I've posted this somewhere else, but can't find it.
Cuddles, 6 month old neutered tom, isn't cleaning his claws. He was getting clay litter and fecal matter/urine caked around the claws, and they were red and very infected at the cuticles, some with puss.
I was soaking them once a day and removing the buildup, and then treating with hydrogen peroxide solution, then drying, rinsing, and applying Neosporin (without pain meds). His claws were improving greatly, but he still wouldn't clean them. WHich of course was prolonging the infection and preventing it from fully going away.
So, I tried a new approach. If the litter was the root of the problem, why not try changing that? I switched to Arm and Hammer Essentials. It's a corn based litter, and it actually works REALLY well. It's a clumping litter, but it doesn't get sticky like clay does. It might track a bit more than clay, but it doesn't stick to his claws, and what clings to him falls off quickly, after 3 steps or so.
His claws are looking a lot better, and I'm thinking about getting him declawed, only because he REFUSES to take care of his claws. Anyone have any other ideas?
Cuddles, 6 month old neutered tom, isn't cleaning his claws. He was getting clay litter and fecal matter/urine caked around the claws, and they were red and very infected at the cuticles, some with puss.
I was soaking them once a day and removing the buildup, and then treating with hydrogen peroxide solution, then drying, rinsing, and applying Neosporin (without pain meds). His claws were improving greatly, but he still wouldn't clean them. WHich of course was prolonging the infection and preventing it from fully going away.
So, I tried a new approach. If the litter was the root of the problem, why not try changing that? I switched to Arm and Hammer Essentials. It's a corn based litter, and it actually works REALLY well. It's a clumping litter, but it doesn't get sticky like clay does. It might track a bit more than clay, but it doesn't stick to his claws, and what clings to him falls off quickly, after 3 steps or so.
His claws are looking a lot better, and I'm thinking about getting him declawed, only because he REFUSES to take care of his claws. Anyone have any other ideas?