You may not often think about your cat’s teeth, but your pet can develop oral disease just like you can. In fact, diseases such as gingivitis can often begin when your cat is still a young adult. In addition to caring for your cat’s teeth, you can help mitigate dental problems by giving your cat food formulated to remove plaque and improve dental health. As your cat ages, it’s even more important to care for its dental health. Older cats with chronic dental problems may have bad or even missing teeth, which can make eating difficult.
In this article, we have compiled some of the very best cat foods for older cats that have dental problems. We hope that our reviews will help you learn about the options available and ultimately choose the cat food that works best for you and your senior cat.
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Bird Cat Food
Soft texture
Chicken is the first ingredient
No artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives
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Best Value
Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging Cat Food
Formulated for senior cats
Small, easy to chew kibble pieces
Comes in two flavors and two sizes
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Now Fresh Grain-Free Cat Food
Helps manage your cat’s weight
Real turkey is the first ingredient
Contains added vitamins and minerals
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Hill’s Science Diet Oral Care Cat Food
First ingredient is real chicken
Works for adult cats of all ages
Reduces plaque and clean your cat’s teeth
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Purina Pro Plan Senior Wet Cat Food
Cats love the taste
Comes in five different flavors
Smaller sized cans good portion sizes
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The 6 Best Cat Foods For Older Cats With Bad Teeth
1. Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Bird Raw Cat Food – Best Overall
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Food Form: Wet food
Life Stage: All life stages
Primary Ingredients: Chicken thigh, chicken breast, chicken liver, green beans, peas
The Smalls Human-Grade Bird recipe is our pick as the best overall cat food for older cats with bad teeth. The soft food won’t be difficult for your cat to chew, and it has chicken listed as the first ingredient, so your pet will get plenty of protein. It’s fortified with taurine, which is an essential nutrient for cats that it gets from animal protein, and it also contains real fruits and vegetables like page kale and green beans that provide important vitamins and minerals. These ingredients also help boost the immune system and provide fiber and prebiotics that strengthen and balance your cat’s sensitive digestive system, which is often troublesome for older cats.
The downside to Smalls Human-Grade Chicken is that it’s not available in stores, so you have to purchase it directly from the company. It’s also not a good source of omega fats, which can help reduce inflammation and make older cats with arthritis more comfortable.
Pros
Soft
Chicken is the first ingredient
Taurine
Fiber
Cons
Not available in stores
Not a good source of omega fats
- Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging Cat Food – Best Value
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Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Mature cats
Primary Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal
While our number one choice is the best all-around cat food for adult and senior cats, we think the Blue Buffalo Healthy Aging Cat Food is the best senior cat food for the money. Unlike the Science Diet formula, this cat food was made specifically with senior cats in mind. This food also provides high-quality ingredients such as real deboned chicken for an affordable price. Cats that have trouble chewing due to dental issues should have no problems chewing this food; the kibble comes in small pieces. Something to keep in mind is that some cat owners say the formula and quality of this cat food changed after Blue Buffalo was purchased by General Mills.
Soft
Chicken is the first ingredient
Taurine
Fiber
- Soft
- Chicken is the first ingredient
- Taurine
- Fiber
Not available in stores
Not a good source of omega fats
- Not available in stores
- Not a good source of omega fats
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Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Mature cats
Primary Ingredients: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal
Pros
Formulated for senior cats
Real chicken is the first ingredient
Comes in two flavors and two sizes
Small, easy-to-chew kibble pieces
Cons
Formula may have changed since Blue Buffalo was purchased by General Mills
If money were no object, you would buy your cat the highest-quality cat food available, right? Now Fresh Grain-Free cat food for mature cats is a grain-free recipe that packs fresh ingredients like real deboned turkey into one food your cat is sure to enjoy.
Formulated for senior cats
Real chicken is the first ingredient
Comes in two flavors and two sizes
Small, easy-to-chew kibble pieces
- Formulated for senior cats
- Real chicken is the first ingredient
- Comes in two flavors and two sizes
- Small, easy-to-chew kibble pieces
Formula may have changed since Blue Buffalo was purchased by General Mills
- Formula may have changed since Blue Buffalo was purchased by General Mills
Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Mature adults
Primary Ingredients: Deboned turkey, potatoes, peas, pea fiber, potato flour
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This cat food is specifically formulated for senior cats with a focus on weight management, but it still contains a high percentage of protein and a moderate amount of fat, which your senior kitty needs to maintain muscle mass. While this cat food is not specifically formulated for cats with oral health problems, the dry kibble will help keep your cat’s teeth clean.
Pros
Real turkey is the first ingredient
Formulated for senior cats
Helps manage your cat’s weight
Contains added vitamins and minerals
Cons
More expensive than other options
Some cats don’t like the taste
We think the Hill’s Science Diet Adult Oral Care dry food is another great cat food for older cats with bad teeth. For one thing, this food is formulated specifically to help reduce plaque in your cat’s mouth and keep its teeth clean. Another positive aspect of this cat food is that it is made with real ingredients, including real chicken.
