Litter Box Problems After De-claw Surgery; Please Help!

[bct121]

I see the Carefresh is recycled cellulose. How does it compare in price to Yesterday's News? Are the pellets smaller? This knowledge will help us recommend litters for cats having box problems.

the care fresh is actually a cage bedding for rodents so no pellets! I looked at the yesterday's news and decided that the pellets would still be too tought on her feet. I spoke to a cat behavior specialist who told me to keep her contained for two weeks to get her back into the habit of using the litter box.
I have her in a large pop up crate from Walmart with her food, water, toys, bed and litter box. I have been shreading newspaper to put in the litter box and I lined the box with a puppy pee pad. This arrangement has been working great for her and the cleanup is so easy! Just lift out the pee pad with newspaper and everything in it!
Shelly has healed great from her surgeries also. She is done with her cycle of pain medicine and her paws do not seem to be in any pain. She is not licking/biting/ messing with them anymore and when I let her out to play she just runs and jumps and has the best time! I'm keeping her on her antibiotics twice a day and watching the incision from

 

[bct121]

Her spay procedure which is healing a bit slower than her paws!

 

[catspaw66]

Thank you. I don't have any pet supply stores close, so I can't look at stuff myself. And the website didn't have the information I wanted.

 

[belle8bete]

bct, when my family cat was declawed 15 years ago we encountered the same thing...the spaying seemed more troubling than the de-clawing.  It sounds like you found a system that is working.  

She will get over both and it sounds like she will be fine!  

 

[carolina]

I don't agree with declawing cats either, but it's already done, so we should try and help the OP. Although a mistake was made, it's clear the OP loves the kitty.

Have you tried seeing if she'll go on puppy paper?

Problem is, this is her 4th declawed cat. Will her future cats be declawed too? :dk:

 

[franksmom]

the care fresh is actually a cage bedding for rodents so no pellets! I looked at the yesterday's news and decided that the pellets would still be too tought on her feet. I spoke to a cat behavior specialist who told me to keep her contained for two weeks to get her back into the habit of using the litter box.
I have her in a large pop up crate from Walmart with her food, water, toys, bed and litter box. I have been shreading newspaper to put in the litter box and I lined the box with a puppy pee pad. This arrangement has been working great for her and the cleanup is so easy! Just lift out the pee pad with newspaper and everything in it!
Shelly has healed great from her surgeries also. She is done with her cycle of pain medicine and her paws do not seem to be in any pain. She is not licking/biting/ messing with them anymore and when I let her out to play she just runs and jumps and has the best time! I'm keeping her on her antibiotics twice a day and watching the incision from

How long has she been taking pain medicine? In the article I posted the vet recommends due to the most recent studies after a declawing surgery cats should be given pain medication for at least two weeks post-op (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/chronic-pain-of-declawing/). I really hope you read the article because cats often do not show pain, this does not mean they are not in pain. Cats have evolved to not show pain to save themselves from predators and there are usually only subtle clues that a cat is in pain (one such clue is not using the litter box). I am really hoping you read the above article and look and this one on how to help with pain after declawing (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/relief-for-declawed-cats/). I know you want to believe your cat is not in pain but understand that she is and you will need to help her get through this trauma. You can buy a declaw remedy which hopefully will help (http://store.jacksongalaxy.com/Declaw-Remedy-p/declaw-remedy.htm), but she really needs to be on pain medication for at least two weeks. 

 

[tulosai]

How long has she been taking pain medicine? In the article I posted the vet recommends due to the most recent studies after a declawing surgery cats should be given pain medication for at least two weeks post-op (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/chronic-pain-of-declawing/). I really hope you read the article because cats often do not show pain, this does not mean they are not in pain. Cats have evolved to not show pain to save themselves from predators and there are usually only subtle clues that a cat is in pain (one such clue is not using the litter box). I am really hoping you read the above article and look and this one on how to help with pain after declawing (http://www.littlebigcat.com/declawing/relief-for-declawed-cats/). I know you want to believe your cat is not in pain but understand that she is and you will need to help her get through this trauma. You can buy a declaw remedy which hopefully will help (http://store.jacksongalaxy.com/Declaw-Remedy-p/declaw-remedy.htm), but she really needs to be on pain medication for at least two weeks. 

 She is probably also acting energetic because she's overjoyed to get out of the tiny cage she's in now after she used to have full run of your house- not because she's not in any pain.

 

[belle8bete]

I think we have no idea how the cat is doing because we are not there, and that harping on the pain is in no way useful, nor is conjecture about the claws of future cats...anyway, time for me to leave this particular thread before I myself in trouble. 

 

[franksmom]

I think we have no idea how the cat is doing because we are not there, and that harping on the pain is in no way useful, nor is conjecture about the claws of future cats...anyway, time for me to leave this particular thread before I myself in trouble. 

Have you actually read the article which is written by a vet and has peer reviewed citations? The article states that the current medical thought is to give the cat pain medication for two weeks. I am only trying to help the cat and prevent further litter box problems. Proper pain management should only help both the op and her cat.

 

[carolina]

I think we have no idea how the cat is doing because we are not there, and that harping on the pain is in no way useful, nor is conjecture about the claws of future cats...anyway, time for me to leave this particular thread before I myself in trouble. 

Have you actually read the article which is written by a vet and has peer reviewed citations? The article states that the current medical thought is to give the cat pain medication for two weeks. I am only trying to help the cat and prevent further litter box problems. Proper pain management should only help both the op and her cat.

belle8bete, I don't see how you don't think that addressing the pain is not helpful - the main reason for litterbox avoidance after a declaw is pain :dk:
A declaw is extremely painful, and this cat was only declawed 6 days ago. This baby should be using a proper litter, and should be in pain medication.

Declaw, UTIs, Digestive upsets - these are some of the causes that involve PAIN and litterbox avoidance. The cat will not complain.... but it will stop using a box that hurts him/her, and will start relating the box to pain and going elsewhere.
This is a typical behavior of a cat in pain.
If pain management and proper litter choices are not good advices, what are?

I also think that education on declawing is of great importance to avoid if anything else, this type of issue....... and pain...... in any other future cats the OP might have. But that is my opinion FWIW.

 

[belle8bete]

Hi,

Franksmom and Carolina.  

I'm sorry that my post came out wrong...I was just frustrated.  

Edit: and the post was also rash.  

 

[franksmom]

Hi,

Franksmom and Carolina.  

I'm sorry that my post came out wrong...I was just frustrated.  

Edit: and the post was also rash.  

No worries I think it is good for us to be careful to try our best to support the OP so she stays and learns more, so I understand the spirit of your original comment. 

I hope the OP takes my comments as just trying to be helpful. I do understand that she loves her kitty, but I hope she reads the links on the effects of declawing and how to manage the pain. I also hope she reads all the information before she decides to declaw another cat. I do not at all blame her, vets often to not tell people what the surgery entails and many just say it is removing the nail when it is actually an amputation of the toe up until the knuckle. My only hope is that people become more aware on what it is, other methods to use instead of declawing and how to manage the pain/problems in cats who are declawed. 

 

[ritz]

To the OP:  you''ll have to experiment with different textures, smells of litter.  I would tend to stay away from scented litter, that's just my gut feeling.  (You can donate the litter that doesn't work to your local shelter/SPCA.)  You can also try cat attract litter  but CAUTION it might be too coarse/rough for your cat.