tartar control cat treats?

[ginnyinWI]

My kitty needs something to help keep tartar on her teeth under control. Are there any treats that actually help? Also, is there still a such thing as a "tartar chew" for cats? I read about them in an old pamphlet on cat care but don't think I've ever seen them in stores.

How many of you brush your cat's teeth? I'm going to have to start.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

1. Funny you should ask

I was just at the vet's the other day with my big old Maine Coon 9 year old kitty who passed her yearly exam with flying colors except that the vet saw tartar on the front of two back teeth. She gave us a sample bag of some tartar control Science Diet Food and said to give it to her like treats or just mix a few in with her everyday dry food. She also said that cats seemed to prefer it to tartar treats.

Well, she gave good advice. We give them as treats and the cats act like they are treats. I also put a few in their dry food and they fished them out. So, it's all good.

[ginnyinWI]

2. thanks--this will be just what she needs!

She'll like it anyway--don't know if it will help the tartar. Sometimes cats will just swallow stuff without chewing. She does have tartar on the back two teeth just like yours does. Funny-- I have another cat on the same diet and no tartar at all. Just a matter of genetics I think.

They will both think any dry food is a treat, because they don't get it regularly. They live on wet food, which keeps their weight down. I think of dry food the same way I do potato chips for people--mostly empty calories.

[Mist]

3. I've given my cats a hard cat food (available at the supermarket, but I

can't remember the name) that knocks off tartar due to the fact that it's kind of big (in terms of hard cat food). It's round, and forces cats to bite into it. They can't just gulp it down, as they can with regular hard food.

[ginnyinWI]

4. if you think of the brand name, let me know.

I wouldn't be able to tell what it looks like when it's in a bag--it's a good idea though--make them chew it.

[Mist]

5. It might be a Little Friskies product. There's a picture on the front of the food, so you

can see the round balls.

[ginnyinWI]

6. oh like a nugget?

I think I remember some kind of dry food that has some kind of soft center...I'll look.

[AZBlue]

7. I use Friskies treats for tartar control.

But next time I take my cat to the vet I'm going to ask about the Science Diet food mentioned up-thread.