Cat's breath smells like a landfill?

Question

I have a 15 year old man of a cat. He's as virile as anything, but whenever he opens his mouth, it smells like he's shitting from his throat. I can smell it from a few feet away.

Answer 1

He has what we call at my school 'old cat mouth'. In technical terms he has halitosis, which is probably caused by oral disease and gingivitis. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that his teeth are probably stained a light brownish and that he has tarter and calculus build up (people often call these the same thing but they are not, when the tarter builds up and hardens it becomes calculus). This is something very common in old cats especially if they do not receive regular teeth cleanings when they are younger. You could take him to the vet and ask to have a dental done, but if they are a reputable vet they will tell you the risk would not be worth the reward. Being as old as he is he would be under great risk when it comes to being put under anesthesia, which they have to do in order to preform a dental. On top of that he would probably lose quite a few teeth. The vet may recommend antibiotics because it could help with the bacterial issue but it all depends on the vet. There are treats made specifically to help with bad breath so you could try that as well, but other than that once they reach this age its just kind of something you have to live with.



If this is a new sudden onset development you should take him to the vet to be looked at as soon as possible. Halitosis can be a sign of an oral abscess (among other things), but there would be other symptoms to go along with that like difficulty eating and possible swelling of the face. Either way, whether it has been going on or is a new development it would be a good idea to have your vet look at him.

Answer 2

this is an indication that your cat has an infection in his mouth, it can be gingivitis or stomatitis, either way it absolutely needs to go to the vet before it gets worst. in advanced cases the cat may drool alot because it is in pain and stop eating, if you can look at its gums they may be swollen and or dark red. they may even be actively bleeding. hopefully you can treat with clidamycin, which is an antibiotic, and the vet can inject cortisone which will help with the swelling but from now on its most likely going to be an ongoing medical thing you and the kitty have to deal with on an ongoing basis given the age. i volunteer in rescue and sometimes you even have to have the teeth removed. there are additives you can add to food and water to help break down tartar and plaque and also give them vitamins and probiotics to help keep a healthy immune system.l-lysine is a specific suppliment that helps support gum and lip tissue too. expect to have to see the vet every three weeks to 5 weeks for cortisone shots in the beginning. good luck

Answer 3

My female cat for some reason had bad breath,I don't know if it was a food pocket or what.Well I started brushing her teeth and now her breath is fine.I only do it about once every 10 days but it worked.You can get a kit on Amazon for around $10 paste and brush

Answer 4

This is a big red flag for oral disease, especially considering his age. You might look and see that the teeth have much tartar and the gums are red or may have lesions. You might want to see the vet soon, especially if you notice kitty has trouble eating.



Source might be a little graphic. One of my cats has stage 1 periodontal disease. Oral problems are pretty easily resolved or managed by professional cleanings and aftercare at home.

Answer 5

They make special cat treats for bad breath. If his breath smells like a landfill, maybe give him 2 treats. I loved how you worded your question, very funny!

Answer 6

Are his teeth and mouth OK? (check them if you haven't).

Is this something new after 15 years? You don't give much info.

Have you changed his diet recently?