Why would my cat's breath smell like death?

Question

I have taken her to the vet before but he couldn't find anything wrong. She's long haired if that would have anything to do with it. Her breath seriously smells like a dead animal.

Answer 1

The most likely culprit is an infected tooth or inflammation of the gums. I would suggest scheduling another appointment with your vet so your cat can have her teeth cleaned.

My cat also had bad breath and it was due to the above. They cleaned her teeth, removed the bad tooth, and now her breath is wonderful!

Answer 2

Cat Smells Like Death

Answer 3

First do not feed your cat people food, it's not good for them. Next, check the teeth and gums, for two reasons: look for cavities/ gum problems and check the color of the cats gums. If the gums have a pale or yellow tint then check the color of the skin in the ears and gently pull down the lower lid and check the color there. Yellow is a sign of jaundice. Have your vet run a CBC and check liver and kidney values. And you can brush a cats teeth, just DON'T use human tooth paste. Use none or tooth paste made for cats. Also, watch for signs of lethargy, low to no appetite, weight loss, as these are some signs of FIP. Make sure your cat is urinating normally. If she is unable, or having trouble urinating, it could be FUS. Most seen in male cats but it can affect female cats. It's "crystals" in the urethra. A lot to see and think about, but knowledge is power, in this case knowledge is the power to help her. It could also be as simple as high stomach acid and is relatively harmless, she'll just always have bad breath. Just rule out any problems that could be life threatening.

Answer 4

They do make some things now that could help your cats death breath.

First, if she's not a biter, I'd start brushing her teeth. They make these cute little brush things that slip over your pointer finger and you just brush her teeth manually. You don't have to do it everyday, but maybe once a week would help.
Here's some info on that for you:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=56
http://placervillevet.com/cat%20toothbrushing.htm
http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-41.htm

If that doesn't work, buy the cat some kitty mints!
http://www.furlongspetsupply.com/pit'r_pat_cat_mints.htm

Lastly, you might want to get a second vet opinion. Bad breath sometimes is from gum disease or other oral complications and a simple minor mouth operation can fix it (my cat had that done a few years ago)

http://www.petbadbreath.com/

Good Luck with kitty!

Answer 5

I would suggest going to a pet supply store and purchasing a cat toothbrush and tooth paste. So many cat owners neglect to do this, because it seems so silly, but cats teeth/mouths were meant to slice raw meat and be cleaned by the natural chemicals of such snacks. With time, tartar and plaque buildup does a lot of harm (moreso than dogs, etc) and you should try to cut out that problem by brushing their teeth. They sell toothpaste that is meat flavored so they usually love the taste (my cat tries to eat as much as she can), and you can get them used to the brushing motions. I've also read that you can basically brush their teeth with anything (within reason) as long as the plaque is being scraped off.
If that doesn't help, call the vet. It might be part of a bigger problem! You may also consider changing her food (sometimes wet food tends to breed worse breath), but the vet could also give you better advice on that as well.
Good luck!

Answer 6

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why would my cat's breath smell like death?
I have taken her to the vet before but he couldn't find anything wrong. She's long haired if that would have anything to do with it. Her breath seriously smells like a dead animal.

Answer 7

It is correct that a cat with buildup on its teeth will have bad breath. (Like death????!) There are toothpaste products made especially for cats; another alternative is to take her to the vet to have her teeth cleaned.

Other, more serious causes of bad breath in cats are caused by diabetes or renal failure. In these cases, their breath has a urine-like smell. Consider this an emergency.

I would try another vet!

Answer 8

If the vet checked her out (and you trust the vet- I go to one that specializes in cats) then her teeth need to be cleaned. Also, if you're not feeding her dry food, start her on that. IMHO, that's the best way to keep her teeth clean. The cat I had before (he died at 13) I fed him only dry food (Hills Science Diet Oral Care) and he had to get his teeth cleaned only once a year (he was a biter, so I couldn't do it myself, and the vet had to tranquilize him just so he wouldn't get bit) The cat I have now is fed the same.

Answer 9

Tarter build up on the teeth can make that smell. Take it to the vet and have its teeth cleaned. I have a dog with the same problem and that is what I was told.

Answer 10

I agree with the answer above, but another factor could be that he is not getting enough exercise. If he is not breathing deeply, his lungs are not getting full expansion, which is a way lungs keep themselves clean and fresh. Also a change of diet could help.