-yo ... hing-stage
Between the ages of 11 weeks and 6 months old, your kitten is likely to experience some pain associated with teething. In order to help your kitten through this process, it’s important to understand what exactly is taking place.

Kittens are born without any teeth. At 2 weeks old, the incisors at the front of the mouth begin to show, and at four weeks old, the kitten’s canine teeth become visible. At 6 weeks of age, the premolars have emerged as well. All of these teeth are considered baby teeth, or deciduous teeth.

These tiny baby teeth begin to fall out and are replaced with permanent teeth when kittens reach 11 weeks old. While their baby teeth are loose and their 30 permanent teeth are coming in, kittens can experience discomfort while eating and sore gums. The following tips can help your kitten through this stage:

Avoid vigorous play involving toys your kitten has to grab with her mouth.
Don’t brush your kitten’s teeth during this period, or do so very gently with a finger brush.
Soften up your kitten’s food if she’s having trouble eating.
Purchase a teething ring meant for feline use.
Check in with your cat’s veterinarian to make sure her teeth are coming in without any issues.