The Dangers of Declawing Cats

If you have a feline family member, you’ve probably experienced the many benefits that come from having a loving bond with your kitty companion. You’ve probably also seen (or felt!) the familiar prick of those pointy paws. But, before you declaw your cat, it’s important to know the downsides – and dangers – of declawing your beloved family cat.

 

Why Cats Have Claws

• Claws help cats grip and enjoy stretches that engage and tone their backs and shoulders. 
• While humans walk on the soles of their feet, cats walk on their toes. Because of this, they need their claws to help them balance properly. Without claws, your cat is forced to alter the way they walk which can result in discomfort, pain and joint damage. 
• Cats scratch to release happiness – which is why you may witness your kitty joyfully scratching their scratching post when you return home or after a play session with you or your other felines.

Why You Shouldn’t Declaw

• Declawing is a painful procedure that actually removes part of a cat’s toes, cutting through bones and nerves. For humans, this would be the equivalent of cutting off a finger at the first joint, nail and all.
• The removal of the bone and claw also has unhealthy, harmful side effects for your feline. Declawing can cause infection, abnormal claw growth within the toe, inflammation, arthritis or behavioral changes such as increased aggression, biting, emotional trauma or litterbox avoidance issues.
• Animal Friends and the ASPCA discourage declawing – it is considered inhumane and is already illegal in 28 countries. Although it is not yet prohibited in the United States, several cities have banned the practice.

Safe and Healthy Alternatives

• Ensure that your cat has approved surfaces to scratch. Cardboard, carpet, rope or fabric scratchers can be purchased or made at home. With a variety of scratching options, you’re sure to find a surface your feline will enjoy scratching more than your sofa!
• Trimming a cat’s claws every few weeks can drastically reduce damage from scratching.
• TIP: Make trimming a pleasurable activity for your cat by offering some yummy treats as a reward!
• Cats' claws grow continuously, just like human nails. The outer sheaths of the claws, which become dull over time, are shed when a cat scratches. As cats get older, they may not wear their claws down as fast, resulting in the need for more frequent claw trimmings.

With proper education, patience and a little positive reinforcement, your cat can continue to scratch happily without you or your home paying the price! Contact Animal Friends at 412.847.7000 or visit our website if you need help training your cat to scratch appropriately. Your kitty (and your furniture) will certainly thank you!

Home to Home Adoption Program: Calli

Calli is a very friendly 7-year-old domestic short hair. Her family brought her home about a year ago, but is no longer able to give her the attention that she adores and deserves. Because of this, Calli's temporary family is searching for a more permanent arrangement for her! 

Calli is microchipped and loves to be cuddled, petted and will even give little headbutts when she is craving some attention. She is a very sweet girl and can be vocal when she wants to be! Calli can live with dogs as long as they can respect her personal space. She takes some time to warm up to new people, but loves her humans once she gets to know them.

Does Calli sound like the perfect companion for you? If so, contact Kerri at Kerris615@GMail.com to set up a time to meet her!

Home to Home Adoption Program: Vikki

Vikki is an incredibly friendly spayed black domestic shorthair who is about 1-2 years old. Vikki was found as a stray and taken into a home that she hoped was her perfect fit. Sadly, she has had a hard time getting along with her new feline housemate, so her temporary family is searching for a more permanent arrangement for her!

 

This lovely lady would be a great addition to a family looking to add an affectionate cat to their home. She has tested negative for both FIV and Feline Leukemia and is up to date on all vaccinations. Vikki even enthusiastically uses her scratching pads and litter box! Vikki is looking for a home to call her own that is ready to give her all the love and attention she deserves.

Does Vikki sound like the perfect companion for you? If so, contact Ed or Ruth at 412.512.7495 or email Dustydisks1@hotmail.com to set up a time to meet.
 

7 Household Dangers for Pets

As a pet owner, it’s likely that you use extra caution with certain chemicals and toxins in your home that can be harmful to your four-legged family members. But, things like insecticides and rodenticides are just scratching the surface. Keep an eye out for these everyday household items that may pose a threat to your pet’s well-being!

