Dirty fur blues: How do I keep my cat clean and still be friends?

Beautiful Zoei

One of our clients asked a great question of us:

I have a question that other cat owners may have: How do you shave kitty's bum and still have kitty like you afterward? We bought clippers and have all the length attachments. When it comes down to it, when kitty cries, I stop trimming.

Our particular situation is Zoei. Her fur is long and when she uses the litter pan, I think she sits right on the litter. It must be difficult for her to hold the stance with one back leg. The result is damp fur and (worse) poo-fur around her bum. We've learned that the deeper the litter, the less mess on her. In the meantime, we use a warm washcloth when necessary. She doesn't like that so we may as well trim her fur. How can we do that with the least amount of invasion? Thank you!!

Exclusively Cats responds:
There are a few things that you can do.

1) Acclimation and desensitization are the key. One of our technicians has been working with my her own new kitten at home, just to get him to accept a comb, let alone the clippers she foresees in his future. Here is what she did:

At first, all Miles would do was bite when the comb came near him.

"When I started, I couldn't get the comb near him - he would flip around and grab my hand and bite me every time I came near him with a comb. Forget trying to comb him while he was in my lap or on the floor - he would roll over and come at me, all points bared - teeth and claws. Fortunately, he had another issue that helped me acclimate him to combing. He also liked to jump on the kitchen table - preferably when people are eating - and steal food. Since he hated combs so much, I thought: "Aha! Two birds, one stone! Either he will end up letting me comb him or he will stop getting on the table!" and started combing him on the table.

"At first, it was just like the floor - teeth and claws - but with food involved. Then, rather than

After 2 months, Miles allows combing, while on the table.

deterring him from the table, he started letting me comb his head, then his mane, then his shoulders, then the base of his tail, then under his tail, then his armpits, and now he is finally letting me comb the tip of his tail (over the course of 2 months). Now he jumps up on the table and lies down, then bats at the comb that I keep there, and looks at me expectantly. I hope that someday, I can start introducing the clippers, because I know he will need it.

"This is my continued plan: I will start by combing him with the clippers sitting nearby (not running). Then I will comb him with the teeth of the clippers (not running). Then I will comb him with the clippers sitting on the table nearby (running), then I will try using the clippers normally, but not shave close to the skin. Then I will attempt to shave close to the skin. I will likely always have to do this on the table, but perhaps I can move him to the counter, or a bathroom counter or another table besides the dinner table. I may have to involve food - no, I will almost definitely have to involve food!"


We don't know if Zoei will let you comb her (or how much of her you can comb) but if she already loves combs, start combing her with the clippers present, next to her. Reward any progress she makes, and don't try to push her too far at each session. Do this daily, or at least every other day. Develop a routine and stick with it, and with baby steps, she will gradually come around.

2) If she is cooperative but vocal, it may help to give Xanax in preparation for grooming. A doctor would have to determine if it is appropriate for her case to use Xanax, but we do use it regularly for cats that are stressed an uncomfortable, for car travel and vet visits. We just gave a dose of Xanax to a calm kitty that is here today because he is stressing out over using his litterbox.

Feliway is another calming product that you can try. Many anti-anxiety treatments take time to build up in the system, but Feliway and Xanax can be used for short term stresses.

3) We are trialing a Thundershirt for our hospital cat, Mr. B, for anxiety issues. We don't have a strong recommendation for this product, yet, but we know that many dogs benefit from this product. We can keep you informed about what our experience with it is.

The Thundershirt may decrease a  cat's anxiety in stressful situations

4) If worst comes to worst, and you just can't do it at home, a professional groomer may be in order - either a groomer that comes to your house, or one who has a brick-and-mortar store that you can visit. If she is still traumatized by a professional groomer, you can schedule her to come in and see us for a trim. Some cats that are terrible at home will be fine here (The same technician who is training her little guy to accept the comb had a cat that she had to bring in here for rear end trims. She kept herself clean until she was quite old, and was too set in her ways to acclimate, but when she came in to the hospital, she was perfectly quiet and docile for her trims). Other cats may benefit from a very short anesthetic experience for their trim.

Whatever the best solution ends up being for you, give LOTS of treats and affection when she makes progress, and she may become more accepting over time.

Welcome Home! 5 tips to help introduce a new cat into your household.

Marley (left) was introduced to Curie when she was two yrs old and he was a tiny kitten. At first, she hated him...

Introducing cats to children is similar to introducing a new cat

Have you thought about adopting a new cat in celebration of "Adopt a Cat Month" this June? If so, you may be wondering how to best handle the introduction of the new cat into your household to make things go as smoothly as possible with your existing cats. If you've already read our blog article about introducing your cat to a new baby, you probably already have some idea of how to introduce a new cat, but if you've never
done it before, you may want some suggestions.

