Bad breath

[Chris]

Hi Merianne, bad breath can occur for a number of reasons. Even cats with very clean teeth can have some odor to their breath that some folks are not used to or are more sensitive to than others. Dental issues are the most common underlying cause of bad breath. You mentioned there aren’t any, but make sure that’s not just based on your own assessment but on a veterinarian’s (and that a full comprehensive oral exam was possible, as not all cats will allow a good look in there). Even if the front teeth look okay, the back molars can often have some hidden mild build up that may not look too bad, but can lead to bad breath. Cats with digestive issues may have bad breath if they vomit or regurgitate chronically. There can be some non-oral systemic causes of bad breath such as kidney disease or diabetes-related odors. These causes are more serious but tend to occur more in visibly ill cats. I have also on occasion found a cat with lodged foreign material that leads to bad breath over time. Diet alone may also have an impact. A full oral exam with your vet, if possible, is best, along with labwork to rule out systemic causes. Sometimes an oral exam has to be performed under sedation if there is a potential concern but the doctor cannot get a very good look. For a general overview of some of these and other causes of bad breath in cats, I’ve included a link for one of our articles on the topic.

https://cats.com/bad-breath-in-cats

[Unknown Member]

I hope you can figure out what’s causing it. It’s surprising how many different things can lead to bad breath, even when a cat’s teeth look healthy. Hopefully it’s something minor, and your vet can help you get to the bottom of it. Wishing your kitty all the best!