The Best Cat Toothpaste: Ranked and Reviewed

Our little meowing monsters may be one of the cleanest pets, but sometimes their dental hygiene needs a little help. Your cat’s dental health is very important, yet cat parents oven forget or overlook dental care. Brushing your cat’s teeth significantly reduces their risks of developing dental complications such as periodontal disease or gingivitis.

As a pet parent, you probably know that you can’t brush your cat’s teeth with toothpaste made for humans. You need cat toothpaste, which is formulated to be safe and effective for your kitty’s teeth. Cat toothpaste is available in enticing flavors to make dental care a treat for your cat. To help you keep your cat’s teeth clean and healthy, we thoroughly reviewed some of the best cat toothpaste available. Here are our top cat toothpaste picks.

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for Cat Toothpaste

A-Z-Animals Top Picks for the Best Cat Toothpaste

#1 Overall Best: Bodhi Dog Pet Dental Gel

In our review, the overall best Cat Toothpaste is the Bodhi Dog Pet Dental Gel. Don’t let the name fool you. Bodhi dental gel is formulated for both dogs and cats. Although this gel is as simple as they come, it is incredibly effective and made from natural yet efficient ingredients. It has a nice thick consistency and is completely alcohol-free, with baking soda, peppermint, spearmint, and aloe vera extract as its main ingredients.

Bodhi gel comes in a generic minty flavor that cats may or may not take to immediately. But it’s an excellent toothpaste for felines because it doesn’t include any harsh abrasives. You don’t need a toothbrush with Bodhi gel since as it works effectively when your cat licks at the minty gel and distributes throughout their mouth. However, using a toothbrush will guarantee that plaque and debris are eliminated effectively.

You will need to keep your cat away from food or water for at least 30 minutes for maximum efficacy.

Pros and Cons of Bodhi Dog Pet Dental Gel

Overall Best

Bodhi Dog Pet Dental Gel

• Formulated for both dogs and cats
• Completely alcohol-free
• Contains baking soda, peppermint, spearmint, and aloe vera extract
• Removes surface plaque

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2. Best for Gingivitis: Zymox Oratene Brushless Enzymatic Dental Gel

If your cat has gingivitis, Zymox Oratene Brushless Enzymatic Dental Gel Gingivitis can help.

Gingivitis is a dental disease caused by a bacterial infection that causes gums around your cat’s teeth to become inflamed. This can be very painful for your kitty and, if left untreated, could lead to tooth decay and loss.

Fortunately, if your cat has gingivitis, there are a several things you can do to help. These include prescription medication, dental extraction if necessary, and brushing your feline’s teeth with cat toothpaste formulated to treat gingivitis.

Zymox’s Oratene Brushless Enzymatic Dental Gel works to relieve and treat symptoms of gingivitis with several natural enzymes, including mutanase, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, lysozyme, glucose oxidase, and dextranase. This toothpaste is entirely free of harsh and drying ingredients and gets its anti-inflammatory and cooling properties from aloe vera. When applied directly to your cat’s upper and lower gums twice every day, the gel works to dissolve plaque buildup and inhibit the growth of the bacteria that causes inflammation, decay, and bad breath. 

This pet toothpaste is rather expensive.

Pros and Cons of Zymox Oratene Brushless Enzymatic Dental Gel

Best For Gingivitis

Oratene Brushless Oral Care Dog & Cat Dental Gel

• Formulated to treat gingivitis
• Includes natural enzymes, like mutanase, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, lysozyme, glucose oxidase, and dextranase
• No harsh and drying ingredients
• Contains Aloe Vera for anti-inflammatory and cooling properties

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3. Best Affordable: Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Dental Kit

If you’re looking to save a little money while giving your kitty the best preventative dental care your money can buy, look no further than the Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Dental Kit. This cat toothpaste kit includes a toothbrush and a finger toothbrush so you can choose which is easier to use. It has a nice malty flavor that’s surprisingly enticing to most felines.

This kit’s brushes are remarkably soft and gentle, while the toothpaste effectively targets plaque and tartar. The formula produces a hydrogen peroxide enzymatic action.

This toothpaste is safe, but it can get sticky, a feature that’s great for brushing but not so much for getting in fur.

