How many teeth does a cat change? - briefly
A cat typically has two sets of teeth in its lifetime: deciduous (baby) teeth and permanent teeth. Cats lose their baby teeth between the ages of 3 to 4 months, with adult teeth fully erupted by around 6 months old.
How many teeth does a cat change? - in detail
Cats, like humans, experience tooth loss and replacement throughout their lives. However, unlike humans who typically have two sets of teeth (baby teeth and permanent teeth), cats undergo a process called deciduous dentition, where they replace their baby teeth with adult teeth in stages.
At birth, kittens do not have any teeth. Their first set of teeth, known as deciduous or milk teeth, begin to erupt at around 2-4 weeks of age. By the time a kitten is about 6-8 weeks old, it will have a full set of 26 deciduous teeth. These include incisors for grooming and biting, canines for holding prey, and premolars and molars for chewing.
As the kitten grows, its jaw also increases in size to accommodate the larger adult teeth. The process of tooth replacement usually begins around 3-4 months of age when the kitten's first permanent teeth start to erupt. This process continues until the cat is about 6-7 months old, by which time it will have a full set of 30 adult teeth.
The sequence of tooth replacement in cats typically follows this pattern:
- Incisors: The central incisors are the first to be replaced, usually around 2-3 months of age. The lateral incisors follow shortly after.
- Canines: These large teeth are the last to erupt and the last to be replaced, typically between 4-5 months of age.
- Premolars and Molars: These teeth start to replace around 3 months of age and continue until about 6 months of age.
It is important to note that not all cats follow this timeline precisely, as individual development can vary. Additionally, some breeds may have specific dental issues or variations in tooth count and eruption patterns.
In summary, a cat changes all its deciduous teeth, replacing them with adult teeth over a period of several months during kittenhood. The total number of teeth a cat has throughout its life is 56 (26 deciduous + 30 permanent).