A Smile That’s T he Cat’s Meow (NAPSA)—Veterinarians say it’s important for cat owners to pay more than just lip service to their pets’ dental health. Cats whose mouthsare well taken care of, tend to lead happier, healthier and longerlives. “Cat owners often overlook their pets’ dental health because they don’t realize that dental problems can lead to other more serious health problems,” said Dr. Sandi Sawchuk, DVM, University of Wisconsin-Madison. While it is estimated that as manyas 80 percent of America’s 72 million cats will need dental care in their lifetime, these three pre- ventative steps can give cats and their ownersa reason to smile: Take Your Cat to the Vet Schedule dental examinations with your veterinarian once or twice a year. Visits should include a professional teeth cleaning. Take Time for Teeth Cleaning Start a home dental care routine by brushing your cat’s teeth regularly. Begin the process by addinga little of your cat’s favorite moist cat food, like Friskies canned cat food, to a specially designed cat toothbrush. Most cats will be accepting of the toothbrush when it is accompanied by a tasty food treat. Once your cat is accustomed to the toothbrush switch to a specially formulated cat toothpaste, available from your FP at | — N It is important for cat owners to maintain their pets’ dental health. veterinarian or a local pet store. Take Healthy Bites Feed your cat a specially formulated dental-health cat food, like Friskies Dental Diet, every day. Unlike other dry formulas that shatter when chewed, Friskies Dental Diet allows the tooth to penetrate each piece of kibble to break up and reduce plaque and tartar build-up. Cats, being carnivores, don’t always chewtheir food. They are equipped with shearing teeth and a jaw that does not allow for grinding food, as a result, standard kibble is often swallowed whole by cats. Friskies Dental Diet boasts the great taste cats love with a larger kibble, forcing cats to chew, which helps to remove plaque and tartar by up to 25 percent when fed as a regulardiet. For morefeline dentaltips visit www.healthiercat.com. Note to Editors: February is National Pet Dental Health Month