1. Slow and steady - First of all, the best thing that you can do is NOT let the new cat out of the carrier right away. Place the carrier containing the new cat in the middle of the room and let your resident cats approach and investigate the new cat on their own terms. If they immediately seem curious, calm, and playful, you may be lucky enough to have cats that don't need a lengthy introduction. At this point, if the new cat is parasite-free and has been vaccinated and tested for diseases like Feline Leukemia and FIV, you can cautiously let the new cat out and observe face-to-face interactions. Be ready to step in and separate the cats if things get too tense.

It is ideal to have your new cat checked out by your veterinarian before you bring them into your home, but this is not always feasible or practical. If the new cat is not fully "vetted", you should not allow face-to-face contact until you have had the new cat checked out. You don't want to expose your resident cat to parasites or diseases. It is easier to treat one cat for ringworm, roundworms, fleas or ear mites than it is to treat your whole household. It is also not uncommon for a newly adopted cat to develop an upper respiratory infection shortly after adoption (no matter where they came from - breeder, shelter, stray, Craig's List...) because the stress of entering a new home can decrease the strength of the immune response. So, it may be prudent to keep your new cat separate for a few days, just to make sure he doesn't start sneezing.

Delilah and Roger, the two cats on the right, are brother and sister. They were successfully introduced to 6 year old Joey (left) as shy adults. Their owners had planned to board Joey with us while on vacation, so while he was at our hospital, we were able to introduce them all in a neutral environment. They have plenty of toys, cat trees and other valuable resources at home - enough to share, their owners used a lot of positive reinforcement during the introductory period, and it also helped that Roger and Delilah came from an environment with lots of cats living communally. The adjustment period was very short and Joey transitioned smoothly from being a single cat to being a "big brother".

Otherwise, if your resident cat is hissing or growling or seems fearful, you should plan to keep the new cat separate for a while. Set up a spare room with food, water and litter and a cozy bed, and prepare to be patient. This room becomes a safe haven for the new cat, allowing him to establish a place that is "his" within the new home. This can help prevent future issues when he is introduced to the other cats in the home.

2. Scents-able suggestions - Your resident cat's biggest objection to the new cat is likely to be its smell. The new cat doesn't smell like your house - it smells like the rescue (hundreds of other cats!), the pet store (dogs!), or the outdoors (the scary unknown!). One way to accelerate the introduction process (if things are progressing smoothly) is to allow the new cat to sleep on some blankets or towels and then present these items to your resident cat. Once your new cat has spent a few days in the spare room (with plenty of visits for snuggles and pets to keep him from being lonely), switch the two cats. Put your resident cat in the spare room for a period to investigate the new smell in a non-threatening way. Let the new cat out and about in the house to allow him to explore and pick up more of the scent of the house. While he is out in the house, he will likely rub on furniture, play with toys and find a nice place to sleep. This will  deposit some of his own scent in the house, meaning that the smell of the "colony" will smell more like him.

Encourage play under a closed door and reward positive behaviors with treats. Here, Mr. B is spending some quality time with Mona Lisa, while she is boarding.

The addition of Feliway spray may help ease the transition, too. Feliway is a synthetic calming pheromone that will not only de-stress your cats, but will also help make them smell more similar. You can use the spray on individual items in the home, or place diffusers in both the room where the new cat is isolated, and in critical areas in the rest of the house where your cats spend most of their time.

Before you start to allow the cats visual socialization, feed the cats on either side of the door to the room where the new cat is staying. Cats are usually very food motivated, and being able to smell each other while enjoying a yummy treat will help them associate each other's smell with a positive experience. You can also encourage play underneath the door with feather toys or toys on strings that will encourage the cats to stick their paws underneath the door. Eventually, they may begin to play with each other in addition to the toys, with the door as a visual block to prevent aggression.

Once the new cat is starting to socialize with the other cats, reward any positive interaction or even calm non-interaction with treats.

3. Yours, mine and ours - Make sure that when your new cat comes out into the rest of the house, you adequately increase the number of litterboxes. There should be one more litterbox than the number of cats in the house, and ideally one box on every level in your home. For more about avoiding litterbox issues, please read our series of blog articles about inappropriate elimination.

Each cat should have its own food bowl and place to sleep, at a minimum. Much of the stress in a multiple

To a cat, this is only one litterbox.

cat household comes from competition for resources. A large number of food bowls, beds or litterboxes all in a row look like multiple resources to people, but to a cat, if they're all in the same location, they're all the same resource. Provide barriers between items to block cats' view of each other to decrease stress - for example, feeding one cat around a corner from the other.

