Dr. Dan Christian specializes in small animal medicine, with special interests in behavior and nutrition. He has been instrumental in establishing animal behavior residencies for veterinarians at leading veterinary schools and developing innovative programs with veterinary organizations in the United States. He is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. During his professional career, Dr. Christian earned the American Association of Feline Practitioners Award. He has also appeared as a guest on television and radio pet health programs nationwide, and to has authored numerous articles for pet health magazines.

Q: I have a male cat who is an inside cat. Recently I have noticed that his breath is really bad. I'm not sure, but I think it is some kind of gum disease. I was looking at his teeth and noticed a round gray spot on his bottom gum, and right above on the top gum is another spot-but it doesn't look swollen like the spot on the bottom. What do you think this is?

A: Many cat owners are not fully aware that dental problems like plaque and tartar build-up are a common and potentially serious conditions in cats. More than 80 percent of cats are affected by periodontal disease, and it is important to know that there is much that can be done at home as a preventive.

Bad breath is one of the first signs that something unhealthy may be happening within your cat's mouth. Since most cats don't pant like a dog, you'll want to gently open your cat's mouth to look for any redness along the gumline, and to detect any bad odors. Pigmentation as you describe is often normal pigment on the gums, but it may also be indicative of certain cancers if the area is raised or looks in any way aggressive (red or bumpy). Your veterinarian can best diagnose a health concern.

For home prevention of dental problems, you should train your cat to allow you to brush his teeth. This can be done with most any cat, if you take a slow and careful approach to accustom him to it, but as with most training, starting the brushing early when they are young is best. It is very important to have your cat examined by your veterinarian at least once a year, and a professional dental cleaning and polishing may be in order to prevent the plaque build-up from resulting in more serious consequences.