Real turkey is the first ingredient
Formulated for senior cats
Helps manage your cat’s weight
Contains added vitamins and minerals
- Real turkey is the first ingredient
- Formulated for senior cats
- Helps manage your cat’s weight
- Contains added vitamins and minerals
More expensive than other options
Some cats don’t like the taste
- More expensive than other options
- Some cats don’t like the taste
Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Adult
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, brown rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, powdered cellulose
The one thing about this particular cat food is that it is not actually formulated for senior cats, but for adult cats of all ages. If you have multiple cats of different ages, that could actually be a positive for you; after all, it is sometimes difficult to keep pets from eating one another’s food. This cat food can not only help cats that have poor oral hygiene, but it can actually help prevent your younger pets from developing oral health issues down the road.
Pros
First ingredient is real chicken
Works for adult cats of all ages
Formula specifically to reduce plaque and clean your cat’s teeth
Can be used for cats of all adult and senior cats
Cons
Large kibble
- Purina Pro Plan Senior Chicken & Beef Wet Cat Food
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Food Form: Wet food
Life Stage: Mature cats (7+)
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, water, liver, meat by-products, beef
Purina’s Pro Plan Senior wet food is specifically made for senior cats. This brand offers many different options to suit your kitty’s needs; not only does it come in several different flavors, but the Pro Plan series actually includes two different formulas for cats seven years and older and 11 years and older, respectively.
First ingredient is real chicken
Works for adult cats of all ages
Formula specifically to reduce plaque and clean your cat’s teeth
Can be used for cats of all adult and senior cats
- First ingredient is real chicken
- Works for adult cats of all ages
- Formula specifically to reduce plaque and clean your cat’s teeth
- Can be used for cats of all adult and senior cats
Large kibble
- Large kibble
Food Form: Wet food
Life Stage: Mature cats (7+)
Primary Ingredients: Chicken, water, liver, meat by-products, beef
Keep in mind that this is wet food and not kibble. Despite what you may think, senior cats with very poor dental hygiene probably should not eat wet food; it can be difficult for your cat to eat and could even get stuck in its gums.
Pros
Smaller sized cans good portion sizes
Comes in five different flavors and two formulas for cats 7+ and cats 11+
Cats love the taste
Formulated for senior cats
Cons
Strong odor
- Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dental Dry Cat Food
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Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Adult
Primary Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, corn, brown rice, corn gluten meal
If you are looking for a cat food specifically recommended by veterinarians to help keep your cat’s teeth clean, you should consider asking your vet about Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Dental. This cat food is not just for seniors but can be given to cats of all ages. That’s a plus; it’s never too early to start paying attention to your cat’s oral health.
Smaller sized cans good portion sizes
Comes in five different flavors and two formulas for cats 7+ and cats 11+
Cats love the taste
Formulated for senior cats
- Smaller sized cans good portion sizes
- Comes in five different flavors and two formulas for cats 7+ and cats 11+
- Cats love the taste
- Formulated for senior cats
Strong odor
- Strong odor
Food Form: Dry food
Life Stage: Adult
Primary Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, corn, brown rice, corn gluten meal
However, the drawback to this food is that it does require a prescription from your vet. Something else to consider is that the kibble is too large for some cats to eat. Seniors in particular may have a difficult time eating large pieces of kibble.
Pros
Works for adult cats of all ages
Cons
Requires a prescription from your veterinarian
Kibble is too big for some cats
First ingredient is chicken by-product meal, not whole chicken
Works for adult cats of all ages
- Works for adult cats of all ages
Requires a prescription from your veterinarian
Kibble is too big for some cats
First ingredient is chicken by-product meal, not whole chicken
- Requires a prescription from your veterinarian
- Kibble is too big for some cats
- First ingredient is chicken by-product meal, not whole chicken
Buyer’s Guide: How To Select the Best Cat Food For Older Cats With Bad Teeth
Are you wondering how to select cat food for older cats with bad teeth? In this buyer’s guide, we will discuss some things you should look out for when comparing cat foods.
Protein
All cats need to eat a well-balanced, high-quality diet that includes protein, fat, and nutrients in order to stay healthy. In fact, senior cats actually need a higher percentage of protein than other adult cats to help them maintain muscle mass. Aim for 26% protein in your senior cat’s diet.
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Digestibility
Older cats can’t always handle additives such as artificial colors and flavors. Stick to all-natural ingredients that are easier for your kitty’s stomach to handle. Also, consider chewability when selecting a type of cat food. Smaller pieces of kibble are more likely to be easily chewed, swallowed, and digested than larger pieces, especially for cats with dental problems.
Nutrients
Finally, make sure to choose foods with added nutrients to support your senior cat’s overall well-being.
Conclusion
We know how important it is to find a type of cat food that is suitable for your senior cat, especially if your cat also has bad teeth. The Smalls Human-Grade Bird recipe is our overall favorite cat food for older cats with bad teeth for its soft texture and healthy, human-grade ingredients. We hope that our reviews have helped you familiarize yourself with the options so that you can choose the best food for your kitty.
- Next on your reading list: Elderly Cat Won’t Eat? Here’s What to Do! (Vet Answer)
Featured Image Credit: Sergey Fatin, Shutterstock