Pros and Cons of Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Dental Kit

Best Affordable

Sentry Petrodex Veterinary Strength Enzymatic Malt Flavor Cat Dental Kit

• Includes a toothbrush and a finger toothbrush
• Comes in a nice malty flavor
• Effective at targeting plaque and tartar
• The brushes are remarkably soft and gentle

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4. Best Enzymatic: Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Toothpaste

Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Toothpaste features a smart non-foaming formula that you don’t need to rinse out of your cat’s mouth. This toothpaste has an enticing poultry flavor that’s bound to attract your cat and it effectively cleans with a powerful triple-enzyme system for removing plaque and tartar. This toothpaste keeps teeth polished and clean and gives your kitty fresh and clean breath. It also relieves any gum inflammation that may be causing your cat pain.

The consistency is also convenient enough to use with or without a toothbrush, depending on what’s more convenient for you and your cat. All your cat needs to do for the toothpaste to work is lick it and have it in its mouth.

One downside with this toothpaste is that it can leave a bad smell on your hand if you touch it.

Pros and Cons of Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Toothpaste

Best Enzymatic

Vetoquinol Enzadent Enzymatic Poultry Flavor Dog & Cat Toothpaste

• Smart non-foaming formula
• Enticing poultry flavor
• Relieves any gum inflammation
• Efficient and easy to use

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5. Best for Kittens: Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Cat Dental Kit

While the Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Cat Dental Kit isn’t made specifically for kittens, its small, angled brush fits tiny mouths perfectly. And the nylon bristles are gentle enough for brushing teeth and massaging kittens’ gums.

The toothpaste is specially made to tackle plaque and tartar build up, and it has a sweet molasses flavor that some kittens and cats love right away. Nylabone toothpaste also eliminates the bacteria responsible for bad breath, so your kitten’s mouth will smell clean and fresh.

It’s safe for use on kittens and cats that are over three months old.

Some reviewers reported that their pets didn’t like the taste of this toothpaste.

Pros and Cons of Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Cat Dental Kit

Best For Kittens

Nylabone Advanced Oral Care Original Flavor Cat Dental Kit

• Features a small, angled brush that is made to fit right into tiny mouths
• Controls tartar formation
• Sweet molasses flavor
• Brush gently massage gums

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Choosing The Best Cat Toothpaste: What To Look For

Your cat may nibble at your feet under the covers and even catch mice (ewww!). So regular tooth brushing is necessary to keep their teeth clean and healthy.

Unlike human toothpaste, cat toothpaste is safe to ingest because you can’t tell your kitty not to swallow it. Here are a few things to look out for when looking for cat toothpaste.

Flavor

Just like how some people shy away from certain toothpaste flavors, cats have their preference when it comes to toothpaste. Many pet toothpastes are intended to work for both dogs and cats, but cats usually don’t like the sweet flavors that dogs enjoy. Cats tend to prefer natural meaty flavors instead, although sweet and minty flavors may do the trick for some felines.

Dental Issues

If your cat has dental issues, select toothpaste that’s formulated to treat and relieve the issues. At the very least, the toothpaste shouldn’t aggravate the issues.

Signs that your cat may have dental pain or discomfort in their mouth include swelling, redness, irritation, bleeding, drooling while eating, avoiding hard treats or dry food, and pawing at their mouth.

Texture

Pet toothpaste comes in different consistencies and textures. While some may be thick and clear, others may come in various colors with varying viscosity. Note what your cat likes and stick to that moving forward.

Ingredients

Ensure that the ingredients used in the toothpaste are safe and harmless for your cat. Also, note any sensitivities or allergies they might have.

With a Brush or Without?

Our cats know how to tell us when they don’t like something. Whether it’s via their “murder mittens” or their teeth, they manage to pass the message across clearly. Many cats hate toothbrushes and, sometimes, no matter how soft the bristles are, your kitty may not allow you to brush their teeth with one. Experiment with your cat and keep their preferences in mind while shopping for toothpaste. Some toothpaste can be used effectively with both a brush and without.

Our Criteria: How We Chose the Best

Lots of cat parents feel like they’ve hit the jackpot when they finally find a cat toothpaste that their cats like or, at the very least, tolerate. The toothpastes listed above are the most appreciated on the market, with many cat parents attesting to how effective they are.

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