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Why does my kitten's breath smell bad? Is it serious and what to do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Male | unneutered | 8 months and 1 day old | 1.2 lbs

What would make a kittens breath smell

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Daniela Jessen, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on January 6th, 2019

Halitosis (bad breath) in a kitten can be caused by oral infections such as gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) or feline stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucous membranes at the back of the mouth). Teething can also cause bad breath. Another cause that is harmless is certain food like canned soft food can sometimes cause the kitten bad breath, for example, smoked oysters or canned tuna. Other causes such as kidney/liver disease and diabetes are less commonly found in kittens. I would suggest to take the kitten to your vet to examine the mouth and identify the cause.

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