Human Food

Most of us like to show our pets how much we love them by slipping them some yummy table scraps. And, it’s not just chocolate, grapes and raisins that should stay out of your pet’s bowl. Foods like avocados, macadamia nuts, onions, garlic, and foods containing xylitol such as gum and certain peanut butters are no good. You’ll also want to be sure your pet steers clear of coffee grounds, yeast and alcohol.

Cooked meats can pose a serious threat to your pet’s health, too. Bones can become brittle when cooked, increasing the chance of breaking or splintering which is a big issue when ingested by your animal companion.

Human Medications

We know to keep our medications out of the reach of children, but human medicine can be enticing for curious noses and paws, too! From prescription to over-the-counter, human medications are not safe for our four-legged friends. Even inhalers can pose a danger, so be sure to keep your medications out of reach of your kids (two- and four-legged alike).

House Plants

Many people know that poinsettias and lilies are toxic to cats, but plant varieties such as azalea, rhododendron and sago palm are some of the less commonly known hazards! Additionally, kalanchoe flowers and schefflera leaves are often found in homes and can be harmful to pets.

Household Cleaners

You may be aware that chemicals like bleach and detergents can pose a threat to your pet. If ingested (or even inhaled), other common substances such as disinfectants or antifreeze can also be harmful to your pet. Don’t forget about garden fertilizers or paint chips containing heavy metals, too!

Essential Oils

While essential oils might be helpful for treating human ailments, many of these substances are volatile compounds, which mean they can be toxic to your animal companion. Cats can be especially sensitive to the scents in essential oils. Keep in mind that what is safe for you to use isn’t necessarily safe to use with your pet nearby.

For Rabbits

In addition to the dangers listed above, Rabbits can face special risks when it comes to toxic substances. There can be traces of cyanide in almonds, cassava roots, mangoes and millet sprouts, so those are not safe foods to feed to your bunny! A substance called “psoralen,” found in Parsnips, is also poisonous! Growing your own veggies in a garden might be great for people, but not all veggies are safe for rabbits. Stay away from eggplants, potato plants, sweet potato plants, tomato plants and the root of mustard plants.

Odds and Ends

Poisons aren’t the only thing that can pose a threat to your four-legged family members! Keep an eye out for other dangers like loose strings (especially attached to blinds or dental floss!), rubber bands, treated toilet water and plastic bags. In the winter time, ice melt can get into paw pads and injure the skin. Coins and other small objects such as lip balm, batteries, socks and hair ties can look or smell appetizing to your pet, but could cause serious internal damage if ingested.

While accidents happen, the best way to keep your pet happy and healthy is to know what to look for and keep a close watch over potential hazards in the home. If your pet does consume something they shouldn’t or even if you suspect they may have gotten into something unsafe, take them to the nearest emergency veterinarian right away!

Jasmine and Iris: Animal Friends' Home to Home Adoption Program

Jasmine and Iris were rescued about 4 years ago when they were just kittens. As part of a litter of young kittens, they had nowhere else to go, so a Good Samaritan who fell in love with them stepped in and gave a home to these two adorable kitties.

Now 4 years old, Jasmine and Iris are in search of a new home because a new member of their family is severely allergic to cats. In their current home, they spend their days playing with each other and even get along great with a canine sibling! These wonderful, friendly and lovable kitties need a home where they will get all of the playtime, love and attention they’ve grown accustomed to.

If you think your family might be the right fit for these sweet girls, contact Debbie at debbie.waldo@icloud.com.

Wellness Wednesdays

The hallmark of our Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center is to provide affordable wellness services to financially struggling pet owners. At Animal Friends, we know that just because a family may have fallen on difficult economic times, doesn’t mean their pets don’t deserve high quality veterinary care. By giving our community access to low-cost, high-quality services, we can keep pets healthy and at home with caring families – where they belong.

