Ruby’s Reflections: Tooth Brushing

Hey you guys – it’s Ruby! It’s been too long since I’ve written something here!

I’m having the best winter. Normally in the winter, our windows are closed most of the time, but it’s been so mild here lately that there have been many days when Mom could leave the windows open for part of the day. Allegra and I enjoy the breeze wafting in while we sit on our window perches. We both love the one in the bedroom, because on sunny days, it’s in the sun almost the entire afternoon.

Since we both love that perch so much, we alternate between it and the bed. We’re good sisters! I know Mom wishes that we’d just figure out how to cuddle on it together, but if you ask me, that’s a little too much togetherness. Don’t get me wrong, I love my sister, but I love her just fine at a slight distance.

Mom said she wants me to tell you that February is dental health month. I don’t really know what that means, but I do know that it’s important to Mom that Allegra’s and my teeth are healthy. Apparently, when our feline vet was here in October and looked into my mouth (and really, people: how rude is that? She doesn’t know me well enough to get that personal!) – anyway, when she looked into my mouth, she said I have some very mild gingivitis. Another big word that I don’t know the meaning of. Mom says it means my gums are a little red. So? It’s not like that bothers me! But apparently, it bothered Mom, because she started brushing our teeth.

At first, I wasn’t crazy about it, but I soon learned that after she finishes, we get a treat. And it’s a really amazing treat! I swear, it’s the size of a mouse!

Ingrid’s note: the treats Ruby is referring to are the C.E.T. Oral Hygiene Chews for Cats. The treats are about an inch and a half long and half an inch thick. They’re made mostly from freeze-dried chicken or fish (I prefer the poultry flavor and the girls love it) and contain a dual enzyme system that is said to provide effective and natural antiseptic action. Unlike other dental treats that most cats don’t chew on long enough for any of the intended action to actually kick in, these take them a while to chew, giving the enzymes enough time to act. And even though the chews contain some poultry digest (a palatability enhancer made by reducing meat and fat into a concentrated liquid or dry product), unlike other dental treats, they are grain-free. Most veterinarians carry these treats. I order our dental chews on Amazon.

When Mom first gives us the treats, I start batting mine around all over the house. It’s so much fun! It rolls and bounces all over the place! Eventually, Mom has to remind me that it’s meant to be eaten, and sometimes, she has to break it in half for me, because it’s so big!

It used to be that Allegra would just sit and watch me play with my treat, while hers just laid next to her. And more often than not, I’d snatch hers away from her and eat it, too! Mom would pretend to get mad at me, but she was laughing so hard, I knew she wasn’t really angry. And Allegra is no dummy: now she snatches up her treat as soon as Mom gives it to her and runs off into the bedroom with it, where she eats it before I finish playing with mine.

So now having our teeth brushed and getting our dental treats has become part of our routine. In the evening, after Mom finishes watching tv, we run into the living room and wait for her to get out the toothbrush, because we know after she brushes our teeth, we get treats! I love that Mom is making it fun for us to keep our teeth healthy.

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