Evaluation of the Association Between Halitosis Severity and Dental Plaque Accumulation in Brachycephalic and Non-Brachycephalic Domestic Cats

Halitosis is a common clinical finding in feline practice and is often associated with periodontal disease; however, the role of host-related factors remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association between halitosis severity and dental plaque accumulation in a routine clinical population of cats. Particular emphasis was placed on the influence of skull conformation (brachycephalic vs non-brachycephalic) and other demographic variables. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 114 client-owned cats presented for routine examination. The median age was 24 months, and the population included 41 brachycephalic and 73 non-brachycephalic cats. Halitosis was graded using a six-point organoleptic scale (0-5), and dental plaque was assessed using a four-point index (1-4). Data on age, sex, neutering status, body weight, diet, and craniofacial morphology were recorded. Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests, Spearman’s correlation, and multivariable ordinal logistic regression. Clinically apparent halitosis was observed in 64.8% of the cats. No significant difference in halitosis severity was found between brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic cats (P=0.73). Although univariate analysis indicated higher halitosis scores in males, multivariable analysis identified dental plaque accumulation as the only independent predictor of halitosis severity (odds ratio =3.18, 95% confidence interval: 1.82-5.56, P<0.001). Skull conformation, age, diet, and other host-related factors were not independently associated with oral malodor. These findings suggest that halitosis severity in domestic cats is primarily determined by oral hygiene status rather than craniofacial morphology or demographic characteristics.