Your Cat’s Mouth Is a Crime Scene: What the 2025 FelineVMA Dental Guidelines Mean for Everyday Practice

If you work in feline medicine, you already know the truth. Oral disease is not a niche problem in cats. It is the rule rather than the exception. The 2025 FelineVMA feline oral health and dental care guidelines take that reality head on and translate it into practical, evidence guided recommendations for general practice. For veterinary professionals juggling full schedules, anxious cats, and increasingly informed clients, these guidelines are a timely reset on what high quality feline dentistry should look like.

The guidelines were developed by a Task Force convened by the Feline Veterinary Medical Association and coauthored by board-certified veterinary specialists alongside a veterinary technician specialist in dentistry. The emphasis is not on rare or exotic conditions, but on the oral and dental diseases veterinarians encounter every week. Periodontal disease, early-onset gingivitis, tooth resorption, endodontic disease, tooth trauma, feline chronic gingivostomatitis, developmental abnormalities such as malocclusion, and oral masses all take center stage. The goal is clarity, consistency, and better outcomes for cats.

A key message is that meaningful dental assessment does not end with the conscious exam. While visual inspection of the awake cat remains an essential starting point, the guidelines reinforce that definitive diagnosis and treatment require anesthesia. Dental radiography is positioned as a standard of care, not an optional add-on. This matters in cats, where pathology often hides below the gingival margin and can be easily missed without imaging. For millennial veterinarians trained in evidence-based medicine, this aligns with what many already believe but may still need to defend in practice conversations.

Anesthesia itself is treated as a critical component of feline dental care rather than a necessary evil. The guidelines acknowledge that cats with oral and dental disease are in pain, and that surgical intervention and recovery add further discomfort. As a result, multimodal perioperative analgesia is presented as a baseline expectation. Thoughtful anesthetic planning, pain management before, during, and after procedures, and individualized protocols are all emphasized. This approach reflects the broader shift in veterinary medicine toward proactive pain control and feline-friendly handling.

The disease-specific sections are practical and clinically grounded. Periodontal disease and early-onset gingivitis are discussed in the context of prevention, early intervention, and long-term management. Tooth resorption receives special attention, recognizing both its high prevalence and the frustration it causes in practice. Clear guidance on diagnosis, staging, and treatment helps reduce variability in care. Complex conditions such as feline chronic gingivostomatitis are addressed with a realistic tone, acknowledging both the challenges of management and the importance of setting expectations with caregivers.

Developmental abnormalities, traumatic injuries, and oral masses are also included, reinforcing that feline dentistry extends well beyond routine cleanings. The guidelines encourage clinicians to maintain a high index of suspicion for oral pain and pathology, even when clinical signs are subtle. For cats, silence does not equal comfort, and the document repeatedly underscores that point.

One of the most practice-forward elements of the guidelines is the focus on caregiver involvement. Cat owners are positioned as active participants in oral healthcare, not passive observers. Veterinary teams are encouraged to educate caregivers on recognizing signs of oral and dental disease, from changes in eating behavior to drooling or facial sensitivity. Home care guidance, when appropriate, is framed as a partnership rather than a lecture. This aligns well with modern client communication styles that prioritize empathy, shared decision-making, and realistic recommendations.

The guidelines also speak directly to the importance of the entire veterinary team. High-performing feline practices are described as environments where veterinarians, technicians, and support staff are all advocates for oral and dental health. Knowledge of prevention, treatment principles, and client education is not siloed. Instead, it is embedded across the team, improving consistency and reinforcing the value of dentistry as an integral part of feline care.

For veterinary professionals looking to go deeper, the extensive bibliography is a standout feature. It offers pathways for continued learning that extend beyond the scope of the guidelines themselves, making this document both a reference and a launchpad for further professional development.

In short, the 2025 FelineVMA feline oral health and dental care guidelines do not reinvent feline dentistry. They refine it, validate it, and challenge practices to align daily workflows with what we already know cats need. For a generation of veterinarians focused on quality, transparency, and patient-centered care, this is a document worth revisiting often.

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