Never Take the Health of an Indoor Cat for Granted

How To Treat Polydactyl Cats

The perk of being a cat owner is that cats are healthy animals. Cats usually only go to the veterinary for checkups and vaccines. They are also pretty independent animals and do not need constant attention.

 However, toe anomalies are one of those conditions that require medical attention. Read on to find out know how to treat polydactyl cats.

What Is Polydactyl?

Polydactyly is a physical anomaly that is present at birth. The kitten is born with more than the normal number of toes. Normal cats have five toes on each front paw and four toes on each hind paw. This is a total of 18 toes. Many cats have the genetic disorder in their front paws and may have a couple extra toes on each paw. It is possible for a cat to have up to 28 toes.

This condition cause your cat to have extra claws. These claws start to grow into skin and become embedded, which can cause a painful infection. Cats' claws usually get worn down from tearing up furniture, jumping or running. These claws are not walked so they are not going to get worn down, which means you must constantly monitored them.

Clip The Nails

When your cat is diagnosed with polydactyl, your veterinarian will talk to you about how to proceed with treatment. You have the option of trimming the extra nails or removing them. If you decide to trim them, then your veterinarian is going to have to do it on a regular basis.

This condition makes it look your kitten has thumbs or wearing mittens. It is important to check your pet's paws and watch the direction that the nails grow. Trimming the nails are necessary to keep the area from becoming infected.

Remove The Problematic Claws

Kittens can get neutered or spayed as early as eight weeks old. When you take your kitten in to get neutered or spayed, you can get the problematic nails removed at the same time. Removing the claws prevent from having to get regular trims. It also prevents the nails from causing trauma to your foot.

Your kitten can usually go home without any bandages and it will not affect his ability to walk. Recovery should be quick because the claws are never walked on and are small.

If you have concerns, then you should talk to your veterinarian about how to treat polydactyl. As a pet owner, you want to make sure your pet is comfortable and enjoy life without restriction.