4. Feline highways - Your new and resident cats may seem to be getting along well, without any fighting, but that may not mean that conflict is not there. We had a recent case where a cat in the home started urinating outside the litterbox after the introduction of another cat. Everything seemed quiet in the house, no fighting - the cats just avoided each other. However, after the owner went home and kept a close eye on the two cats, it became apparent that the new cat was blocking the resident cat from the litterbox. Every time he got up to go to the box, she would run up the stairs ahead of him, use the box, and then sit between him and the litterbox and just stare. Since there was only one box in the house, the poor fellow had no choice but to choose an alternative location to urinate! The addition of several more boxes in the house on different levels of the home made it so that there was no way for the new cat to block the resident's access to all litterboxes, and the problem resolved.

It is important that there be multiple access routes to all cat-related resources - food, water, litter, windows and beds - whatever your cat feels is most important. That may mean adding a new cat tree or two, some cat shelves on the walls, or putting out additional food and water bowls elsewhere in the house. Remember to "think vertical" - your cat does! Adding some elevated areas for your cat to climb or jump up to will increase the square footage of your cat's territory exponentially in your cat's eyes. Jackson Galaxy of "My Cat Fron Hell" on Animal Planet calls this process "Catification".

"Catification" can be very subtle.

It has been suggested that in order to minimize stress between cats in the same household, a minimum of 1.7m2 of floor space per cat is necessary. This is equivalent to just over 18 square feet of floor space per cat.   In a study of pairs of cats in homes, cats were observed to keep a distance between themselves of 1–3 meters, suggesting that cats housed together in the same room should be able maintain a respectful distance from each other (roughly 3-10 feet) (horizontal OR vertical distance, that is). Even cats that are best friends will spend about 50% of their time out of each other's sight. (from: The Welfare of Cats)

5. When your efforts fail - Depending on your cat, the introduction may take a few hours, a few days, weeks or months. As long as you are making slow progress, you haven't failed. The worst thing that you can do at this point is to become impatient and rush things. You can actually cause the problem to become worse if you do.

Key into your cats' signals. If either cat shows signs of stress or hostility at any stage of the introduction, stop and re-evaluate. Go back to a step in which all cats are calm and wait a few days to try again. You can extend each phase of the introduction by adding "baby steps". If cats are playing happily under the door, but opening the door causes hostility, you can prop the door slightly open with a door stopper, or set up baby gates, install a screen door, or use your imagination to make the introduction even more gradual.

Non-threatening socialization through a screen door

Get your veterinarian involved. At Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital, our staff is well-versed in cat behavior and can offer specific recommendations that are tailored to your unique situation. In some cases, it may be necessary to add in a behavioral medication to aid the introduction. Some cats are hyper-aggressive or extremely shy and may need a course of anti-anxiety or calming medication in order to facilitate a good relationship. In some cases this medication may only need to be used for a short period, while other cases may need long term therapy.

New Kitten FAQ

KITTENS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW OWNERS

We would like to congratulate you on the acquisition on your new kitten.  Owning a cat can be an extremely rewarding experience, but it also carries with it quite a bit of responsibility.  We hope this document will give you the information needed to make some good decisions regarding your kitten.

First let us say that we are grateful that you have chosen us to help you with your kitten's health care.  If you have questions concerning any subject related to your kitten's health, please feel free to call our hospital.  Either one of the technicians or one of the doctors will be happy to help you.

How should I introduce my new kitten to its new environment?

A cat is naturally inclined to investigate its new surroundings.  At first, you should limit the cat's area of exploration so that these natural tendencies do not create an unmanageable situation.  After confining the cat to one room for the first few days, you should slowly allow access to other areas of the home. 

What type of playing should I expect from a kitten?

Kittens love to play with just about ANYTHING! 

Stimulating play is important during the first week.  Stalking and pouncing are important play behaviors in kittens and have an important role in proper muscular development.  If given a sufficient outlet for these behaviors with toys, your kitten will be less likely to use family members for these activities.  The best toys are light weight and movable.  These include wads of paper and small balls.  Kittens should always be supervised when playing with string or ribbons to avoid swallowing them.  Any other toy that is small enough to be swallowed should also be avoided. 

Can I discipline a kitten?

Disciplining a young kitten may be necessary if his or her behavior threatens people or property, but harsh punishment should be avoided.  Hand clapping and using shaker cans or horns can be intimidating enough to inhibit undesirable behavior.  However, remote punishment is preferred.  Remote punishment consists of using something that appears unconnected to the punisher to stop the problem behavior.  Examples include using spray bottles, throwing objects in the direction of the kitten to startle (but not hit) her,  and making loud noises.  Remote punishment is preferred because the kitten associates punishment with the undesirable act and not with you.

When should my kitten be vaccinated?

There are many diseases that are fatal to cats.  Fortunately, we have the ability to prevent many of these by the use of very effective vaccines.  In order to be effective, these vaccines must be given as a series of injections.  Ideally, they are given at about 6-8, 12, and 16 weeks of age, but this schedule may vary somewhat depending on several factors. 

