False Teeth For Cats! What Next?

Rachel Gilbert of 'Fangs A Lot'In an age when the humanization of pets seems to have few boundaries and little purpose but self-amusement, false teeth for cats might be grouped with cat clothing and wigs in the 'eccentric cat lady' category. But is false teeth for cats or any animal so crazy?

A team of eight British college students, calling themselves Fangs A Lot, have created the first false tooth for a cat and set up a business, Animal Solutions, to market false teeth for cats, dogs, and other animals. The group and its prototype false cat tooth have made it to the finals of the Ideas Igloo Roadshow, an invention contest for college students sponsored by Britain's Make Your Mark Campaign and Microsoft, UK.

False teeth for cats may sound ridiculous, but they could be a solution to a serious problem for cats. Cats have notoriously bad dental problems. Cat owners seldom brush their cats' teeth or scrape the surfaces of the teeth to remove plaque. By the time a cat is 3 or 4 years old, she may already have periodontal disease that can lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss may also come about as a result of tooth breakage, particularly in the canine teeth.

Fangs A Lot set about to restore normality to the lives of animals who have lost one or more teeth. The eight students, who are enrolled in the animal management program at Sheffield College in central England, were able to prototype their false tooth invention through Sheffield College's dental technology program. Last week, Fangs A Lot presented the prototype false teeth and its 2-minute sales pitch to the judges of the Ideas Igloo Roadshow.

Results of the Ideas Igloo Roadshow have not been announced to date. But Fangs A Lot seems to have enthusiastic college and community support for their Animal Solutions business, regardless of the outcome of the invention contest.

Sources: The Star, Pawprints & Purrs, Make Your Mark, Microsoft UK.
Photo Credit: The Star
Thanks to Michelle for this lead!

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