 In today's video, we are going to talk about the best home remedy for your cat's bad breath. Bad breath, it happens to the best of us, including our beloved feline companions. Many cases of our morning breath can be solved with a morning brush routine. Cat bad breath often indicates a more serious medical problem, with both oral causes or systemic ones. Go nose to nose with your sleeping cat and give her a loving sniff. If it's not sweet kitty breath that you know and love, but a stench that makes you wince, something may not be right. Just as the eyes may be windows into the soul, a kitty's breath may hint to her health. A healthy cat's breath should not be offensive, says Eric Davis, DVM, a fellow of the Academy of Veterinary Dentistry and Director of the Dental Referral Service at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Cat bad breath is a common issue that owners deal with. Imagine if you didn't brush your teeth for months or years. Many cats develop bad breath, or halitosis, from poor oral health. The good news here is that there are home remedies for bad breath in cats. Before we discuss how to solve cat bad breath at home, first let's dive into the reasons why your cat may have halitosis. Why does cat have bad breath? Oral causes. According to International Cat Care, 85% of cats have some form of dental disease. A cat's teeth and gums have naturally occurring bacteria. As these germs multiply and aren't removed via brushing, they can develop a bacteria-placked film on the teeth. This film hardens through natural minerals in your cat's saliva and becomes tartar. The bacteria in your cat's mouth that are not removed release smelly compounds after they break down leftover food particles. Not only does this cause cat bad breath, but mouth bacteria can travel via the blood to various organs, where they can cause infections throughout the body, often resulting in heart and kidney disease. The accumulation of tartar also forces the gums down, causing them to recede, which loosens the roots of the teeth. Eventually, those loose teeth fall out. This all makes for one stinky and painful kitty mouth. Cats also can expose their teeth and gums to foreign objects, from bugs they catch and eat to non-food objects that can cause injury or oral trauma. Cats are known for their frequent hairballs and vomiting. Imagine how foul your breath would become if you couldn't clean your mouth after being sick and you begin to understand why cat bad breath develops. Further oral causes of halitosis in cats include oral tumors, abscesses from dead teeth, and inflammatory gum conditions. Systemic causes. The source of cat bad breath can always be traced to the mouth. Some of the more common systemic causes of bad breath in cats are serious medical conditions that necessitate prompt medical treatment. Chronic kidney disease. Kidney disease affects approximately one out of every three cats, reported pet health network. As kidney function decreases, waste products, such as urea and ammonia, build up in the cat's blood. This may cause the cat's breath to smell like urine or ammonia. Diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus is a failure of certain pancreatic cells to regulate blood sugar. If your cat's breath stinks like a fruity odor, this is a sign of ketoacidosis, which may occur in diabetes. It's a potentially life-threatening condition. Gastrointestinal trouble. Breath that smells like feces can occur with continued vomiting, especially when there is a bowel obstruction. Bowel obstructions are a medical emergency. As you can see, bad breath in cats is anything but a frivolous and smelly inconvenience. While bad breath in people can be related to non-serious causes, such as eating garlicky food, bad breath in cats is more often a long-standing and serious condition. Luckily, there is often a solution. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high-quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife, to get 20% off. Natural remedies for cat bad breath. Another cat bad breath home remedy is making use of bad breath treats. Most pet stores sell some type of bad breath treatment. These little snacks can be high in sugar and preservatives, so make sure to check the ingredients. Organic products are always the best. Bad breath treats are meant to help alleviate the bad breath, and that only. If your cat has an underlying medical ailment causing the bad breath, the treats will only give you brief relief. Brush your cat's teeth regularly. It's not an easy task, but brushing your cat's teeth can help prevent tartar and plaque buildup. Human toothpaste is not intended for your cat because it is not digestible. To prevent illness, only use toothpaste formulated for your cat. Avoid dry food. Numerous studies have demonstrated that dry food does nothing to clean cat's teeth. The abrasive action cited as a dental cleanser is negated by the fact that cats barely chew their dry food in the carbohydrate content of kibble. The corn, potatoes, wheat, and other high carbohydrate ingredients in dry food leave a heavy residue on the teeth. This buildup is one of the root causes of dental disease and bad breath. Coconut oil can help with your cat's bad breath. Coconut oil isn't the best thing to feed your cat. It's made from plants and doesn't fit into the diet of an obligate carnivore. It's not recommended to supplement your cat's diet with this oil. However, coconut oil has antibacterial properties and can help to keep your cat's breath fresh. You can use a dab of coconut oil on a toothbrush or feed a smidge as a treat. Parsley. For a cat with bad breath, parsley makes a great remedy because of its order eliminating properties. In fact, several bad breath cats treat use parsley as an ingredient for fighting foul breath. Try periodically adding a small spring of it to your cat's food to help freshen its breath. Brown rice. Digestion can play a part in breath odor, so pep up that pet digestion with whole grains. Add a little cooked brown rice to the diet. Carrot. Toss them a carrot after they eat. It's a mild abrasive, and it also helps remove smelly plaque. The chewing action on something crunchy will stimulate saliva, too, which washes away loose food particles in the mouth and around the teeth. Give your cat raw meaty bones. Raw meaty bones force your cat to make use of their powerful carnivore teeth. They actively engage the teeth in a way that no other food does, wiping off residue as your cat shears and gnaws and crunches. Reward your cat with a dental chew or treat. After brushing your cat's teeth, consider giving a dental chew or treat. Helping your cat associate tooth brushing with a reward may help make the process easier. In addition, dental chews and treats help freshen your cat's teeth in between brushings. Many small treats will be gobbled up quickly, while a dental chew usually lasts longer. Always watch your cat while he or she is chewing the treat to prevent choking. Take your cat to the veterinarian to get a complete dental cleaning. Following a diagnosis, you'll be presented with a number of options, including professional dental cleaning and teeth pulling. If your cat has tartar buildup, professional cleaning is the only way to remove it. While it's the best way to ensure that your cat's mouth is fresh, professional dental cleaning isn't for everyone. A complete dental cleaning will require general anesthesia and may be risky for some cats, especially geriatric pets. Prevent cat's bad breath. Take your cat to the vet regularly. Your vet should be able to alert you about any upsetting looking elements involving the mouth. The best way to prevent bad breath in cats is to brush their teeth periodically. It does not need to be done every day, but once or twice a week is perfect. Make sure to get both the front and back of the teeth. Finger glove application appears to be the easiest method for both owners and cats. Chew toys are also a great preventative measure for bad breath in cats. The constant chewing and gnawing will help stop bacteria from building up on the teeth. Many chew toys come with breath freshening options as well, to make things easier for owners. Try to incorporate as many dental friendly treats into their weekly routine as recommended. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. 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