Ever seen a cat devour healthy cat treats like it’s the last supper? It’s a scene! Corny little nuggets that they are, these icky bite-sized bits can actually do wonders for your kitty’s dental health. Let’s chew over this topic.

Most cat owners do not realize that dental diseases are extremely common in cats. As many as 70 per cent will have a teething problem, or something else, by the time they’re just three years old. Yikes! Since our little furballs are masters of covering up their pain, this tends to lead to some serious issues down the line. Think kitty dentures! Nobody wants that.

Enter premium cat treats, the unsung heroes in the fight against plaque. There are all sorts of textures and flavors that they are designed to use to eat the product on their tiny little fangs. Think, in one treat, a kind of superhero — double action: delicious on the outside, tooth scrubber inside. These firm treats will help scrape off plaque as they chew. The way they’re scraping their treat gives a little magic in preventing dreaded gum disease.

Remember my friend Ava? Well, the cat, Nibbles, was one huge ball of fluff, but that thing had the breath of a fire-breathing dragon. She is one type of skeptic when it comes to people who told her treats would do a cat’s teeth-cleaning. “Like a toothbrush I don’t have to wrestle him over?” She laughed. But after a month of crunchy treats, Nibbles frolicked with much sweeter breath. Ava was captivated, thanking the tiny tooth soldiers.

Are all treats created equal, anyway? Sort of. The good stuff keeps all the fillers out. Instead, there are adjuncts to help with dental tartar. Choose a xylitol-free brand; those with enzymes will help kill bacteria. You wouldn’t feed them junk, right? Consider it gourmet dentists for your feline overlord.