The routine vaccination schedule will protect your kitten from five diseases: distemper, three respiratory organisms, and rabies.  The first four are included in a combination vaccine that is given at 6-8, 12, and 16 weeks old.  Rabies vaccine is given at 12 or 16 weeks of age.  Leukemia vaccine is necessary if your cat does or will go outside or if you have another cat that goes in and out since this deadly disease is transmitted by contact with other cats, especially when fighting occurs.  A vaccine is also available for protection against feline infectious peritonitis (FIP); this vaccine is probably not necessary for all cats and is recommended in selected situations.

Why does my kitten need more than one vaccination for feline distemper, upper respiratory infections, and leukemia?

Kittens receive a temporary form of immunity through their mother's milk while nursing.  This immunity is in the form of proteins called antibodies.  For about 24-48 hours after birth, the kitten's intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the blood stream.  This immunity is of benefit during the first few weeks of the kitten's life, but, at some point, this immunity fails and the kitten must be able to make its own long-lasting immunity.  Vaccinations are used for this purpose.  As long as the mother's antibodies are present, vaccinations do not "take."  The mother's antibodies will neutralize the vaccine so the vaccine does not get a chance to stimulate the kitten's immune system.

Many factors determine when the kitten will be able to respond to the vaccines.  These include the level of immunity in the mother cat, how much of the antibody has been absorbed, and the number of vaccines given the kitten.  Since we do not know when an individual kitten will lose the short-term immunity, we give a series of vaccinations.  We hope that at least two of these will fall in the window of time when the kitten has lost the immunity from its mother but has not yet been exposed to disease.  A single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the long-term immunity which is so important. 

Rabies vaccine is an exception to this, since one injection given at the proper time is enough to produce long-term immunity.

Do all kittens have worms?

This is a type of roundworm

Intestinal parasites are common in kittens.  Kittens can become infected with parasites almost as soon as they are born.  For example, the most important source of roundworm infection in kittens is the mother's milk.  The microscopic examination of a stool sample will usually help us to determine the presence of intestinal parasites.  We recommend this exam for all kittens, if we can get a stool sample.  Please bring one at your earliest convenience.  Even if we do not get a stool sample, we recommend the use of a deworming product that is safe and effective against several of the common worms of the cat.  It is important that deworming be repeated in about 3-4 weeks, because the deworming medication only kills the adult worms.  Within 3-4 weeks the larval stages will have become adults and will need to be treated.  Cats remain susceptible to reinfection with hookworms and roundworms.  Periodic stool analysis and/or deworming throughout the cat's life may be recommended for cats that go outdoors.

Tapeworm segments in a cat's fur

Tapeworms are the most common intestinal parasite of cats.  Kittens become infected with them when they swallow fleas because the eggs of the tapeworm live inside the flea.  When the cat chews or licks its skin as a flea bites, the flea may be swallowed.  The flea is digested within the cat's intestine; the tapeworm hatches and then anchors itself to the intestinal lining.  Therefore, exposure to fleas may result in a new infection, which can occur in as little as two weeks.  Cats may also become infected with tapeworms if they hunt and eat mice.

A lungworm under the microscope

Cats infected with tapeworms will pass small segments of the worms in their stool.  The segments are white in color and look like grains of rice.  They are about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long and may be seen crawling on the surface of the stool.  They may also stick to the hair under the tail.  If this occurs, the segments will dry out, shrink to about half their size, and become golden in color. 

Tapeworm segments do not pass every day or in every stool sample; therefore, inspection of several consecutive bowel movements may be needed to find them.  We may examine a stool sample in our office and not find them, then you may find them the next day.  If you find them at any time, please notify us so we may provide the appropriate drug for treatment.

Giardia organisms

Depending on a kitten's history, other common parasites that we look for are lung worms, heartworms, and infections with single-celled organisms like Giardia or Coccidia.

There are lots of choices of cat foods.  What should I feed my kitten?

Diet is extremely important in the growing months of a cat's life, and there are two important criteria that should be met in selecting food for your kitten.  We recommend a name-brand food made by a national cat food company (not a generic or local brand), and a form of food made for kittens.  This should be fed until your kitten is about 12 months of age.  In the United States, we recommend that you only buy food which has the AAFCO certification.  Usually, you can find this information very easily on the label.  AAFCO is an organization which oversees the entire pet food industry.  It does not endorse any particular food, but it will certify that the food has met the minimum requirements for nutrition.  Most of the commercial pet foods will have the AAFCO label.  Generic brands often do not have approval.

Feeding a dry, canned, or semi-moist form of cat food is acceptable. At Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital, we recommend feeding a small amount of dry food and 3-6oz of canned food daily.  

