Perfect Cat Care

Do the legs of your furniture bear the claw marks of your cat? Is scratching the furniture abnormal? If so, you may want to consider trimming your cat’s claws. When cats scratch, it is a normal part of behavior that is hard-wired into their genes. They do it to maintain their feline physique as well as to hone those claws into sharp little weapons. Unfortunately, both you and your furniture can suffer as a result. By taking their claws into your own hands, you can nip this problem in the bud, or shall we say clip this problem by the claw?

Trimming your cat’s claws can be a daunting task. It is something you would be hard-pressed to be able to do on your own. So before you even try to start, recruit a helper to hold down your cat while you trim its nails. Do you have the necessary tools to care for your kitty’s claws? First, you need a sharp pair of nail clippers. You can purchase a set that is specially made to hold a cat’s claw in place while you cut. You can purchase these special clippers from your veterinarian or a pet store. Otherwise, a normal pair of human clippers or nail scissors should do just fine.

When you are ready to start trimming your cat’s claws, have your helper hold the cat gently, but firmly. Grasp one of the cat’s paws in your hand and press down on one of the toes to extend the claw. Do you see where the nail goes up to a pink area? That pink area is called the “quick� and will bleed if you accidentally cut into it. It also would be painful for the cat. Cut the nail quickly and cleanly just below the pink area. Now, can you repeat that process for the remaining nineteen or so nails? The answer is probably not. Unless you sedate your cat (not really recommended) or your feline is just really, really laid back, you will have to complete the claw clipping in several stages. In the claw clipping process, do not neglect your kitty’s dewclaws. These are like the equivalent to the thumb of a human and are only found on the front paws. Be sure when you stop to take a break that you praise your family feline and even give it a treat for good behavior.

Ok, what happens if you do accidentally clip into the “quick� of the cat’s claw? First of all, stay calm. Your cat will probably be freaked enough and fighting in the arms of your helper. You need to reassure your cat and apply a slight pressure to the tip of that claw until the bleeding stops. If the cat isn’t fighting too much, apply an antiseptic that dries quickly. Avoiding infection is a smart idea. If you are ever in doubt as to how much of the claw you should clip, trim a little less than you probably would go for. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Claw care for your kitty should happen every two to three weeks optimistically or on an as-needed basis. If possible, keep an eye on your cat’s disposition. If your fur ball seems in a laidback mood, try trimming its nails at that time. It is possible to cut them, all on your own, but if your cat takes exception to the fact that you have a pair of clippers in your hand, it can be a difficult task. And if your cat is a bit of a hellion, ask your veterinarian or a professional groomer to clip your cat’s claws. They have the experience, special training and some tips and secrets to getting a cat to cooperate.

Sometimes, however, clipping your cat’s claws does not forestall the scratching in your home. If you do not want to give your cat away to a new home, you might want to consider declawing your cat. This involves removing the claws, through a surgical process, as well as the tissue that the claws draw back into. Talk with your veterinarian about this surgery and whether or not it might be the next step you should take with your cat. As with all medical procedures, there are risks involved like slow healing and infection.

Before taking that drastic step into declawing, try various behavior modification techniques. But most of all, just know that it is natural as breathing for your cat to bare its claws and scratch. If you are lucky, you can train it to use a scratching post to do most of its handiwork.

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Many owners never put an identification collar on their cat. “Cats don’t like them,� they say. “We don’t want to push the issue and get a bite or a scratch for our efforts.� Well, the dilemma with that is what happens if they get lost? You are probably thinking that your cat is an indoor pet and therefore doesn’t need an ID collar. The problem with that viewpoint is that no matter how careful you are cats are sneaky. If a door is slightly ajar or a window is cracked open just a little, that cat will squeeze through to freedom. They are curious and love to explore. But if a dog or other natural predator gets them, you know that saying “Curiosity killed the cat?� Chances are that will be the likely scenario and you would never know what happened to your family feline. ID collars make sense for your cat.

Your cat’s veterinarian will most likely have identification tags that you can easily hook onto a collar. These tags will have the vet clinic’s office number and address. Most likely, these tags will also have the date of your cat’s last round of vaccinations for rabies and other diseases. You can either have your own contact information engraved on the same ID tags that came from your veterinarian or you can have your own made fairly quickly. It doesn’t matter which tag you include your contact information on, as long as it is there. That way, if something does happen to your cat, anyone who finds it can call you, even the animal shelters.

By talking with your veterinarian or visiting your local pet store, you will find out that there are special collars just for cats. These have a little piece of elastic sewn into it which makes the collar not so rigid and allows for some flexibility in it.  These collars are made to stretch a little just in case your cat gets snagged and stuck while climbing a tree or any else for that matter. The “stretch� in the collar will allow the cat to escape. You have to take care not to choose a collar for your cat that is too elastic. A cat has loose, limber limbs and could easily find itself in a dilemma with a leg stuck inside the collar after a round of scratching.

Another type of collar for cats that just hit the market is one with an easy plastic snap buckle. It is the kind where if you apply pressure to the button on the buckle, it will slide open. This new type of collar is also helpful in those situations where a cat could get trapped in the tree and hang from a tree branch. If the collar was snagged, the plastic snap buckle would do a quick release.

When you are shopping around for your family feline, be sure to inspect the quality of the collars you find. The collar will be worn around the cat’s neck, in a soft vulnerable area. That means you do not want to buy any collar that has sharp edges. It could dig into your cat’s delicate skin. Be sure to also inspect the stitching on the collar. You do not want any of the thread to unravel and cause a potential hazard to your cat. It is preferable to have your cat with you when you shop for a collar. That way, your cat can try on a collar and you could tell if it fits correctly. These collars should fit snugly while still being able to accommodate one of two of your fingers below the collar.

Another reason for your cat to have on a collar is because of government rules. In many areas, there is a requirement that states all pets should be registered and licensed. This is usually governed by the city or county. Statistics show that very few cat owners ever find their missing furry felines at shelters, simply because of the lack of identification. By having a collar, you could get your cat back at no time.

Be sure to give your cat lots of love, attention and treats right after putting a collar on them. Treats will often distract your cat from the weird-feeling collar around its throat. By the time they are done with their treats, many cats soon forget that they are wearing a collar.

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