Short answer: No. Cats’ mouths are not cleaner than human mouths; both harbor bacteria, though the specific species differ and there are caveats about bite infections and dental health. Details
- Bacteria in mouths: Humans and cats each host a diverse oral microbiome. Humans typically carry around several hundred bacterial species in the mouth, while cats have their own feline-specific oral bacteria. This means there isn’t a simple “cleaner or dirtier” comparison that applies across the board.
- Health considerations: Cat bites can introduce bacteria such as Pasteurella multocida, which can cause infections in people, sometimes rapidly. This underscores that a cat’s mouth is not a safe or cleaner alternative to human mouths in terms of infection risk.
- Grooming and oral health: Cats groom themselves and use their tongues to help clean fur, but grooming does not equate to dental hygiene. By age about three, many cats show dental disease if not properly managed with veterinary dental care. Regular brushing and dental checkups are important for both cats and humans.
- Common myth-busting sources: Several veterinary and health sources state that pets’ mouths are not “cleaner” than humans’ and emphasize the risk of infections from bites and the importance of good oral care for pets.
Bottom line
- There isn’t evidence that a cat’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s. Both host bacteria, but the risks associated with cat bites and dental disease mean treating a cat’s mouth as cleaner is a misconception. Proper hygiene and dental care are important for both species.