Cat dental chart: every tooth explained

How many teeth do cats have?

Tooth type	Upper jaw	Lower jaw	Total (adult)	Kitten (milk teeth)
Incisors (small front teeth)	6	6	12	12
Canines (fangs)	2	2	4	4
Premolars	6	4	10	10
Molars	2	2	4	0
Total	16	14	30	26

Cats are carnivores, and their teeth reflect that. The incisors nibble and groom, the long canines grip and kill prey, and the premolars and molars work like scissors (carnassial teeth) to slice meat, rather than grinding like our molars.

Cat dental chart with tooth numbers

Vets record teeth using the modified Triadan system, so you might see these numbers on your cat's dental report. The first digit shows the quadrant of the mouth, and the last two digits show the tooth, counting from the middle front.

Quadrant	Incisors	Canine	Premolars	Molar
Upper right (100s)	101, 102, 103	104	106, 107, 108	109
Upper left (200s)	201, 202, 203	204	206, 207, 208	209
Lower left (300s)	301, 302, 303	304	307, 308	309
Lower right (400s)	401, 402, 403	404	407, 408	409

Cats have fewer premolars than dogs, which is why some numbers are skipped (there's no 105 in the upper jaw and no 305 or 306 in the lower jaw). The large upper premolars 108 and 208 and the lower molars 309 and 409 are the carnassial teeth. Kitten (milk) teeth use the same system but start with 5, 6, 7 and 8 instead of 1, 2, 3 and 4.

When cat teeth come through

Age	What happens
2–4 weeks	Milk incisors appear
3–4 weeks	Milk canines appear
4–6 weeks	Milk premolars appear
About 8 weeks	All 26 milk teeth present
3–4 months	Adult incisors replace milk incisors
4–5 months	Adult canines and premolars start coming through
4–6 months	Adult molars appear
6–7 months	All 30 adult teeth usually in place

Teething kittens may chew more, drool a little or have slightly sore gums. Offer soft toys to chew. Occasionally a milk tooth doesn't fall out and the adult tooth grows beside it (a retained deciduous tooth). Your vet may remove it, often at the same time as neutering, to prevent crowding and gum problems.

How to read your cat's dental chart after a dental

After a dental procedure, many practices give owners a copy of the cat dental chart completed during the anaesthetic. It usually shows each tooth as a small drawing with notes or symbols beside it. Common abbreviations include:

Note on the chart	What it means
X or a line through the tooth	Tooth extracted
O or "missing"	Tooth already absent before the procedure
TR (or FORL)	Tooth resorption
CI (calculus index)	Amount of tartar, often graded 0–3
GI (gingival index)	Severity of gum inflammation, often graded 0–3
PD (pocket depth)	Depth of the gap between gum and tooth, in millimetres
Fx	Fractured (broken) tooth
M (mobility)	How loose the tooth is

Keep the chart with your cat's records. If your cat changes vet, or needs another dental in a few years, it helps the next vet see which teeth were treated and where problems tend to occur.

Common dental problems in cats

Plaque, tartar and gingivitis

Plaque is a sticky film of bacteria that builds up on teeth daily. Left alone, it hardens into brown tartar (calculus). Bacteria under the gum line cause gingivitis: a red line along the gums, bad breath and sometimes bleeding. Gingivitis can be reversed with cleaning, but untreated it can progress to periodontitis.

Periodontal disease

Periodontitis is destruction of the tissues that hold the teeth in place. Teeth loosen and gums recede. It's painful and can't be fully reversed, but treatment stops it getting worse.

Tooth resorption

Tooth resorption (once called FORL, or "neck lesions") is extremely common in adult cats. The tooth structure is broken down by the cat's own cells, often starting at the gum line, where a red lump of gum may appear to grow into the tooth. It's painful, especially when touched. Dental X-rays are needed to assess it, and affected teeth are usually extracted.

Stomatitis

Feline chronic gingivostomatitis is severe inflammation of the gums and the back of the mouth. Affected cats may drool, stop eating and paw at their mouths. See our guide to why cats drool. Treatment often involves extracting many or all teeth, which helps most cats.

Broken teeth

Cats often break the tips of their canine teeth in falls or fights. If the pink pulp is exposed, the tooth is painful and can become infected, leading to a swollen face or cheek. Broken teeth need treatment, usually extraction or root canal therapy.

Signs of dental problems

• Bad breath.
• Red, swollen or bleeding gums.
• Brown tartar on the teeth.
• Drooling, sometimes with blood.
• Dropping food, chewing on one side or swallowing food whole.
• Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face.
• Reduced grooming and a scruffy coat.
• Weight loss or preferring soft food.

Cats hide pain very well. Many owners only realise how sore their cat's mouth was when it becomes more playful after dental treatment.

How to keep your cat's teeth healthy

Tooth brushing

Daily brushing is the most effective way to prevent plaque and gum disease. Use a soft finger brush or small toothbrush and toothpaste made for pets (never human toothpaste, which can contain fluoride and xylitol). Start slowly: let your cat lick the paste, then touch the teeth with your finger, and gradually introduce the brush over a few weeks.

Dental chews for cats and dental diets

Some dental chews, treats and diets are designed to scrape plaque as cats bite into them or to reduce tartar with special ingredients. Look for products accepted by the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC), which have evidence behind them. They help, but they're not a substitute for brushing.

Regular vet checks

Your vet checks your cat's teeth at every annual health check and booster. Our guide to cat vaccination costs explains what the yearly visit includes. Older cats may need checks every six months.

What happens during a cat dental under anaesthetic

1. A full examination of each tooth, recorded on a cat dental chart.
2. Dental X-rays to look below the gum line, where most problems hide.
3. Scaling to remove tartar above and below the gums.
4. Polishing to smooth the tooth surface.
5. Extractions of painful or damaged teeth, with pain relief and sometimes stitches.

Most cats go home the same day. A routine scale and polish usually costs £250 to £450, while a dental with X-rays and several extractions can cost £500 to £1,200 or more. Some insurance policies cover dental illness if your cat has had regular checks; see our guide to cat insurance.

Cat teeth and age

Vets can estimate a young cat's age from its teeth: milk teeth mean under about 7 months, and clean white adult teeth suggest a young adult. After that, tartar and wear vary too much between cats to be a reliable guide. To understand your cat's age in human terms, try our cat years calculator.