Each type of food has advantages and disadvantages.  Dry food is definitely the most inexpensive.  It can be left in the cat's bowl at all times.  If given the choice, the average cat will eat a mouthful of food about 12-20 times per day.  The good brands of dry food are just as nutritious as the other forms. 

Semi-moist and canned foods are also acceptable.  However, both are considerably more expensive than dry food.  They often are more appealing to the cat's taste; however, they are not more nutritious.  If you feed a very tasty food, you are running the risk of creating a cat with a finicky appetite.  In addition, the semi-moist foods are high in sugar.

Table foods are not recommended.  Because the foods we eat are generally very tasty, cats will often begin to hold out for these and not eat their well-balanced cat food.  If you choose to give your kitten table food, be sure that at least 90% of its diet is good quality commercial kitten food.

We enjoy a variety of things to eat in our diet.  However, most cats actually prefer not to change from one food to another unless they are trained to do so by the way you feed them.  Do not feel guilty if your cat is happy to just eat one food day after day, week after week.

Commercials for cat food can be very misleading.  If you watch carefully you will notice that commercials promote cat food on one basis, TASTE.  Nutrition is rarely mentioned.  Most of the "gourmet" foods are marketed to appeal to owners who want the best for their cats; however, they do not offer the cat any nutritional advantage over a good quality dry food, and they are far more expensive.  If your cat eats a gourmet food very long, he will probably not be happy with other foods.  If he needs a special diet due to a health problem later in life, he will be very unlikely to accept it.  Therefore, we do not encourage feeding gourmet cat foods.

How do I ensure that my kitten is well socialized?

The socialization period for cats is between 2 and 12 weeks of age.  During that time, the kitten is very impressionable to social influences.  If the kitten has good experiences with men, women, children, dogs, other cats, etc., she is likely to accept them throughout life.  If the experiences are absent or unpleasant, the kitten may become apprehensive or adverse to any of them.  Therefore, during the period of socialization, we encourage you to expose your cat to as many types of social events and influences as possible.

What can be done about fleas on my kitten?

Many of the flea control products that are safe on adult cats are not safe for kittens less than 4 months of age.  Fleas may not stay on your kitten all of the time.  Occasionally, they will jump off and seek another host.  Therefore, it is important to kill fleas on your new kitten before they become established in your house.  Be sure that any flea product you use is labeled safe for kittens.

This is "flea dirt" - a sure sign of fleas

Flea and tick dip is not recommended for kittens unless they are at least 4 months of age.  Remember, not all insecticides that can be used on dogs are safe for cats and kittens. 

In addition to flea treatments and preventives, it is important to control fleas in the environment by thoroughly vacuuming areas where the kitten spends time.

Can I trim my kitten's sharp toe nails?

Kittens have very sharp toe nails.  They can be trimmed with your regular finger nail clippers or with nail trimmers made for dogs and cats.  If you trim too much, you will cut into the quick of the nail which will bleed and be painful.  If this happens, neither you nor your cat will want to do this again.  Therefore, a few points are helpful:

1. If your cat has clear or white nails, you can see the pink of the quick through the nail so it is easy to avoid.

2. If your cat has black nails, you will not be able to see the quick so only cut 1/32" (1 mm) of the nail at a time until the cat begins to get sensitive.  The sensitivity will usually occur before you are into the blood vessel.  With black nails, it is likely that you will get too close on at least one nail.

3. If your cat has some clear and some black nails, use the average
     clear nail as a guide for cutting the black ones.

4. When cutting nails, use sharp trimmers.  Dull trimmers tend to crush the nail and cause pain even if you are not in the quick. 

5. You should always have styptic powder available.  This is sold in pet stores under several trade names, but it will be labeled for use in trimming nails.

What are ear mites?

Ear mite under the microscope

Ear mites are tiny insect-like parasites that live in the ear canal of cats (and dogs).  The most common sign of ear mite infection is scratching of the ears.  Sometimes the ears will appear dirty because of a black material in the ear canal; this material is sometimes shaken out.  The instrument we use for examining the ear canals, an otoscope, has the necessary magnification to allow us to see the mites.  Sometimes, we can find the mites by taking a small amount of the black material from the ear canal and examining it with a microscope.  Although they may leave the ear canals for short periods of time, they spend the vast majority of their lives within the protection of the ear canal.  Transmission generally requires direct ear-to-ear contact.  Ear mites are common in litters of kittens if their mother has ear mites.

Why should I have my female cat spayed?

Spaying or ovariohysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and the ovaries. It offers several advantages:

1.      The female's heat periods result in about 2-3 weeks of obnoxious behavior.  This can be quite annoying if your cat is kept indoors.  Male cats are attracted from blocks away and, in fact, seem to come out of the woodwork.  They seem to go over, around, and through many doors.  Your cat will have a heat period about every 2-3 weeks until she is bred.

