Tooth Brushing

• Start the brushing ritual early, while your cat is a kitten. To begin, your cat's teeth once a day and everyday for one week, and then once a day on every other day. According to Susan Lang of the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, simply sticking a toothbrush into your cat's mouth is a sure way to create conflict. She suggests starting the routine by applying a bit of gel to the tip of your index finger, gently pulling back the cats lips--do not forcefully open their mouths--and rubbing the teeth quickly and gently. As the cat becomes more acclimated to this, move on to using a soft-bristled small toothbrush designed for toddlers.
  
  Pet stores and some supermarkets carry specially formulated cat toothpastes with flavors that cats will find less offensive, and that don't foam up the way human toothpaste does. Do not use human toothpaste on your cats, as the strong smell and taste of these pastes is off-putting enough to make them permanently uncooperative.
  
  Following the brushing with a favorite food or with playtime will lead the cat to associate a ritual it isn't fond of with a ritual that it looks forward to.
  
  

Dietary Changes

• Many cats have a preference for soft, canned cat food over dry cat food, but cat lovers who give in to this preference may not be doing their feline friends any favors when it comes to breath. Dry cat food is much more effective than soft food at scraping off the plaque and tartar that can build up on cat teeth. For those who simply can't bring themselves to deny their cat its favorite soft foods, veterinarian Matthew Cooper suggests mixing bits of raw carrot into the cat food, the roughage of which will serve to scrape off the tartar and plaque.
  
  As an additional dietary-based treatment, veterinarian Cheryl Schwartz recommends mixing chlorophyll tablets into your cat's soft food. Grind the tablets to a powder before adding them to the cat food.
  
  

Chew Toys

• As with brushing or serving harder foods, the goal of giving your cat a rough toy with nubs or tough fibers is to scrape off debris that collects on teeth and causes bad breath. While chewy toys and pieces of rope are usually considered the domain of dogs, all but the most elderly and sedentary cats will take enjoyment from a simple piece of rope or a hard rubber object with nubs and semi-spiky protrusions. Dr. Albert Dorn of the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine suggests putting a little cat toothpaste onto the toy or rope, essentially tricking your cat into brushing her own teeth.