- Joined
- Apr 6, 2006
- Messages
- 3,152
- Purraise
- 86
My cat Tiny has had issues with his paws for the last two years now. Every winter, he would get dry skin on his paw pads, and I'd switch to litter without baking soda and put on a humidifier; and that seemed to do the trick. (I think baking soda dried out his skin when he dug in the litter. Summers, there seemed to be no problems, so I'd use the baking soda type, which I prefer because it seems to last longer without smelling.)
Last winter, though, that wasn't enough. Tiny's paws actually started bleeding; it wasn't just dry skin anymore. I did the usual stuff--the humidifier was constantly running and I even tried a bit of petroleum jelly on the paws, which he licked off, of course; I had no worries about him doing that because it's a common hairball remedy and not dangerous if the cat doesn't get too much of it. No idea whether it helped.
About four weeks ago it became obvious one of Tiny's paws wasn't going to heal on its own. I took him to the vet, and the vet prescribed some steroids and antibiotics, the last of which he finished off the week before last. But while they helped, it doesn't seem to have been enough. Yesterday I caught Tiny limping, and the scab is still there.
We've been using the usual unscented clumping litter; no baking soda added. I have two boxes for two cats (used to have three, but they never used the third). Scoop the boxes every day.
I need to figure out whether the litter we've been using is a problem for Tiny, whether it irritates his paws or whether it might be getting stuck on his hurt paw and stopping it from healing.
I have absolutely no experience with declawing in cats (they come with claws; I want my cats to stay in one piece, thank you), but it seems like what's done for cats that have just been declawed is something like what Tiny would need--a litter that doesn't irritate his paws, is easy to scratch in, but won't dissuade him from using the litter box.
If it matters: Tiny is a 4-year-old neutered male who used to be semi-feral and is now a one-person cat who has absolutely fastidious litter box habits. He has never missed the box, except when physically unable to reach it. He uses his scratching post very politely, and only scratches where I allow him to scratch, mostly because those are the most attractive scratching surfaces in the house anyway. He doesn't over-groom, though he's generally a bit nervous and shy because of his history as a stray. He does lick the paw--I don't know whether that's part of the problem, whether he's keeping it clean or whether he's just making it worse.
Any advice, either about the litter or about getting Tiny's paw to heal in general?
Last winter, though, that wasn't enough. Tiny's paws actually started bleeding; it wasn't just dry skin anymore. I did the usual stuff--the humidifier was constantly running and I even tried a bit of petroleum jelly on the paws, which he licked off, of course; I had no worries about him doing that because it's a common hairball remedy and not dangerous if the cat doesn't get too much of it. No idea whether it helped.
About four weeks ago it became obvious one of Tiny's paws wasn't going to heal on its own. I took him to the vet, and the vet prescribed some steroids and antibiotics, the last of which he finished off the week before last. But while they helped, it doesn't seem to have been enough. Yesterday I caught Tiny limping, and the scab is still there.
We've been using the usual unscented clumping litter; no baking soda added. I have two boxes for two cats (used to have three, but they never used the third). Scoop the boxes every day.
I need to figure out whether the litter we've been using is a problem for Tiny, whether it irritates his paws or whether it might be getting stuck on his hurt paw and stopping it from healing.
I have absolutely no experience with declawing in cats (they come with claws; I want my cats to stay in one piece, thank you), but it seems like what's done for cats that have just been declawed is something like what Tiny would need--a litter that doesn't irritate his paws, is easy to scratch in, but won't dissuade him from using the litter box.
If it matters: Tiny is a 4-year-old neutered male who used to be semi-feral and is now a one-person cat who has absolutely fastidious litter box habits. He has never missed the box, except when physically unable to reach it. He uses his scratching post very politely, and only scratches where I allow him to scratch, mostly because those are the most attractive scratching surfaces in the house anyway. He doesn't over-groom, though he's generally a bit nervous and shy because of his history as a stray. He does lick the paw--I don't know whether that's part of the problem, whether he's keeping it clean or whether he's just making it worse.
Any advice, either about the litter or about getting Tiny's paw to heal in general?