Scheduling a yearly wellness visit is the best way to keep your pet healthy. Not only will it provide your pet with preventative care they may need – such as a heartworm test, general blood work and vaccinations – it is the perfect time to identify any number of potentially life threatening conditions and begin treatment. As your pet ages, their need for routine care may increase. We recommend that pets older than 7 years have a preventative care appointment twice each year.

To help low-income families keep their four-legged members feeling their best, Animal Friends is proud to introduce Wellness Wednesdays at our Howard Ash Animal Wellness Center.

Now, you can schedule a wellness visit that includes a physical exam by a licensed veterinarian. From there you can opt to get your pet routine vaccinations, flea and tick treatments and tests to detect conditions such as heartworm, Lyme disease, feline leukemia and FIV. You can also make appointments for routine illnesses, like ear and eye infections or sneezing and coughing. And, you’ll be provided with any necessary medication during your visit so you won’t need to make an extra trip to the pharmacy!

By offering low-cost wellness services with compassionate staff in a judgment-free zone, we know that we’ll be helping our clients and their pets – and we look forward to doing so.

Wellness visits are by appointment only. To schedule your visit, contact our Clinic Services team at 412.847.7004 or click here to learn more.

What to Know About Pet Dental Health

 

Did you know that February is Pet Dental Health Awareness Month? Because 70% of cats and dogs 4 years or older are affected by periodontal disease, we are committed to helping you keep your companions safe and healthy. 

Periodontal disease is preventable with proper attention and care. Below are some tips to provide the best oral care for your pet.

Cats and Dogs:

Take Note of Bad Breath:

Unusual scents coming from your pet's mouth could indicate that there is something wrong! Additional warnings of poor dental health are bleeding gums, yellow or brown teeth, pawing at the mouth and loose or missing teeth.

Brush Those Teeth!

Brushing your cat or dog's teeth may seem intimidating at first, but you can begin by letting your pet smell the toothbrush and pet toothpaste (human toothpaste is not safe for pets!) Over time, you can gradually ease into brushing on each side of the mouth for a few seconds.

Toys, Treats and More:

Consider toys, treats and food that are designed to improve oral health in pets by removing troublesome plaque. Before purchasing, look for the Seal of Acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council.

The Scoop on Dental Exams:

A thorough dental appointment will include an exam of your companion's head and neck to check for abnormalities as well as the teeth and gums to look for redness, swelling or bleeding. To remove pesky plaque and clean your pet's teeth well, veterinarians recommend putting them under anesthesia.

And, we couldn't forget about those bunnies! 

Rabbits:

Rabbit teeth differ from the teeth of cats and dogs because they continue to grow for their entire lives. This is a characteristic that can be found in animals who naturally eat tough, fibrous plants and vegetation. You can't brush rabbit teeth, but below are some tips to care for your bun's oral health!

Diet:

80-90% of a rabbit's diet should consist of fibrous grass hay. Fed a low-fiber diet, the molars get too long, the upper molars curve sideways and form a sharp spike that cuts into the cheek, and the lower molars curve inward and form a spike that cuts into the tongue. To avoid these painful oral problems, it is vital to keep track of your rabbit's diet. 

Behavior Changes:

Monitor your rabbit for changes in behavior such as: if he stops eating hay and pellets, if he is eating less food overall, if he runs up to the food as if he’s hungry, sniffs it, then walks away without eating, if he has episodes of anorexia that recur every few months, if you find moisture around his mouth or on his chin, or a sour odor to his breath. If you notice these, there may be dental problems.

Dental Exams:

When you take your bun for their yearly exam, be sure the veterinarian checks their teeth. Most emergency vet trips are due to dental issues!

Toys for Healthy Teeth!

You may think rabbits only have the first two teeth you see in the front, but they really have 28! A good type of toy to offer your bun are wood-based toys to wear down the teeth similarly to how they are worn down in nature.

We hope these oral health tips are helpful in keeping your pet safe, healthy and happy for many years to come.