Understanding The Procedure For Declawing Cats
As veterinary care providers we are here to help provide you with accurate and unbiased information about declawing cats in order for you to make an informed, educated decision on behalf of your furry feline friend.
- Blade Declawing: An instrument with a sliding blade cuts a straight line through the joint between the entire claw growth and the rest of the cats paw. This used to be the method of declawing kittens or adult cats before the surgical laser became available
- Laser Declawing: A laser is used to remove the third bone of the cats paw. Laser declawing is more expensive than blade declawing, but laser declawing results in less bleeding during surgery, as well as less pain and shorter recovery time.
- Cosmetic Declawing: A tiny curved blade dissects out the claw and the tiny piece of the bone the claw is affixed to. Because the soft tissue and paw pad remains intact, and similar to laser declawing, there is less post-surgery discomfort and quicker recovery time versus blade declawing. This is a more precise and time consuming procedure compared to blade declawing, and is rarely, if ever, done.
The Best Cat Litter Is Affordable
Depending what type of litter you choose, you could end up forking over $70 $200 per year in cat litter expenditures. When you consider that a humans annual toilet paper expenses are low as $15 and usually dont exceed $50, cat litter starts to look a bit pricey.
Dont think you need to choose an expensive litter box filler. The most affordable litter is often the best, and you might be better off using soil from your backyard rather than spending big bucks on premium litter.
Many cat litter shoppers explain that they save money by buying cat litter in bulk or from store brands like Chewys Frisco and Petcos So Phresh.
Yesterdays News Softer Texture Unscented Cat Litter Review
Veterinarians and experts regularly recommend paper litter for cats who have recently undergone surgery. This particular product is designed to be even softer than the standard Yesterdays News, making it ideal for ultra-sensitive paws.
Its essentially dust-free and doesnt clump, so it wont contaminate the wounds.
The litter is 3X more absorbent than clay, but youll need to change it out regularly to keep the box clean. This is an essential cleanliness routine crucial for cats who have recently been declawed.
The litter is made from recycled newspaper and is 100% biodegradable. Buy It
Pros
- Doesnt offer great odor control
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Purina Yesterdays News Original Unscented Non
Yesterdays news is more than just a missed alert on your cell phone or the article from the newspaper. Youll want to look into Yesterdays News Original Unscented Non-Clumping Paper Cat Litter as a perfect soft litter for declawed cats. With recycled paper as the base, this soft texture litter is supremely absorbent up to three times as absorbent as clay), is eco-friendly, and virtually 100% dust-free.
Its non-clumping to the benefit of the soft-pawed cat, and its unscented, so no harmful chemicals are loaded into the litter, and good for multi-cat households and other pets . It can be messy when cleaning the litter box, has minimal odor control, and can be difficult to scoop. Still, its an affordable option for a cat with sensitive feet or wanting something a bit softer than traditional clay litter.
Purina Yesterdays News Non
This litter is made from cardboard, wood shaving, and recycled paper. These materials are not only sustainable and eco-friendly but they also provide a softer texture that will be easier on your cats paws.
In fact, paper cat litter is the most widely recommended type of litter after declawing because of its dust-free and non-abrasive properties.
The benefits of this paper-based litter dont stop there either. This litter is up to 3 times more absorbent than standard clay-based litters. Its also completely fragrance-free, which reduces the risk of chemical irritation after declawing.
Despite its lack of fragrance, however, Purinas Yesterdays News litter provides effective odor control.
This litter is 99.7% free of dust and small particles. Whilst this is great news for your floors and carpets because it means less tracking, it also means that your cats paws are less likely to become irritated or infected after declawing.
Pros
- Granule shape can make scooping difficult
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Best Cat Litter For Dust Control
Arm & Hammer Litter Clump and Seal Platinum Litter is a great choice for dust control. Dust-free litter is perfect for humans, and cats, who suffer from allergies. The manufacturer claims it’s 100% dust free and also gives a seven-day guarantee for odor control. It also is made with a unique “sealing technology” that blocks the odor from cat feces and urine with the clumping action. It’s an Amazon’s Choice product with around 4.5 out of 5 star rating from over 3,000 users. A 27 pound box is about $23.
Overall Best Cat Litters For Declawed Cats
| Our 2021 Picks: Best Cat Litters for Declawed Cats |
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- Gives you a heads up if your cat has any internal issues
- Not made of clay, so your cats sensitive feet will be fine
- Quick-drying and quick-absorbing to ensure smells are minimized and eliminated
- Good for multi-cat households
Best Overall Its not enough to have a specialty litter, but youll want to make sure your cat makes use of its litter box as well. You cant go wrong with Pretty Litter as many claim it is the worlds best cat litter.
