A study on awareness of periodontal care in cats among pet owners at the Kuala Lumpur Veterinary Hospital

Periodontal disease is one of the common oral conditions in cats. Responsible cat owners should present their cats for periodontal check-up periodically and practice good oral care for their cats, including hygiene and feeding. Therefore, this study is to evaluate the level of awareness of periodontal care amongst feline pet owners visiting the Kuala Lumpur Veterinary Hospital (KLVH). The study involved 51 cat owners that presented their cats to KLVH for treatment randomly. Questionnaires were given to the respondents to evaluate their awareness on periodontal disease and oral hygiene practices for their cats. Results revealed that only six respondents (11.76%) had at least a minimal knowledge on feline periodontal disease whilst 45 respondents (88.23%) did not know anything about periodontal disease. The 45 respondents (88.23%) had never practiced any oral care on their cats, while six respondents (11.76%) had some oral care regime such as oral rinse (3.92%), rubbing teeth with cloth (5.88%) and brushing (1.96%). Nine respondents (17.65%) brought their cat for treatments or checkup because of periodontal lesions while 42 respondents (82.35%) presented their cats for other reasons. This study found a notable lack of awareness on periodontal care among cat owners that came to KLVH. This study recommends that (1) client education should be in place to make pet owners aware of their responsibilities in owning companion animals, (2) extensive study be carried out to assess the awareness level in the country, and (3) protocols be set in place in veterinary clinics to educate clients and prevent undue suffering to cats as a result of periodontal diseases. Thus, animal welfare awareness can be highlighted as in line with current veterinary services.