Yes, cats have two sets of teeth over the course of their lives, just like humans do. Kittens are born toothless, grow 26 baby teeth (also called deciduous or milk teeth), then lose them and replace them with 30 permanent adult teeth. The entire process wraps up by about seven months of age.
When Baby Teeth Come In
Kittens start cutting their first teeth at around two to three weeks old, beginning with the tiny front incisors. By three to four weeks, the canines (the long, pointy fangs) push through, and the premolars in the back follow at five to six weeks. So by roughly six weeks of age, a kitten has a full set of 26 small, needle-sharp baby teeth.
These early teeth are designed for one job: helping kittens transition from nursing to solid food. They’re noticeably smaller, whiter, and sharper than adult teeth. If you’ve ever had a kitten nibble your fingers, you’ve felt how razor-like they are.
The Teething Process
Starting around four months old, those baby teeth begin falling out as the permanent teeth push up from underneath. This happens gradually over a few months, typically finishing between six and seven months of age. Most owners never even notice it happening. Kittens often swallow their baby teeth while eating, or you might find a tiny tooth on the floor or stuck in a toy.
Some kittens sail through teething with no visible signs at all. Others show a few telltale behaviors:
- Extra drooling, a bit more than the usual happy-cat amount
- Changes in eating habits, like hesitating before biting into food
- Increased chewing on toys, blankets, or furniture to relieve gum pressure
- Less grooming, since licking can irritate sore gums
- Mild bad breath, caused by temporary gum inflammation where new teeth are breaking through
Kittens don’t typically chew as destructively as teething puppies, but offering soft chew toys during this period can help ease their discomfort.
How Adult Teeth Differ
The permanent set includes 30 teeth: four more than the baby set. The extras are molars in the very back of the mouth, which kittens don’t have at all. Adult teeth are larger, more durable, and slightly off-white compared to the bright white of baby teeth. They’re built to last a lifetime of tearing and chewing meat.
A full adult mouth breaks down like this: 12 small incisors across the front (used for nibbling and grooming), four canines (the prominent fangs for gripping prey), 10 premolars, and four molars. The premolars and molars work together to shear food into swallowable pieces, almost like scissors. Cats don’t really grind their food the way humans do. Their jaw moves mostly up and down rather than side to side, so those back teeth slice rather than crush.
When Baby Teeth Don’t Fall Out
Occasionally, a baby tooth stays put even after the permanent tooth has grown in beside it. This is called a persistent or retained deciduous tooth, and it’s more common with the canines than with smaller teeth. When two teeth occupy the space meant for one, food and debris get trapped between them, which can lead to tartar buildup, gum disease, and even damage to the permanent tooth’s positioning.
If you notice your kitten has what looks like a double set of fangs, with a smaller tooth sitting right next to a larger one, it’s worth having your vet take a look. Retained baby teeth are usually removed during a spay or neuter procedure while the cat is already under anesthesia, making it a straightforward fix. The sooner a retained tooth is addressed, the less likely it is to cause lasting problems for the adult tooth growing in next to it.
Estimating a Cat’s Age by Their Teeth
Because the two sets of teeth follow a predictable schedule, vets often use dental development to estimate a young cat’s age. A kitten with no teeth is under two weeks old. One with all baby teeth but no adult teeth is roughly six weeks to three months. A mouth with a mix of small and large teeth puts the kitten somewhere between four and six months. And a full set of 30 clean, white adult teeth suggests a cat around seven months old.
After about a year, age estimates based on teeth become less precise and rely more on wear and tartar accumulation than on which teeth are present. But during that first seven months, a quick look inside the mouth tells a surprisingly detailed story about exactly where a kitten is in its development.