Understanding how difficult it can be to converse with a cat, its even worse when theyre telling you somethings wrong. Whether its an infection, a blockage, a blood issue, or something else, all you hear is meow after meow.
Whats a way to check up on them? Use the worlds smartest cat litter. See what color the litter is. From detecting urinary tract infections to any acidity issues to blood infections, Pretty Litter tells you what you need to know from the comfort of the litter box.
Pros:
- Friendly litter soft enough for cats paws without claws
- Lightweight and easy to scoop
- Non-clumping so you use less litter
- Safe for cats due to the mineral composition of the litter
Cons:
Pros:
Pros:
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Do Declawed Cats Need Special Litter
Immediately following the operation, your cat will have incredibly sensitive paws. They will need to avoid liquid and moisture, dust, and they should avoid sharp and hard objects. They should especially avoid trying to claw, scratch, or bury in hard litter pellets. Even after your cat has had the chance to recuperate from their operation, they will have no claws to protect their paws and they will be much more sensitive to harsh environments and harsh materials. Clay may clump and be painful to stand on, while wood pellets will certainly be too sharp for your cat to scratch at.
Why The Litter Box Can Be A Challenge For Declawed Cats
As Dr. Bahr and Dr. Downing explain, and when they use the litter box, that pain can be exacerbated by the cat litter.
All cats using litter boxes exit them with litter, small particles of litter, or litter dust between their toes, says Dr. Bahr. Declawed cats object to litter boxes because their feet hurt normally, and cleaning the dust from their toes makes it hurt even more.
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Schedule An Appointment To Discuss Options With Your Veterinarian
At Northwood Animal Hospital, our veterinary team has provided education and insight to help many concerned and caring cat owners decide if declawing a cat is the right decision to make. If you are looking into cat declawing surgery, or have any questions about declawing cats, please contact us to schedule an appointment with a member of our veterinary team today.
Exactly How Do I Pick Pet Cat Litter
Choosing your feline litter can be perplexing if you dont recognize what to look for. Sometimes you will find yourself taking a look at only the cost and also not the advantages. While clumping litter functions well for single feline homes, it obtains overwhelming when you have multiple felines. If you have multiple pet cats, you need super-advanced smell control, and also you will still have to change it regularly than if you have only one pet cat. There are many aspects you need to inspect. Age, weight, and also the allergic reactions of pets as well as people in the house are all key aspects when selecting. Locate what benefit your residence, every house and also every housecat is different. You can do this by trial and error up until you find what works for you.
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Worlds Best Cat Litter Extra Strength
These granules are naturally highly absorbent, lightweight, and provide excellent odor control in the absence of any perfumes or other synthetic chemicals. This is a great litter for maintaining a fresh-smelling home environment whilst ensuring the comfort of your cat.
This cat litter is 99% dust-free for the protection of your cats paws and your floors. It also clumps quickly so that it can be scooped and removed easily.
Worlds Best cat litter is flushable and septic-safe, which is not only convenient but also better for the environment.
Finally, one of the biggest selling points of this litter for after declawing is that it contains a plant-based additive to naturally attract your cat to their litter box.
Because this additive is plant-based rather than synthetic, it is safe for your cat. It may also help to encourage a cat who is reluctant to use the litter box after declawing.
Although corn is preferable to clay as a litter material for after declawing, it should still be restricted to use after a full recovery from surgery has been made since corn kernels can be a little too hard on newly declawed paws.
Pros
- Has clumping ability
- Minor tracking and dust
What makes Worlds Best different from other litters is what its made out of: natural, non-toxic, ground corn husks. First time users are usually shocked by how light weight it is and while the aroma is unique, it isnt over-powering and is easy to adapt to.
Do Declawed Cats Need Special Cat Litter
Litter box rejection is a common problem with declawed cats. For this reason softer but not too soft, cat litters are recommended. Paper litter is often recommended. The softer litters in the Okocat range are also a very good choice.
Once the wounds are healed, a regular cat litter can be used.
To make the adjustment to the regular litter easier, some of the new or regular litter can be gradually added to the paper litter before changing to the regular cat litter completely.
This will give the cat a chance to adapt to the regular litter. Bookmark this page just in case the cat does not adjust and you can re read the pros and cons of other litters suggested.
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At A Glance: Our Top Picks For Best Crystal Cat Litter
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According to Kitty Catter.com, crystals generally hold up to 40% of their own weight in water, which makes them effective at keeping the litter box dry and comfortable for your cat.
