Do cats have baby teeth?
A newborn kitten normally has no teeth but yes, cats have baby teeth which begin to erupt when kittens are about 21 days old. They are fully in place by 5-6 weeks of age. The 30 permanent teeth erupt when kittens are 4 months of age. They are complete at around 7 months of age.
Baby teeth that have fallen out. Photo in public domain.
Newborn kitten showing no teeth.
You may not notice the baby teeth being lost as they can come out when eating or play. Baby teeth which are retained can be removed by your veterinarian. There shouldn’t be a problem with the permanent teeth if this is done promptly.
The tables below provide information about kitten and adult cat teeth. If you’d like to read more you can click on this link.
Kitten Teeth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Type of Tooth | # Upper Teeth | # Lower Teeth | Age of Eruption(weeks) | Function |
| Incisors | 6 | 6 | 3-4 | Tearing and grooming |
| Canines | 2 | 2 | 3-4 | Killing and grasping |
| Premolars | 6 | 4 | 5-6 | Shearing (cutting) |
| Molars | 0 | 0 | —- | Grinding. Limited ability to masticate (as for humans) |
Adult Cat Teeth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Type of Tooth | # Upper Teeth | # Lower Teeth | Age of Eruption(months) | Function |
| Incisors | 6 | 6 | 3.5-4.5 | Grasping |
| Canines | 2 | 2 | 5 | Killing and grasping |
| Premolars | 6 | 4 | 4.5-6 | Shearing (cutting) |
| Molars | 2 | 2 | 4-5 | Grinding. Limited ability to masticate (as for humans) |
Carnassial teeth
Cats have less teeth than dogs. The incisors are for grooming and tearing prey. The canines are for grasping and killing. The last upper molar and the lower molar make the carnassial teeth which shear the flesh before being swallowed. Cats don’t masticate food like humans, they cut it into small portions so that it can be swallowed.
SOME MORE:
Do cats’ teeth fall out?
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At what age does a cat lose its baby teeth?
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Why don’t cats get teeth cavities like humans?
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Why does the cat have such small incisors?
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Do cats masticate?
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Do cats have more teeth than dogs?
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Are kittens born with teeth?
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How many teeth do cats have?
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