Best cat dental care: treats, powder, brush

Which dental care, fast

She dodges the toothbrush and begs for a crunchy treat? Give her Feline Greenies Dental Treats. The VOHC lists them as accepted for tartar. Treat-averse cat? Sprinkle ProDen PlaqueOff Powder on her food. The VOHC lists it for plaque and tartar.

Start with the one she will actually take. A daily habit she allows beats a brush that stays in the drawer.

What changes the pick

• What she allows: A brush in the mouth, a treat, or only food and water.
• What it does: Plaque and tartar care, or fresher breath only.
• How often you will do it: a daily treat or sprinkle beats a brush that stays in the drawer.

Our pick for tartar: Feline Greenies Dental Treats (Roasted Chicken)

She dodges the brush. She will not dodge a treat. Feline Greenies are crunchy, under 2 calories a treat, and on the VOHC list of accepted products for tartar (vohc.org).

Best for: cats that like crunchy treats, a daily dental treat

• Crunchy, and on the VOHC accepted list for tartar
• Under 2 calories per treat, in a 9.75 oz bag
• Roasted chicken flavor

The catch: it is a treat. Count it in her daily calories, and keep brushing and the vet cleanings.

Skip it if she will not eat treats. Sprinkle ProDen PlaqueOff Powder on her food instead.

Best for cats that refuse treats and brushes: ProDen PlaqueOff Powder

Plaque care with no brushing

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No brush, no wrestling. Just a sprinkle on dinner. PlaqueOff is a kelp powder made from North Atlantic kelp, and the VOHC lists it as accepted for plaque and tartar.

Best for: cats who refuse treats and brushes

• Sprinkle it on food once a day
• Made from North Atlantic kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum)

The catch: give it a few weeks of daily sprinkles before you judge it. The kelp taste puts off some picky eaters.

Skip it if she is fussy about her food: the Feline Greenies treats above are the backup. Details on the ProDen page.

Best for brushing: Jasper Microbrush Cat & Dog Toothbrush

Pets with sensitive mouths

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Her mouth clamps shut when the brush appears. Go smaller. The extra-soft microbrush is sized for small mouths, and the replaceable heads mean you swap the head, not the whole brush.

Best for: a first toothbrush, cats with sensitive mouths

• Extra-soft bristles for cats and small dogs
• Replaceable heads and an angled handle for control

The catch: soft bristles are for gentle daily work. Heavy tartar is a vet question.

Skip it if tartar is already built up: ask your vet. Details on the Jasper page.

Best for a no-effort backup: Oxyfresh Premium Pet Dental Water Additive

Pets who won't tolerate any oral care

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No brush, no chew, no wrestling. Just the water bowl. It is tasteless and odorless, and you add it to her water daily.

Best for: cats that allow no other oral care

• Tasteless and odorless
• Made in USA

The catch: fresh breath is its job. It does less than a brush and backs up other care.

Skip it if you want cleaner teeth, not just fresher breath: use the treats or the powder. Details on the Oxyfresh page.

Make it a habit

• Pick one routine and tie it to a meal.
• Brush a few teeth at a time and stop while she is calm.
• Bad breath that does not go away, or red gums, is a vet visit.

New to the brush? Read how to brush a cat's teeth (or skip the brush).

Bottom line