You also need to change out the litter box less often with crystals, and this litter is often sold in small bags. That can be convenient for some cat owners who have trouble lifting heavy bags of traditional cat litter.
Best Litter For Declawed Cat
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Originally Posted by notme1295I just adopted a 9 yo boy who is all 4 declawed. They said they’ve used clumping litter for him. Is this the best type of litter for a declawed cat? I am worried about pieces getting stuck in his paws or something , so if anyone has any suggestions let me know… Thanks!
Originally Posted by littleraven7726according to pam johnson-bennett, cat behaviorist you should use fine sand-like clumping litter. i think the best analogy is walking barefoot on a gravel road, that is what rough litter feels like to a declawed cat.
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Can Declawed Cats Use A Cat Litter Box
One reason why declawed cats may reject the litter box is because of pain. There are some suggestions below if your cat is rejecting the litter box and tips to enourage your cat to use the litter box.
Choosing an appropriate cat litter will help to solve this problem.
Our cat did scratch the leather couch. We did solve the problem. No declawing considered. We just took the extremely, almost distorted, long way round. When I read this article, now it seems quite ridiculous that we just didnt buy couch covers sooner. Oh well, live and learn.
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The 5 Best Kitty Litters For Declawed Cats
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Cats with claws are not as likely to care about the type of litter you buy, but declawed cats are often prone to litter box issues. Even years after surgery, a declawed cat may refuse to use her litter box.
To help protect your cats comfort and health, resist using clay-based, sandy or clumping litters that could stick or clump between her toes or in her surgical incisions.
You may use these types of litters after your cat has recovered completely from her declawing surgery. Read on to learn more about the best cat litter after declawing as well as the pros and cons.
Contents
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What To Look For In Cat Litter For Declawed Cats
Because digging through cat litter can be difficult and painful for declawed catsand can prevent them from using their litter box properlythe kind of cat litter you buy for your kitty is extremely important.
If owners think of litter as being similar to toilet paper, we all prefer the softest paper possible. No one wants to wipe … with sandpaper, says Dr. Bahr. The key is to find cat litter for declawed cats thats going to be as gentle on their feet as possible.
For the most part, pelleted litters should be avoided, says Dr. Downing. The missing toe bones of these cats means that their feet do not conform to surfaces like normal feet, and the uneven surfaces of the pellets may lead to litter box aversion, prompting the cat to engage in inappropriate elimination.
Dr. Bahr recommends finding the softest cat litter available to help a declawed cat use a litter box comfortably. She explains, Declawed cats … toes hurt from being amputated and owners should avoid any litter that is coarse or feels like small pebbles or shards of glass.
When it comes to cat litters that will be soft on your declawed kittys paws, there are a few varieties you can try. One option is a lightweight cat litter with extremely fine grains, like Garfield cat litter tiny grains flushable cat litter.
Okocat Natural Paper Dust Free Cat Litter
This Okocat litter brings high-quality and eco-friendly together to offer an exceptional option for your declawed cat. Like other Okocat litters, this one is biodegradable and it comes in a compostable package. This paper pellet litter is dust free and absorbs up to 200% its weight in moisture. Patented Odor Shield Technology will keep your litter box area smelling pleasant without the use of chemicals, perfumes or fragrances. Okocat paper litter will be gentle on your cats delicate paws, while controlling odors and moisture effectively.
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Best Low Tracking Cat Litter
Petco’s highest rated non-tracking cat litter is So Phresh Odor Control Paper Cat Litter. The litter is made with paper pellets which is less likely track than the usual clay or gravel litters. It’s also 99% dust free and since it’s made primarily from recycled paper, it’s eco friendly. The litter also contains baking soda and zeolite to help with odor control. Petco users give the litter a 4.8 out of 5 star rating with over 200 reviews.
What To Do Post Surgery And How To Pick The Best Litter For Sensitive Paws
Cats are our feline friends that we cant live without. Just as we humans are diverse and with different health conditions, some cats have sensitive paws.
Did you know that all cat paws are sensitive? Paws have nerve endings that assist the cat in hunting and body balance.
These receptors aid the feline hunters to determine proximity to their prey via the vibrations through their paws.
This sensitivity is the reason cats cant stand you rubbing their paws as you play with them. Pressure, temperature and pain are factors that can affect the paws of your cat since they are not protected with any heavy insulation.
For this reason, frozen surfaces, hot plates, sharp objects, have the potential of injuring the cat.
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