Your cat’s paws are one of the most important aspects of your cat’s life. They are as important as hands and legs for us. However, most of the times, the care of a cat’s paws go unnoticed when it comes to the regular care of our pet felines.
As a die-hard cat fan, I thought of checking out the best options for taking care of a cat’s paws. I will also check out the best options on how to moisturize cat paws.
Why should you care for cat paws?
Imagine the areas that your cat walks on throughout the day. Be it inside your home, or even in the outdoors. They walk on a lot of dirty surfaces, or even in their litter box. If you are your cat is allowed to venture outside, it may walk through the rocky terrains, thorns, and what not.
All these things may be harsh to your cat’s paws and the paw pads. Regular cat paw care will ensure that you can take excellent care of the cracked paws.
How to moisturize cat paws?
Veterinarians suggest several tips and options for dry and cracked paws and even scratches on the paws. I normally use these options based on the availability at the time.
1. Use Petroleum Jelly
The Petroleum Jelly should be one of the excellent choices as the best moisturizer for your cat paws. We typically have a stock of petroleum jelly across all seasons, and that would make it a handy option to help take care of your cat’s dry paws. If you find your cat’s paws are dry for any reason, you can consider applying a very light layer of petroleum jelly.
Petroleum jelly is a mixture of mineral oils and waxes and thus is completely safer for the cats that venture both indoors and outdoors. The jelly can help keep the paws completely moist.
Note – Use only a light layer of petroleum jelly. Since your cat licks its paws, too much jelly can cause issues such as stomach upset. Also never use any essential oils as they can be very toxic.
2. Coconut oil
Coconut has powerful anti-bacterial properties. This can help keep paws and paw pads moisturized. Apart from that, coconut oil can also reduce the chances of infection in the dry or cracked paws and cat pads.
That apart, coconut oil is also safe for cats if they ingest it. However, it may also be noticed that coconut oil can result in issues such as stomach upset and diarrhea.
3. Olive oil
If you are checking out the home moisturizer, Olive oil should be the best option that you should choose. It should be the best pick in the cases of extreme weather. I use olive oil in cold climates to massage my cat’s paws.
However, before you apply the oil to your cat’s paws, make sure to clean your cat’s paws. Moreover, the olive oil is rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Additional options to moisturize cat’s paws
Apart from moisturizers like the ones we described above, you can also use a few other additional options to take care of cat paw pads. Some of the best options I use to take care of helping in cat paw dryness include a few of the following –
Trim your cat’s nails
Trimming cat nails can be one of the best options to keep your cat’s paws healthy, moisturized, and cleaner. This can be a natural and regular part of your cat grooming.
If you are unsure, you can consult your veterinary assistant or grooming experts to get your cat’s paws cleaned and moisturized. There are times when nails grow inwards and can injure the pads. An unusually long length of the nails can also make your cat find it difficult to walk.
Massage your cat’s paws
Paw massages have also been known as the best treatment for dry cat paws. Massaging can help you increase blood circulation to the dry or cracked paw pads.
I normally rely upon the natural oils (in a very minute quantity) to massage my cat’s paws at regular intervals. I use it as a regular part of my paw care routine.
Provide a balanced diet for your cat
A balanced diet should be the first step in taking care of your pet’s paws. Providing good food rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 should help you in keeping your paws in good condition.
Offer a good quality food rich in protein, omega acids, and other essential elements to help you take absolute care of your cat. Food rich in fish oil, for example, should be an excellent option for your needs.
Regular cleaning of cat paws
Inspect your cat’s paws at regular intervals and take any necessary preventive actions. You can even use a soft cloth to clean the pads on the paws. Make sure the clean the area around the pads and even between the toes. This will keep the pads and paws of your cat free from any dirt from the litter box, chemicals, and all other issues.
Even when my cat is a typical indoor cat, and ventures out only within the apartment building, I make sure to inspect the paws for any dirt at least once every week.
You may be interested to know this as well – Find Your Cat’s Personality From Its Paws
Add zinc to your cat’s diet
Of course, zinc is not a common remedy, but it should be one of the excellent options for the dry and cracked paws in your cat. It would be advisable to add a diet rich in zinc to its food.
It may also be noticed that a deficiency of zinc can result in issues such as poorer coats, slow hair growth, and scaly skin.
In Conclusion
Of course, cats do care for themselves. Typically, they do not need any assistance in taking care of their cleaning and hygiene. But, there are times that it may need a little help from you.
While one of the best options is to keep your cat indoors, a few of the other options outlined here should help you achieve better results in helping you in caring for your cat’s paws.
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