First things first, a cat’s breath should not be super smelly. In my experience, a cat’s breath is usually a sort of neutral, leaning-on-kinda-nice smell. I’ve only had one cat with consistently bad breath. Other times, bad breath in my cats was incredibly temporary (though sometimes food dependent).
Before delving into the reasons for a cat’s smelly breath, I’d like you to let me know in the comments section what you think the most common reasons for a cat’s smelly breath are and what you think a cat’s breath should smell like.
Now, let’s get into the reasons why a cat’s breath can smell off, funky, kinda fishy, or even like cat food. I think the most common reason for a cat’s breath smelling like cat food is the cat food being used. Especially if a cat’s breath smells almost exactly the same as his or her pet food and is most potent right after eating and fades away as time passes since the last meal.
For example, if you feed your cat salmon cat food and the breath smells specifically of salmon, not just a fishy smell, it’s likely the cat food causing the smell.
I had this problem a number of times and fixed it by switching cat foods or when the formula changed on one I was using.
What can you do if you think this is the problem? Here are a couple options:
1. Switch cat food protein types. Move away from Salmon to a lesser smelly protein like halibut, chicken, beef, or lamb or whatever type you want to try.
2. Switch cat food brands. Sometimes (most of the time), it’s not the protein type but the formulation of the cat food.
I had luck with cereal free cat foods not producing stinky breath often. These are usually higher quality foods. I try to look for the highest animal protein possible as non-animal protein doesn’t really help cats nutritionally much (but correct me if you think I’m wrong).
The Catit Digger Food Tunnel Toy can be found on Amazon or Chewy. The Catit Design Senses Food Maze is also available on Amazon or Chewy. The Cat Catch Interactive Feeder Bowl can be purchased on Amazon or Chewy.
Is your cat’s breath consistently unpleasant? It could be due to dental problems. Cats, like humans, can experience dental issues, and these are often the cause of bad breath. To determine if this is the case, a simple visit to the vet can help. Explain the specific smell, whether it resembles cat food or fish, and have the vet check your cat’s teeth. My personal opinion is that cat acne or blackheads might indirectly contribute to bad breath. Although it’s not a common view, I’ve noticed that cats with acne around their lips seem to have worse breath. Perhaps the discomfort from blackheads causes them to leave their mouths open, increasing drool and saliva production, which might lead to a foul smell. To manage cat acne, I recommend wiping their chins with water and drying them, attempting to remove any blackheads gently, and then cleaning the area again. Another personal observation is that insufficient water intake could lead to bad breath in cats. While it may seem trivial, I’ve found that increasing a cat’s water consumption can reduce bad breath. Mixing cat food with water twice daily is one method to encourage hydration, which can lead to better overall health, including shinier fur, less frequent hairballs, and healthier bowel movements. Lastly, I’m curious about your thoughts on cat breath smelling like cat food. What do you think causes this, and what advice would you give to someone dealing with this issue? Have you ever encountered this problem with a cat, and if so, how was it resolved? I’m eager to hear your experiences and insights in the comments below.
