Brushing cats teeth D:

[Anlina]

To try and avoid massive dental bills and putting my cats through the stress and danger of general anaesthesia just to get their teeth cleaned, I've started brushing their teeth.

Violet is very tolerant and calm, and it goes pretty quick and smoothly with her, but Clover, while not bad, gets a little squirmy, and as soon as you put anything in her mouth she starts chewing, which makes it really hard to do any brushing.

I've got some malt flavoured enzyme toothpaste for cats and two brushes - a little bristle brush, like the type humans use, and then a rubbery finger brush. I thought the finger brush would be the better of the two, but I actually like the bristle brush - it's got a smaller head and is easier to get in their tiny mouths. If the finger brush fit snugly on my finger it would probably be better.

Do you guys brush your cats teeth? What kind of equipment do you use? Any tricks for successfully brushing?  

[Temily_Emily]

I bought the brushes(Recommended by the vet because my kitties have tartar problems.), the rubber one and the bristle one...but can't seem to get it in their mouths... >.<

We've almost given up and switched to a dental formula.  

[Kenshin_Love]

I don't brush my cats teeth. My vet said their teeth look good for their age, but I should brush them. If they will not let me brush their teeth, my vet recommended using a Rinse.

 

[Anlina]

Oh, I haven't heard about rinses. Are they an enzyme thing you squirt into the mouth or just something they drink like water?  

[Lyca_Watyre]

I've seen rinses the are squirted and others that act as an enzyme in their water supply. I brush my guys because they're all fairly well behaved. I have to wrap Thor in a towel and scruff him sometimes to get him to stop wiggling though. He goes limp when I scruff him just right and lets me do pretty much what i want.