Feline Normal Dentition and Dental Formula – NAVLE Study Guide
Overview and Clinical Importance
Understanding feline dental anatomy is fundamental for veterinary practice and is a high-yield topic on the NAVLE. Cats are obligate carnivores with specialized dentition designed for capturing, killing, and consuming prey. Unlike dogs, cats lack grinding surfaces on their molars, reflecting their strict meat-eating evolutionary history. The feline dentition is classified as heterodont (teeth with different forms for different functions), diphyodont (two sets of teeth: deciduous and permanent), anelodont (teeth that do not continuously grow), and brachydont (short-crowned teeth).
Feline Dental Formulas
Deciduous (Primary) Dental Formula
Kittens have 26 deciduous teeth. The deciduous dental formula is:
2 × (I 3/3, C 1/1, P 3/2) = 26 teeth
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