What might cause a cat to have breath that smells of death?

Question

I have had three vets check it out, and they seem to find no reason for it... her breath smells like a dead deer. What's the deal?

P.S. She hates meat/meat product. She refuses to eat any wet or canned food. She enjoys bananas and lettuce though. She'll eat dry cat food.

Answer 1

my oldest cat has had a breath problem in the past...its her teeth..check your cats gums if they look red they call it rasberrying ..around a certain tooth could be that tooth has a cavity..some cats experience this some dont..the only bad thing is if thats what it is..they have to have the tooth pulled and it can be expensive..

Answer 2

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 3

My cat had really bad breath (like death) but really good teeth. I took her to the vet who blood tested her for kidney issues and it came back with high traces of urea and creatinine. this indicates the kidneys are not working properly. With my cat the smelly breath was a result of the urea etc on her breath. It can be life threatening and indicate kidney failure. Please get the vets to check her bloods for the urea etc as I dont want anyone to have to go through what my cat and i have been thru. My cat also only chose to eat cat biscuits .

Answer 4

I believe this is an old wives tale. This doesn't mean I would advise anyone to let their cat sleep with their baby. Cats can scratch babies. Babies can hurt cats. Most cats I have seen prefer to avoid babies. Cats prefer to be near the people who are able to procure food. Here's an article that offers advice to new parents or parents-to-be about cats and babies.

Answer 5

LOL, my cat's breath was fine until I fed her wet food, but this leads me to thinking it might be a stomach problem? Perhaps food stuck in her teeth?
Avoid lettuce, not sure about how it react with cats but I know with bords, it has zero value as nutritive foodstuff and gets to be addictice, ver much so.

Answer 6

Teeth and gum problems are common in older cats. It's very serious too. It's one of he first signs of kidney disease. Which is also very common in cats. Many cats get cavitees and abseses under and along their gums. Find another vet, and make sure they check the cats kidneys. Cats cannot digest fruit and grains, or vegitables. They are strictly carivours.

Answer 7

Has she had a dental exam and cleaning done? Also, you may want to ask the vets to check her anal glands. Sometimes they need to be expressed, and they can smell very foul. If she then tries to clean that area, it could be contributing to her breath.

Answer 8

Has she had any blood work done lately? Bad breath can be a sign of kidney failure. You might want to have her renal output checked if it hasn't been done recently.

Answer 9

probably the same thing that causes bad breath in humans...bacteria. There should be products at your local pet store to help with kitty's bad breath! Good luck!

Answer 10

there is nothing you can do. cats digestive acid sometimes smells of "death" merely because of their diets. if your cat continues to eat anything but cat food she will eventually go blind. breath mints are poison! donot let your cat have them. you cannot brush your cat's teeth. the human toothpaste will burn your cat from the inside out. slow painful death. even if nontoxic.