2.      It has been proven that as the female dog gets older, there is a significant incidence of breast cancer and uterine infections if she has not been spayed.  Spaying before she has any heat periods will virtually eliminate the chances of either.  There is mounting evidence to believe that this is also true of cats.

3.      Spaying prevents unplanned litters of kittens.

4.      If you do not plan to breed your cat, we strongly recommend that she be spayed before her first heat period.  This can be done anytime after she is 5 months old.

Why should I have my male cat neutered?

Neutering or castration offers several advantages.  Male cats go through a significant personality change when they mature.  They become very possessive of their territory and mark it with their urine to ward off other cats.  The tom cat's urine develops a very strong odor that will be almost impossible to remove from your house.  They also try to constantly enlarge their territory which means one fight after another.  Fighting results in severe infections and abscesses and often engenders rage in your neighbors.  We strongly urge you to have your cat neutered at about 6 to 9 months of age.  If he should begin to spray his urine before that time, he should be neutered immediately.   The longer he sprays or fights, the less likely neutering will stop it.

If I choose to breed my cat, when should that be done?

If you plan to breed your cat, she should have at least one or two heat cycles first.  This allows her to mature physically and she will be a better mother without so much physical drain.  We do not recommend breeding after 5 years of age unless she has been bred prior to that.  Having her first litter after 5 years of age is more physically draining to her and increases the chances of her having problems during the pregnancy and/or delivery.  Once your cat has had her last litter, she should be spayed to prevent the female problems older cats have.

My kitten is already becoming destructive with her nails.  What can be done?

There are several options that can be considered: offering scratching posts, frequent nail clipping, nail shields, surgical declawing, and tendonectomy.

1.      Offering desirable scratching posts near the area where your kitten is scratching is an important tool in helping direct them to appropriate places to express this natural behavior. Many people make the mistake of sticking a scratching post in a far corner or offering scratching accessories that are too small or unstable. Cats need a post that allows them to stretch to their full length to scratch and sturdy enough not to fall over when they do so. You may need to experiment to learn if your cat is a vertical scratcher or a horizontal scratcher, and whether he or she prefers wood, sisal rope, carpet or cardboard as a scratching texture. There is a new product called FeliScratch that is a synthetic copy of the Feline Interdigital Pheromone that they excrete when they scratch. Applying this to a desirable scratching post will help your cat choose an acceptable place to scratch in your house. 

2.        The nails may be clipped according to the instructions above.  However, your cat's nails will regrow and become sharp again in about 4-7 days.  Therefore, to protect your property, it will  be necessary to clip them one to two times per week.

Soft nail caps protect the nails, but do keep them extended

3.      There are some commercially available products that are called nail caps.  These are generally made of smooth plastic and attach to the end of the nail with a special glue.  The nails are still present, but the caps prevent them from causing physical harm.  After 2-4 weeks the nails will grow enough that the caps will be shed.  At that time, you should be prepared to replace them. While soft nail caps protect your furniture from scratching, they do keep the nails in a state of extension, and can cause painful, severe problems if not changed regularly.

4.      Surgical declawing is the removal of the nail at its base.  This surgery is controversial, and you can read further about position of the AAFP on this surgery on their website. This is done under general anesthesia and with proper surgical techniques and adequate pain control, post-surgical discomfort should not exceed that of any other surgical procedure, especially when it is performed on a kitten. As with any surgical procedure, there can be complications and side effects. It should be noted that a declawed cat will not realize the claws are gone and will continue to "sharpen" the claws as normal on various objects, including scratching posts and furniture items. This surgery can be performed as early as 12 weeks of age or anytime thereafter.  It can also be done the same time as spaying or neutering.  Once declawed, your cat should always live indoors since the ability to defend itself is compromised.

5.      Tendonectomy is the surgical removal of a small part of the tendon on the bottom of each toe.  This tendon is needed to make the nail extend.  The cat retains its nails, but it cannot extend them for sharpening and scratching.  The disadvantage of this procedure is that the nails continue to grow and may grow into the pads.  Therefore, the nails should be clipped every 7 to 14 days.

You can also consider additional ways of modifying behavior, which may prevent the cat from scratching furniture in the house or being destructive.

This client information sheet is based on material written by Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM.

Feline Inappropriate Elimination: Breaking the Cycle of Smell

Cats will return to and reuse areas where they have previously urinated. Because of this, cleaning up the areas and items where your cat has urinated or defecated is a crucial step to breaking the cycle, as well as preventing damage to the item. Because it is much easier to eliminate odors in recently-soiled areas, clean them as soon as possible. If you’re not sure of the extent of the soiled spot, a black light will easily illuminate urine and fecal matter on items. The black light will also help identify areas that you may not know were being soiled - check the walls and floor for several feet in every direction from the spot being soiled. It may help to use chalk to outline the urine spots for easy cleaning. Check the underside of chair and couch cushions and pillows to see if the urine has penetrated all the way through - if so, then your enzymatic cleaner will have to penetrate fully, too. Black lights work best in a darkened room. If you have the plug-in variety of black light, use an extension cord so that you have freedom to move around the room without having to constantly move the plug from outlet to outlet. Otherwise, there are a variety of hand-held, flashlight-type options.

