Most cat food now has ingredients that no Cat in the wild will be eating, and also extra things in them to make them last longer. Unfortunately, just as now humans need to brush their teeth because of exposure to things that make them unhealthy so do cats.

Unhealthy gums and teeth in cats can cause many problems for their digestive tract, infection of gums can spread to liver heart and kidneys, not to mention really bad breath.

To start with, you can wrap a thick piece of gauz around your finger, get it wet, and rub their teeth and gums. This is so they get used to having you put something in their mouth and mess with their teeth, but you don't have to worry about accidently poking them with the handle of a toothbrush. Later a small soft tooth brush designed to brush toddlers teeth will be perfect. If you can't get toothpaste from a vet or pet store, a bit of baking soda mixed with water is also fine.

Brushing a cat's teeth might be a pain for the both of you, but it's a small price to pay for the health of loved one. ^^

The poster stated the Vet as having said "superbly healthy for a cat his age."

As cats get older, just like in Humans, their body tends to stop functioning very well. The doctor did not intend to imply that the cat was illness free, but that compared to other cats of the same age, and compared to what a Vet usually expects an old cat's health to be like, the cat is doing very well.

Hopefully with some treatment the cat can continue in being very healthy when compared to other older animals. It sounds like the cat's owner does a very good job of taking care of it, and they should feel very proud of themselves for that.