Cats use their paws to climb up everywhere and to land on the ground with their acrobatic excellence. They can land on the ground on their feet almost every time.  Cats are excellent groomers. They almost spend 50% of their time awake in grooming. I guess only they took the saying seriously –“cleanliness is next to godliness”. One step closer to run the world, eh? Although they are very good at grooming themselves but we should take care of their grooming too. Let’s start with their paws.

Clean paws equals to clean cat equals to clean house

Firstly, keep your cat’s paws clean from soil, household chemicals, litter or dirt. Any unhealthy substance should not be sticking to her paws; she may lick it while grooming herself and fall sick. Once a day, wipe her paws with a damp cloth. Check in between her toes and around the paw pads. Keep your floor free from household chemicals and debris. Thus, her paws will be clean and so will your furniture.

Happy paw

The adventurer’s paw

Cats are curious creatures. Unless you have overfed them without giving them enough exercise and made them couch potatoes, they would love to explore the foreign lands. That can be inside your house or outside her territory. So check your little explorer’s paws on a daily basis for cuts, swellings, sores which needs to be treated.

Scratchy paws

Cats need to scratch to shed the outer nail sheaths and reveal the deadly sharp claws. So help her not to scratch the furniture. Give her different kinds of posts so that she can scratch and admire her newly sharpened claws. You can use a bit of catnip for scenting the posts and attract your cat to the post.

Scratchy Paws

Nail care

Some great cats get uneasy and can even bite if you touch their paw and cut their nails. So prepare your cat by massaging her paw and, get her used of the feeling that you are not going to hurt her. When she seems comfortable and calm follow the steps below:

• Apply gentle pressure on the top of each toe and the cushiony pad below and you will see the nail coming out. Do not apply much pressure you may get scratched or bit.
• Use sharp high quality cat nail scissors to cut off the top of the nails just where the nail starts curving.
• Try avoiding being quick you may cut off the vein that run through the cat’s nail. You can see the pink area inside the nail.
• If you accidentally cut the pink area it may bleed. So apply some styptic powder and the bleeding will stop.
• Don’t cut more than 3-4 nails at a time. Your cat may grow uncomfortable. Make sure you give her a treat every time she lets you cut her nails quietly.

Hairy little paws

Long hair kitties often get their hair growing in between their toes and that irritates them. You’d know if you find your kitty licking the hair too much. Take a round scissor and cut the hair of very gently so that it doesn’t hurt the cat.

Protect the Pads

Protect your cat’s paws. Moisturize them by a vet-recommended product. Keep an eye on her. Don’t let her walk on the cold freezing floor or hot sidewalks.

Understand the body language

If you find your cat obsessively licking her paws or limping while walking please look if there is any problem and consult a vet.

Genetically superb

Cats generally don’t suffer any foot problem but knowing your cat’s breed may help you to find out how susceptible her feet are.

Do Not Declaw

Declawing is a surgery that is done by amputating the ends of her toes. It results to very much pain during recovery. Imagine how you will feel if the ends of your toes gets amputated. Do you want your cat to go through such pain when the daily grooming can do the trick? If you cut her nails whenever it gets sharp enough then she won’t be able to scratch you. If you provide her enough scratching posts she won’t scratch thing and destroy them. A little care from you can keep your cat away from the pain of declawing.

DO NOT DECLAW

Cat’s paws are very important to her. They help her climb, scratching things including you, pinning down ants on the ground, pawing you to give her some attention or treats etc. So it’s very important that you take care of her paws without declawing them. If you want a safe, harmless pet, pet a tree, trees don’t bite or cause you any harm but if you have something moving as a pet it may harm you in some way, at some point of time. Don’t hurt the animal if you can’t take care of them.

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