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My cat's breath smells terrible. What can I do if he eats normally?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 6 months old | 5 lbs

My cat's mouth smells a lot. What can I do for this ? He is eating and drinking normally.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on May 6th, 2018

Bad breath is a sign of dental problems, which can include severe gingivitis, a tooth root abscess, or a broken tooth. A cat can eat and drink normally whilst having a dental problem, so I recommend taking Chimpu into a vet. The vet can examine his mouth, and perform a dental cleaning, scaling, and polishing. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

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1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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    Answered By Vanessa Yeager DVM MPH

    Veterinarian

    Published on September 20th, 2018

    Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Foul breath in pets is usually related to dental disease, although there are other causes such as kidney disease or liver disease that can cause the breath to smell bad. It is good to hear Bandit is still eating his food normally but I would recommend he see his veterinarian soon for a check up so Bandit's teeth and mouth can be examined. Your veterinarian may also recommend blood work as well. If dental disease is suspected, your vet may recommend a dental cleaning soon. I hope this helps and thanks again for posting!

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