Cat Gingivitis: The Root of My Kitty's Eating Problem

Hush Puppy, aka Puppy, one of our Oriental cats is an extremely picky eater. In the past I have shared the extremes to which I go when he is off his feed. I am always on the lookout for subtle signals pointing to the precise location where he wishes to be served or just what will please his palate. But last week I spent several days trying to get him to eat, even getting down on the floor and pleading, to no avail. Enter our veterinarian, Dr. Erin Holder, a very purrceptive diagnostician. During a thorough exam, she arrived at the root of the problem; Gingivitis and several decaying back teeth caused his discomfort and reluctance to eat. We loaded a very unhappy kitty into his carrier and off he went to the hospital with Dr. Holder. Later that day, Dr. Holder called with the "good news and the bad news." Good news: healthy kidneys and normal blood work. Bad news: most of his teeth were extracted and an overnight stay was necessary. Sadly, I wondered to myself, "Be there dental implants for kitties?" The next day, upon arriving home, Puppy sprung out of his carrier like a jack-in-the-box. Purring loudly, he marked all his territories, including my husband and me. However, in spite of excellent pain management medication, he refused to eat. The next morning, however, he nibbled at dry food, and he is slowly letting me know that he is getting hungry. There is nothing more beautiful and comforting to me than the sounds Hush Puppy makes when he thoroughly enjoys his food. It sure lets me know he is on the mend. I imagine I am not the only cat lover who wishes it were possible to communicate in words with our pets so they can tell us what is wrong and we can try and fix it. Do you feel the same way? Share your thoughts with a comment.