Why does my cat’s breath smell? Depending on the food you give it, it is usually normal for it to smell a little of it, that is, if you give it cans of wet food, it is usual for its mouth to smell of the food it has eaten, well, let’s remember, the cats are not like dogs and they eat throughout the day in small doses. But if the smell it gives off is stronger, then it may be due to other conditions related to dental hygiene, problems related to gastrointestinal health or other conditions that have to be checked by the veterinarian.
In this oneHOWTO article we will discover you why your cat’s breath smells indicating the most frequent causes of this situation and the different ways to eliminate the bad smell.
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Why Does My Cat’s Breath Smell?
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Main causes of bad breath in cats
To know why your cat’s breath smells You have to keep in mind that it is not the same that it smells like food that smells with a stronger and more intense aroma. The first situation is normal because, as we have already said, cats eat throughout the day; but if you find yourself in the second situation, then it may be because the animal suffers from halitosis, a situation that can appear for different reasons.
Next we will discover the causes of bad breath in cats that tend to happen more frequently:
- poor oral hygiene
- Excess tartar on your teeth
- mouth infection
- Bad nutrition
- Diseases such as diabetes
- liver problems
- Kidney conditions
- Diseases such as pharyngitis
Just like with people, cats can also suffer from halitosis and the reason for this condition can be very varied: from problems with hygiene, to errors when feeding our friend or, worse still, that it is a symptom that something inside does not finish working properly and suffers from some disease gastric, hepatic or throat.
In any case, at oneHOWTO we recommend that you always consult a specialist to examine the animal and determine the true origin of its bad breath because, as you have seen, it may be due to a simple lack of hygiene or to more worrying cases related to its health.

First solution for cat’s bad breath
As you have seen, one of the main causes of bad breath in cats is a lack of oral hygiene and, above all, this is because it has a tartar buildup that modifies the natural smell of our great friend’s mouth.
Tartar appears after the formation of dental plaque that accumulates due to not cleaning the teeth well after meals. In the end, the accumulation of these remains end up developing germs which are responsible for the appearance of dental tartar and, therefore, of bad breath in our animal.
Prevent tartar on cat’s teeth
To eliminate bad breath in our cat, the first thing we would have to do would be to reduce the tartar in its mouth because, in this way, we will be able to minimize the germs that cause bad breath. To carry out this process, it will suffice to clean our animal’s teeth well with a special brush For your type of denture, consult your veterinarian to find out which is best for your cat.
To brush your cat’s teeth It is important that you try to keep him calm because it is not something that is especially pleasant for them. So, you’ll have to put some toothpaste (special for cats, ours is toxic to them) on your brush and we will insert it into your oral cavity. Move gently and try to be quick because the animal will not stay still too quickly.
In this other OneHOWTO article, we tell you how to clean a cat’s teeth so that you know other techniques to maintain oral health in perfect condition.
Other ways to eliminate bad breath in cats
Now that you know why your cat’s breath smells, we are going to discover other habits that you can follow every day to improve the hygiene of its mouth and, thus, prevent germs from accumulating, producing a bad smell.
Below we will discover all the methods that exist to be able to eliminate bad breath from your friend:
- Take care of your diet: as we have already told you, one of the main causes of your cat’s breath smelling bad is that it does not eat a balanced diet and, therefore, it is important that you vary its food and not only give it wet food but also give him food so that he chews harder and eliminates the bacteria that may have stuck to his teeth.
- enough water: It is also important that you change the water every day so that it is clean and fresh. This habit will help you to be able to clean your mouth, in addition to being properly hydrated. In addition, the production of saliva is necessary to maximize the oral cleanliness of the animal.
- Cat grass: The “cat-nip” is a plant that is specially designed for cats to clean their teeth well. It is similar to mint and attracts cats who, by eating it, will improve their breath and give it a more minty air, in addition to enjoying a cleaner mouth free of bacteria. In this other article, we tell you how cat grass is used.
In this other OneHOWTO article, we give you more tricks so you can combat bad breath in cats.
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