Outlined spots for easy treating.

The rule of thumb when treating carpet or other absorbent surfaces for urine spots is to use twice as much cleaner as the size of the spot that you are treating. Urine will disperse down through the carpet and into the padding beneath, and may even absorb into the floorboards below that.

A cat's sense of smell is 200 times stronger than ours; therefore odors must be neutralized, not just deodorized. It is also best to avoid cleaning products containing ammonia or vinegar—they smell like urine and can be irritating. In order to neutralize the odor, use an enzyme-based cleaner such as Urine-Away, Nature’s Miracle, Simple Solution or Nok-Out. These cleaners break down the odor molecules rather than just covering up the smell. Sometimes, if the problem has been going on for a long period of time, it may be necessary to replace urine-saturated flooring.

•   Sheets of plastic, newspaper, sandpaper, double-sided tape, or a carpet runner with the nubs facing up may all discourage your cat from entering a soil-prone area.
•  Try changing the significance of a soiled area. Cats prefer to eat and eliminate in separate areas, so try placing food bowls and treats in previously soiled areas. Playing with your cat in that space and leaving toys there may also be helpful. 
• Spray the area with a pheromone spray or use a diffuser to provide pheromone all day long - the Feliway pheromone is a "happy" smell to a cat and signifies that the area is not for elimination. It also has a calming effect.
•  Try denying your cat access to a given area by closing doors, or by covering the area with furniture or plants. Baby gates will not keep most cats out of a room.
• Catch him in the act. A bell on a breakaway collar tells you his whereabouts. If you can catch him within the first seconds of his elimination routine, startle him with a water gun or shake a jar of pennies, so that he associates being startled with those actions. It is important that you startle rather than scare him; fear will only worsen the problem. Moreover, if you catch him after he's eliminated, your window of opportunity is gone—you must catch him just as he's about to eliminate. 

Never hit, kick, or scream at a cat. Not only does this create more anxiety, which may contribute to house soiling behavior, but also such tactics provide no link between the "crime" and the punishment. Some owners resort to rubbing their cat's face in their excrement to "teach the cat a lesson." This is ineffective, first because cats do not view their urine and feces as distasteful, and second, because even moments later, cats cannot make the connection between the mess on the bed and this kind of punishment.

More information about inappropriate elimination:
Lovin' the Litterbox: Husbandry Reasons Why Your Cat May Not Use the Litterbox
Kidneys and Crystals and Stones, Oh, My! Medical Reasons Why Your Cat May Not Use the Litterbox
Acting Out All Over the House: Behavioral Reasons Why Your Cat May Not Use the Litterbox

Feline Inappropriate Urination: Acting out all over the house!

When medical issues have been ruled out, and husbandry issues have been resolved, if a cat is still eliminating outside the box, it is likely to be due to a behavioral issue.  Unfortunately, while litterbox environment and medical issues are relatively straightforward to address, behavioral issues can be complicated.

New furniture can stress your cat.

One of the most common causes of behavioral inappropriate elimination is stress. Stress can come from a variety of sources.  It can be due to a bold or aggressive animal re-establishing his territory or a timid, shy animal urinating because he is a “victim” of his social environment (being passive-aggressive). A change to the household that disrupts the cat’s schedule may also be a contributing factor to a cat choosing not to use the litterbox -- such as a new baby, visitors staying in the home, a child going off to college, a change in someone’s work schedule, a move to a new home, new furniture, a new pet, a family vacation, renovations to the home, a visit from a plumber or other repair-person, etc. In some cases, the behavior will resolve on its own after the event (such as vacations, visitors, and renovations), and in other cases, the behavior may be ongoing (new furniture, a baby, a new home). Each type of stressor may have several solutions.

For example:

If your cat eliminates inappropriately when you go on vacation, you may find that you can curb the behavior by boarding the cat while you are gone, hiring an in-home sitter versus having a neighbor stop by the house once or twice daily, or by taking your cat with you. Discussions with your veterinarian may even lead to recommendations for medicinal therapy while you are gone to alleviate anxiety.

If you are planning on getting a new pet or having a baby, preparing your cat for the new addition may head off any potential behavioral issues. Also, making sure to introduce the new pet to the resident cat on a gradual basis will help lessen the stress your cat may feel about a new addition.

