For cats, claws are more like fingers than fingernails because a cat can expose and retract her claws at will; she may not have opposable thumbs, but her little round paws are quite nimble when the claws are put to use. Sometimes she’ll use them to dig into a surface to hold on or to propel herself, not intending to claw the surface itself, as you would use your fingers to grab something if you slipped or were climbing. Cats actually use their claws like fingers in everyday activities, helping to dig around in the litterbox, grasping toys in play and in helping give themselves a deeper stretch or flex by holding on to a horizontal or vertical surface with their claws. Being able to use their claws in all these ways helps them to keep in shape as they flex each of their muscles every day as they bathe, walk around and play.
International Spay Day is February 24, but Romeo is yowling outside your door and Juliet’s not going to make it that long—have her spayed before she goes into her first heat for the season! A female cat in heat can outsmart even the most observant owner, and there are already enough kittens for everyone not to mention the health risks she might face while “catting around”. Spaying is also riskier and more expensive when a cat is in heat, so catch her before it starts. And as a bonus, spaying your little Juliet before age one significantly reduces her lifetime chances of developing breast cancer, the third most common cancer among cats, and spaying before six months reduces it even more. So celebrate International Spay Day with cats all over the world on February 24.