First things first—your cat’s feet should always be kept clean. No
dirt, litter or household chemicals should soil her paws. Aside
from causing pain, unhealthy substances that stick to her feet may
end up on her tongue during grooming. Once each day, give your
cat’s paws a gentle wipe with a damp cloth. Make sure to check in
between her toes and around the paw pads. And keeping your floors
and other surfaces free of debris and household chemicals will go a
long way to help keep your cat’s feet (and your furniture)
clean.
Cats are natural explorers who sometimes get into foreign places—it
comes with the territory for both indoor and outdoor dwellers. So
check your little wanderer’s paws regularly for any cuts, sores,
splinters or swellings that may need tending to.
Felines need to scratch to shed their outer nail sheaths that
reveal the sharp, smooth claws underneath. Provide your kitty with
a few different kinds of scratching posts so that she won’t get
bored and choose to use your furniture. Encourage her to
investigate the posts by scenting them with catnip.
Prepare your cat for a nail-trimming by massaging his paws, so that
she gets used to the feeling of having them touched. We recommend
that you start by doing just one or two claws per session. When she
seems calm and relaxed, follow these steps:
Long-haired kitties may have hair sprouting in between their toes.
If this irritates your cat (you’ll know if she licks at the hair
obsessively), trim these lovely locks gently with a small pair of
rounded scissors.
Check your cat’s feet regularly to make sure they’re free of wounds
and infections. Remove splinters or debris gently with tweezers and
clean any small cuts. If you notice any blood, pus or an unusual
odor, please take your cat to the vet to check for
infection.
Be wary of your kitty’s sensitive paw pads. In hot and cold
weather, moisturize them with a vet-recommended product and try to
avoid letting your cat’s feet touch freezing patios, hot sidewalks
or other uncomfortable surfaces.
If you notice your cat obsessively cleaning her paws, limping or
favoring one leg, please investigate—it might require veterinary
attention.
Most cats don’t suffer from foot problems, but doing a little
research to find out what issues your kitty’s breed is susceptible
to can be a great help in keeping her feet healthy.
Declawing is a surgery that involves the amputation of the end of a
cat’s toes and causes significant pain during recovery. Please
honor your cat’s need to scratch by providing scratching posts,
clipping her nails regularly and researching other ways to help
manage destructive scratching.