Two Important Cat Care Subjects

Now that you have your sweet little kitten at home, and you have all the supplies you will need, you might wonder what comes next. If you are a first-time cat owner, there are many things that might seem confusing. Perhaps you are unsure as to how to deal with things like shedding and declawing.  Fortunately, you have Cutting Edge Cat Care!

First of all, keep in mind that loving your cat is truly the most important step to giving him a full and happy life. When you are committed to treating your cat well, it is easy to find the information you need to do just that. Cutting Edge Cat Care is a great place to start. You may have heard of something call "homeopathic" care for your cat. We will touch briefly on that subject here.

Now, about that shedding. Unfortunately, your cat will shed, and so you will need to know how to deal with it. Though you may think your cat will only shed during the warmer months, he will in fact shed year round thanks to the warm, cozy indoor environment you are so kindly providing for him. And if you have a long-haired cat, the shedding will be much more noticeable than that of a short-haired cat. But there are ways to minimize the shedding as much as possible.

Not every hair that your cat sheds will end up on your clothing, carpet, or furniture. In fact, most of it will end up in your cat's stomach, in the form of hairballs. As you've already learned, cats are very clean animals. As such, they clean their coats constantly with their tongues, which you probably know are rough and feel like sandpaper. As they lick themselves clean, they remove much of the loose hair that would otherwise be shed into the air. Unfortunately, the resulting hairballs can cause serious problems with your cat's digestive system. Hairballs can form a block, which doesn't allow your cat's food to travel all the way through his system.

If your cat is dealing with a hairball, you will know it! Most cats actually cough them up, and you will find them on the furniture or the floor. They simply look like an indistinguishable mass, in the shape of a cigar. Unpleasant, maybe, but be glad your cat was able to expel it from his system.

Another way you may discover hairballs is in the litter box. If you find hair in your cat's feces, that means he is most likely passing his hairballs through his bowels movements. If your cat suddenly develops a dry, hacking cough, frequently after eating, he is probably trying to expel a hairball that way. If you find that your cat loses his appetite with no apparent cause, it may be that he is bothered by hairballs.

With hairballs being such a nuisance for both you and your cat, is there anything you can do about then? Yes! Brush your cat! It is that simple. Brushing your cat regularly will go a long way toward removing the excess hair that would normally be shed, or end up in kitty's tummy when he grooms himself. Don't think of brushing as a chore; rather, view it as a bonding time with your precious pet.

If, after you have made a habit out of brushing, your cat still suffers from frequent hairballs, it may be time to try a more serious remedy. Visit your local pet store and check out the hairball remedies they have available. You should find one that will work for you and your cat.

So what about declawing?

Though it seems the perfect solution to your cat's penchant for scratching everything from your furniture to your arm, declawing is not widely agreed upon by either experts or cat owners. Years ago, most domestic felines were as routinely declawed as they were spayed or neutered.

However, in recent years, cat owners have become more aware of exactly what declawing surgery really is. The claws themselves are not all that is removed, and the surgery is not as simple as it once seemed. Because the claws are embedded in the cat's paws, the first joint is actually completly amputated. It would be similar to you having the tips of all your fingers amputated in order to remove your fingernails.

Of course, the cat who is about to undergo the surgery will receive anesthesia, and will be administered pain medication after the surgery. Then after the first knuckles of the cat's paws are amputated, he will have all his paws bandaged before being sent home with his owner the following day.

If you do choose to have your cat declawed, be prepared for the fact that he will have some serious recovery time. Not only will he suffer from great pain in all his paws, he will need to adjust to missing all of his first joints. Be patient with him, and give him ample time to adjust, since he will probably try to act as if nothing is wrong.

For about a week, your cat will be very gentle on his healing paws. You will probably notice that she returns to her old mischievous, playful ways after the first week. Considering the serious nature of the surgery, it is amazing that your cat heals as quickly as he does.

While your cat is recovering from her declawing, make sure you de not leave her regular litter in her litter box. The tiny granules have the chance of getting into the wounds in her paws, which could cause an infection. Replacing the litter with shredded paper is a great way to deal with this.

You may have already decided not to subject your cat to the traumatic surgery of declawing. But if you are still looking for more information, how about this? Declawing your cat has another significant side effect. You have probably heard that cats are agile and nimble, and that they "always land on their feet." However, once the ends of all her toes are removed, her entire sense of balance can be wildly thrown off.

The reason for this is that cats actually walk on their toes, rather than on a flat foot. It may seem that a cat can easily adjust to walking on flat feet after declawing surgery, but her entire body - including her back, shoulders, paws, leg joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and nerves - are affected when she can not walk the way she was designed to do.

As a final thought on declawing: Consider the ramifications carefully before you decide to go ahead with the surgery. Knowing all of the above, many cat owners still decide to declaw their kitties. This is an individual decision, but an important one. When you have all the information, you will be well equipped to make the decision that is best for both you and your pet.

So, now we've discussed two of the most mysterious subject for a new cat owner: hairballs and declawing. Being informed about these important cat care information subjects will make a big difference in your cat's quality of life. As long as you have that most important factor - lots of love for your kitty - you are well on your way to a happy life together.