When planning to move to a new home, it is often helpful to establish the cat in the new home prior to moving day, if possible, so that their first exposure to the new home is not amidst chaos. If your cat can be set up in a room with all his familiar things and you can avoid moving things into that room right away, that will also help. If your cat can’t be moved ahead of time, then moving your cats into a room that will be little-disturbed on moving day, such as a bathroom or walk-in closet may also help. Let the cat become accustomed to the moving-day room before allowing him out to explore the whole house. That way, if something about the new house is frightening, he has a safe place to retreat to.

Sometimes inappropriate elimination can become so ingrained in a cat that even once the stress has been removed, the behavior continues. If this is the case it is a good idea to seek advice from your veterinarian as to how to re-train your cat. 

Spraying posture - standing near a vertical surface, tail erect

If a cat chooses to eliminate near a door or window, it is likely that either the presence of feral/stray or wandering neighbor cats may be causing your cat stress, anxiety or frustration or stimulating your cat to mark his territory and warn off these tresspassers. It is important to determine if your cat is urinating or spraying, as these behaviors are approached differently. Spraying is generally performed in a standing position with the tail raised, and the urine is deposited on a vertical surface such as a wall or piece of furniture (though it may run down the wall and puddle on the floor). Spraying tends to deposit small amounts of urine as compared to the size of the urine clumps you find in the litterbox. The tail may appear to quiver or vibrate. When your cat is urinating, he will squat and deposit a large amount of urine on a horizontal surface.

Urinating posture - squatting

It is most commonly the male cat that sprays, but it is not unheard of for female cats to spray, also. Spaying and neutering your cats will help prevent this issue in most cats, as the lack of male and female hormones will dull the desire to mark and maintain territory, and the need to advertise sexual availability – which are the primary reasons that cats urine mark. However, about 10% of neutered males and 5% of neutered females also spray. In households with more than seven cats, the likelihood of spraying is high. 

If outside cats frustrate your cat, you may be able to address the problem by discouraging stray cats from visiting your house. A plant called Coleus canina, also known as the “scaredy cat plant” or the “pee-off plant” is a deterrent to cats, dogs and foxes. Coleus plants are those that you often see with brightly colored leaves. This species of Coleus has green foliage and small, spikes of pretty blue flowers in the summer. The plant only smells to the human nose when touched. In Michigan, Coleus plants are annuals, but can easily be propagated and cuttings can be kept in a frost-free place over winter. They prefer a dry, sandy soil and lots of sunlight and should be planted every 1-2 yards for best results.

Coleus canina flower

Cats also hate the smell of the herb rue. It has beautiful blue-tone leaves and tiny yellow flowers. Cats are also usually deterred by the smell of citrus, so placing orange or lemon peel in your yard may help deter strays. Similarly, coffee grounds, blood meal, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil can be used near areas where outdoor cats like to hang out.

Avoid feeding birds or squirrels in your yard if your cat is bothered by stray cats.

Motion detectors that trigger sprinklers can be used to deter them from coming onto your property. Additionally, you can discourage your cat from looking outside by closing blinds or shades, or making the windowsill inaccessible. Double-sided tape, tin foil or strips of carpet runner on the sill may also deter your cat. 

Spraying can also result from territorial disputes between cats in the same household. They may need to be separated and reintroduced slowly, using food treats to reward and encourage peaceful behavior. This re-introduction can successfully develop good relations between cats in some cases, even if the spraying has been going on for a long time.

While the presence of other cats, lack of access to prey species or sexual maturity are the most common reasons that cats perform spraying behavior, other causes can be new or unfamiliar scents in the home (such as new furniture, or digging out the Christmas tree from the attic or bringing a live tree into the home) or frustration due to lack of mental stimulation. Often, spraying new items with a pheromone called Feliway can help lessen your cat’s desire to mark. This product mimics the scent of cat cheek gland secretions. Many cats will not spray on areas that have this scent. Increasing the amount of playtime for an under-stimulated cat may help ease frustration.

Behavior-related elimination issues are often addressed with anti-anxiety medications, such as Prozac (fluoxetine), BuSpar (buspirone), Elavil (amitriptyline), and Clomicalm (clomipramine). Anxitane is a neutraceutical (nutritional therapy) supplement of L-Theanine that has also been shown to aid in decreasing anxiety in cats. Medications are useful in helping to decrease behavioral inappropriate elimination, but they should always be used in conjunction with changes to the home or other environmental changes with the goal of hopefully weaning the cat off the medication, if possible.

More information about inappropriate elimination:
Lovin' the Litterbox: Husbandry Reasons Why Your Cat May Not Use the Litterbox
Kidneys and Crystals and Stones, Oh, My! Medical Reasons Why Your Cat May Not Use the Litterbox
Breaking the Cycle of Smell: How to Stop Habitual Elimination Problems