A Predator’s Teeth. Will raw meat keep my cat’s teeth clean?

The teeth, more so than any other feature, reveal a creature’s diet and its lifestyle.

Perfect adaptation to life as a predator differentiates the cat’s physiology very dramatically from other animals. The cat’s shortened skull, which accentuates eyesight rather than the sense of smell, provides only limited space for teeth - sixteen in the upper jaw and fourteen in the lower jaw. The four canine teeth, positioned in the front corners of the upper and lower jaws, are tools for seizing and killing prey. Their spacing directly relates to the type of prey each species of cat is most adapted to hunt because, in most cats, the canines are used to penetrate between the neck vertebra of the prey forcing them apart and thereby severing the spinal cord.

Skull of a domestic, adult female cat

The flattened, pointed molars, or carnassial teeth function like shears which cut the prey into manageable bits to swallow. This action is supported by the hinging of the lower jaw which can only be moved up and down and possesses no ability for a lateral grinding motion. The cat does not chew her food. The tiny incisor teeth, arranged in a straight line between both upper and lower canines, aid in maintaining a grip on prey, plucking feather or scraping meat off larger, inedible bones. Cat teeth are sensitive to pressure and cats avoid contact with, or gnawing on, hard bones in order to prevent possible shattering of their teeth, especially the canines.

Same skull as above, demonstrating the teeth.

Today, domestic cats often suffer from dental disease, primarily build-up of dental calculus, or tartar. Consequently, Veterinarians urge cat owners to feed their cats solely a dry, commercial cat food. The theory is that the crunching of a dry food, and the friction created on the teeth when biting on pellet like feed, will reduce dental plaque, a film of proliferating bacteria trapped in the food debris and saliva that coat the teeth, and thereby inhibit tartar build-up. A nice theory it is, because in real life, dry cat food has proven to have marginal if any tartar fighting properties. Since cats purposely avoid biting on hard bits, dry food pellets are subsequently swallowed whole. The grain based make-up of dry cat food gives a hard baked, cracker nature, which, if actually crunched to bits and moistened with saliva, will more likely clog the dentition, as well as leaving a starchy coating which encourages bacteria growth.

Will a raw meat diet keep my cat’s teeth clean?

It is a misconception, that ANY type food can clean teeth.

Residual food in the oral cavity encourages bacterial growth, causing plaque which eventually forms tartar if not brushed away. Unlike other types of available cat foods, a raw meat diet will certainly not encourage dental disease or contribute to dental deterioration. However, plaque formation and subsequent build-up of tartar over time is a natural occurrence, and is observed in wild cats as well. Only mechanical removal of plaque by brushing prevents the excessive accumulation of plaque resulting in tartar. Once tartar is attached to teeth, it can only be effectively removed mechanically by a professional – often with the cat needing to be anesthetized for the procedure.

It has been observed, that cats raised on a raw meat diet are in lesser need of regular dental scaling to remove tartar - some not requiring their first appointment before the age of eight years old. However, oral health depends a great deal on immune function and enzymes released with saliva, and is - in the end - a very individual matter. Some cats are very susceptible to plaque and tartar built-up, or gingivitis, and will require veterinary care in this regard from a young age on, regardless of being fed a raw meat diet.

13.5 year old domestic shorthair female, raw fed all life, at her FIRST dental cleaning - showing only moderate tarter built-up.

3.5 years old, raw fed Siamese cat with gingivites

2.5 years old, raw fed Oriental with plaque and tartar. Some immune systhem deviciency suspected.

Same Oriental Shorthair after dental scaling. NICE!

Nonetheless, even these cats will benefit from eating raw and having their immune system boosted in that way. Feeding chunks of firm meat like stewing beef, or giving raw chicken necks as treats may aid in wiping plaque away before bacteria mineralize it into dental calculus. It can be easily imagined, that in a similar fashion wild cats brush their teeth by biting and shearing through the fur and flesh of their. However, even the largest bones of a mouse or bird snap more easily than dry spaghetti, and offer minimal friction on the cat’s teeth, especially when surrounded by flesh. This in addition to the consideration that it takes the cat only a few seconds to “wolf down” her catch completely invalidates the common belief that the teeth of wild cats are kept clean by crunching bones!

In the end, if you want to do something to keep your cat’s teeth clean and healthy, nothing can replace regular brushing!