What Every Cat Owner Should Know About Gingivitis

You’re scratching your cat under the chin and notice their gums look a little red. Or maybe their breath has been off lately. Both are worth paying attention to. Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums caused by plaque and tartar buildup, and it’s the earliest stage of gum disease. It’s also the only stage that’s fully reversible, but only if you catch it before it progresses.

What is gingivitis in cats?

Gingivitis is inflammation of the gums and the earliest stage of gum disease (AKA, periodontal disease). It’s also the only stage where the damage is still completely reversible, which is exactly why catching it early matters.

Here’s what’s happening: plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that forms naturally in the mouth, builds up along the gumline and hardens into tartar. The gums respond by becoming red and inflamed. That’s gingivitis. No bone loss, no lasting damage yet, but a clear signal that something needs to change.

What does gingivitis look like in cats?

Most cats are pros at hiding discomfort, so you’ll often spot the visual signs before your cat gives any obvious signs that they’re in pain. Here’s what to look for:

• Red or swollen gums, especially along the gum line where the tooth meets the tissue
• Bad breath (halitosis) that goes beyond normal cat breath
• Yellowish or brownish buildup on the teeth (that’s tartar)
• Pawing at the mouth or rubbing the face on furniture
• Drooling more than usual, sometimes with blood-tinged saliva
• Dropping food, chewing on one side, or eating less than normal
• Reluctance to be touched around the face or mouth

Mild gingivitis (sometimes called stage 1 gingivitis) can be easy to miss. Severe gingivitis is harder to ignore: bright red, swollen gums, significant tartar, and a cat that’s clearly not comfortable eating. When in doubt, lift the lip and take a look. You know what your cat’s mouth normally looks like better than anyone.

What causes gingivitis in cats?

Plaque is the root cause. But several factors can make some cats more vulnerable than others:

• Plaque and tartar buildup from infrequent or no teeth brushing
• Age: older cats have had more time for buildup to accumulate
• Crowded or misaligned teeth, which create more places for plaque to hide
• FeLV (feline leukemia virus) and FIV (feline immunodeficiency virus): both weaken the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off oral bacteria
• Diabetes: affects healing and immune response throughout the body, including the gums
• Diet: wet-food-only diets don’t provide the mechanical scrubbing that dry food or dental treats can offer

Gingivitis vs. stomatitis in cats

These two conditions get confused often, and it’s worth knowing the difference. Gingivitis affects the gums specifically. Stomatitis is a much broader and more severe inflammation that can involve the entire mouth, including the back of the throat, the tongue, and the inside of the cheeks. It’s often driven by an overactive immune response to plaque bacteria, and it’s significantly more painful and harder to treat than gingivitis.

If you’re noticing raw-looking tissue, ulcers, or inflammation spreading beyond the gumline, don’t wait on that one. It’s a vet visit this week, not a monitor-at-home situation.

One question that comes up a lot: is gingivitis contagious between cats? The short answer is no, not in the way a virus is. The bacteria involved are common to most cats’ mouths. Whether gingivitis develops comes down to each individual cat’s immune response and oral hygiene, not exposure to another cat.

Home vs. vet: how to triage your cat’s gum symptoms

Not every red gum requires an urgent vet call, but some signs really do need attention this week. Here’s how to tell the difference:

Monitor at home for now if…	Book a vet visit this week if…
Redness is very mild with no other symptoms	Gums look visibly swollen, bright red, or bleed when touched
Your cat is eating, drinking, and acting normally	Breath has changed noticeably and recently
No drooling, pawing at the face, or behavioral changes	Your cat is dropping food, chewing on one side, or avoiding meals
A routine vet visit is already coming up soon	You’re seeing drooling, especially pink or blood-tinged saliva
	Your cat is pawing at their face or pulling away when touched around the mouth
	Your cat has a known condition like FeLV, FIV, or diabetes

If you’re in the monitor-at-home camp, use the time to gently introduce teeth brushing with a cat-safe toothpaste and a soft-bristled finger brush. It won’t reverse existing tartar, but it will slow new buildup. If any of the right-hand column sounds familiar, home care alone won’t cut it. That tartar needs to come off professionally, and the sooner it does, the better the chance of keeping things fully reversible.

How vets diagnose and treat gingivitis in cats

Your vet will start with a physical exam of the mouth and may recommend bloodwork if they suspect an underlying condition like FeLV, FIV, or diabetes is making things worse.

Treatment almost always means a professional dental cleaning under general anesthesia. This lets the vet safely remove plaque and tartar from every surface of the tooth, including below the gumline where a toothbrush can’t reach. X-rays taken during the procedure can reveal whether any deeper damage has already occurred. If any teeth are too far gone to save, extractions may be recommended. Cats adjust remarkably well to missing teeth, and removing a painful tooth almost always improves their comfort significantly.

Afterward, your vet will likely recommend a home care routine, primarily regular teeth brushing, to keep plaque from building back up. Dental treats, water additives, and prescription dental diets can all help as supporting tools.

Does pet insurance cover gingivitis in cats?

Yes, but the right coverage depends on which dental add-on you have. A base accident and illness policy alone won’t cover dental illness, so if you want protection against gingivitis treatment costs, adding dental coverage is worth thinking about sooner rather than later.

Lemonade offers two dental coverage options depending on your location:

Dental Care add-on: The most comprehensive option. Covers dental illness treatment and routine cleanings, has no deductible, and covers pre-existing dental conditions. Only available to add while your cat is between 0 and 3 years old.

Dental Illness add-on: Covers treatments, diagnostics, and medications related to dental illness, including gingivitis treatment and extractions. Doesn’t include routine cleanings on its own. To cover routine dental cleanings, pair this with the Preventative+ add-on. Pre-existing dental conditions are not covered, and a deductible applies.

The earlier you enroll and add dental coverage, the more it can do for you.

Before we go

Gingivitis is one of those conditions that’s easy to overlook, right up until it isn’t. The signs can be subtle at first, and cats are experts at acting like everything’s fine. But caught early, it’s entirely reversible with a professional cleaning and consistent home care. If you’ve noticed red gums, bad breath, or any changes in how your cat eats, this is the week to call your vet.

And if your cat is still healthy with clean teeth, now is a great time to look into pet insurance coverage and start a teeth-brushing habit before there’s anything to fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of the policies issued, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage may not be available in all states. Please note that statements about coverages, policy management, claims processes, Giveback, and customer support apply to policies underwritten by Lemonade Insurance Company or Metromile Insurance Company, a Lemonade company, sold by Lemonade Insurance Agency, LLC.  The statements do not apply to policies underwritten by other carriers.