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 am considering adopting a cat from a local adoption center. She is a great cat and completely healthy, except she has no teeth. Apparently, her previous owners ignored an infection and the teeth all fell out. Thankfully, she is no longer with those folks. Anyway, my question is, are there any long- or short-term health problems I should be aware of that might be associated with her toothless condition or the original infection? Go figure -- she likes dry food!

A: The problem of cats losing teeth is not all that uncommon, unfortunately. We have learned quite a lot about feline dental care in the last few years, and still have much more to learn. We do know, as you alluded to, that certain viral or bacterial infections may cause loss of teeth. These infections may occur at a young age, in the event that a kitten is not properly vaccinated and is exposed to serious viral infections.

I commend you on adopting this terrific cat, and though you likely have had your veterinarian conduct a thorough exam, including viral tests, I will remind all readers to have this routinely done yearly or as recommended as a great preventive care measure. If all the tests indicate good health, you likely have little to worry about long-term. If she can handle the dry kibble (most cats gulp their dry kibbles and don't chew beyond a single crunch anyway), that's fine. Canned food is excellent to combine into her diet, as it offers necessary water and nutrients for her long-term health.