Dental care for a 15-year-old cat with sore teeth

A 15-year-old cat who's going off hard food is telling you something important — and dental pain is one of the most likely explanations. Dental disease affects the majority of cats over three and is one of the most common sources of chronic pain in cats, often completely hidden for years. At 15, the chances are high that something is going on in her mouth. A few quick questions to help me point you in the right direction: has your vet had a look at her teeth recently or raised any concerns, and is she tolerant of you touching her face or mouth at all — even just a gentle wipe or gel applied with a finger?

That's really helpful. So she's not in crisis territory dentally, but at 15, things can move fairly quickly, and the fact she's avoiding hard food suggests there's at least some discomfort building. The good news is that her tolerance for face touching gives you something to work with — you don't need a toothbrush at all. Can I ask: is she eating wet food happily, or is her appetite generally reduced? And do you know her rough weight — is she fairly slight for her age or still holding her condition well?

That's reassuring — a cat who's eating wet food well and holding her weight at 15 is doing better than many. The dry food aversion makes complete sense if her gums or teeth are tender; biting down on hard kibble is the last thing she wants to do. You don't need to push the dry food at all. What I'd suggest focusing on now is gentle home dental support to slow any further progression — and given she'll tolerate face touching, a fingertip gel is by far the easiest route. I'd recommend Logic Oral Hygiene Gel. It's an enzymatic gel that you apply directly to the gums with your finger — no brushing, no rinsing. The enzymes do the work, breaking down plaque and reducing bacterial load. It has a mild malt flavour that most cats accept without a fight, and it's gentle enough for daily use in a senior cat. At her age, the goal isn't perfection — it's slowing things down and keeping her comfortable between vet checks.

You only need a small amount — roughly a centimetre of gel on your fingertip, gently rubbed along the gum line on both sides once a day. Most cats get used to it within a week or two, especially when they're already comfortable with face contact. Evening tends to work well, just after a meal when she's relaxed. On the anaesthetic question — it's a real and valid concern at 15, and a good vet will weigh that carefully with you. A pre-anaesthetic blood panel is standard before any procedure at her age and gives you a much clearer picture of how she'd cope. The honest answer is that many 15-year-olds do fine, but it's a conversation worth having with your vet sooner rather than later, especially if her reluctance to eat hard food continues or her wet food appetite changes at all. Regular dental gel at home won't replace a professional clean if she needs one, but it can genuinely slow the rate of deterioration.

That's exactly the right instinct — comfort is the priority at this stage. The Logic gel is a gentle, low-stress way to support her at home, and pairing it with a vet check means you'll have a full picture. She's lucky to have someone paying this much attention to the quieter signals.