Does your kitty have bad breath or have problems eating? It could be from stomatitis.
What Is Feline Stomatitis?
Stomatitis occurs in the mouth and it’s often very painful. It doesn’t go away on its own and will need a 
veterinarian to help treat problem. Often cats will need pain medication and antibiotics to treat the underlying infection. Ulcers and redness can be present on the cat’s tongue, on the gums and lips and even in the throat.
While there isn’t a clear cut reason some cats get stomatitis while others don’t, periodontal disease is a thought to be a culprit and one determining factor as to who gets the disease.
Prevention
To help prevent your kitty from getting stomatitis, make sure to take your cat in for regular check-ups (including the mouth). Your veterinarian should tell you if your cat is a candidate for a teeth cleaning, if they don’t provide that service, take your cat to another vet who CAN provide dental screenings.
Healthy teeth and gums are important for humans, as well as pets, and cats with teeth covered in plaque are likely to get stomatitis. The build up of plaque leads to swollen gums and just like in humans, can cause the teeth to loosen and become sore. The infection can spread and make the cat extremely sick without medical intervention. Read more about stomatitis here.
Stomatitis and Connection Between FeLV, FIV and Bartonellosis
Oftentimes cats with stomatitis can also have FeLV, FIV or bartonellosis, commonly called cat scratch fever. Bartonellosis is contagious and humans can get it however, it isn’t life threatening.
Pet sitters and other people that work with cats should be aware of how this disease is contracted and what the symptoms look like for both humans and kitties.
Cats with suppressed immune systems are more susceptible to contract FeLV, FIV and stomatitis. Suppressed immune systems can also lead to IMHA, immune mediated hemalytic anemia, which took the life of one of my dogs in January 2016.
Common Signs
Common signs of stomatitis include bad breath and pawing at the mouth. Cats that get stomatitis will often lose weight because they stop eating. Cats will often salivate or drool if their mouth is painful and will stop grooming themselves.
Treatment
As stated earlier, antibiotics are often needed as well as pain medication. Teeth cleaning and pulling might be other options your veterinarian recommends. In many cases, the teeth have started to reabsorb into the body and drastic dental surgery might be recommended. Stomatitis can severely shorten your cats’ life if not treated in time.
In fact, I lost the most lovable kitty, appropriately named Lovey, from stomatitis. Her mouth was incredibly red and inflamed by the time I noticed that she wasn’t eating like normal. I took her to the veterinarian and we discovered that most of her teeth had already been absorbed or fallen out. I gave her pain meds and antibiotics for awhile but finally had to make the decision to euthanize her.
We’ll Keep An Eye Out When We’re Cat Sitting!
As pet sitters and cat sitters, the main part of our job is to watch your pet. We pay attention to your cat’s eating habits and potty habits. If we see any problems with his 
mouth or teeth, we’ll be sure to tell you. If you catch stomatitis early, it can be managed but if you wait, your kitty will suffer quite a bit of pain.
Cat Sitting Is A Great Option For Cats Suffering From Stomatitis
Cats often do better staying in their homes versus going to a kennel or cattery for boarding, especially when they have stomatits. We’ll make sure they eat and alert you if they don’t.
Keeping your cat comfortable and on his routine is important when treating this disease. We can help and you won’t have to take your cat anywhere.
Click here to request cat sitting services for Muncie, Yorktown, Anderson, Pendleton, New Castle, Albany, Gaston, Hartford City or Chesterfield, Indiana.
Looking forward to meeting you and your kitty,
Kelley Stewart|CEO, Pet Sitter
sit-stay-play In-home pet sitting & more.LLC
“Your pet sitting, dog walking, poop scooping specialists!”