The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.
Cutting my cats' claws
Zeromus
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, it's come to that time when my cats' claws must not be allowed to exist in their current state.
Unfortunately, it's a pretty big ordeal actually clipping them. My cats get pretty upset and squirmy when you mess with their paws. They never bite or scratch, but they do meow loudly and escape as much as possible. Advice?
Unfortunately, it's a pretty big ordeal actually clipping them. My cats get pretty upset and squirmy when you mess with their paws. They never bite or scratch, but they do meow loudly and escape as much as possible. Advice?
Zeromus on
0
Posts
We used to grab the cats and wrap them in a towel from the neck down. They will be a little calmer, but mostly it's just an easier way to maintain a secure hold on them while you get each paw and trim it.
Try trimming them only right before you feed them, then they'll associate behaving with getting dinner -- if you're lucky.
I've never had to trim the claws of my cats. They do an extremely good job of taking care of it themselves.
They have a scratching post, which they use, but the claws are still quite long and sharp. They're still rather young cats, so they're playful, which means that occasionally their claws will get caught on something, or they'll scratch furniture, or hands when we're playing with them. Also, they have a tendency to wrestle around at times, which means they could also cause some damage to one another.
I mean, we've trimmed them before, but it's never an easy process, and I'm open to some new ideas to make it a bit smoother.
Just promise me that you won't do anything as barbaric as de-clawing. After what I've read on the matter, I refuse to get it done and strongly discourage the practice.
Now you're making me miss my cat. :-(
I'm going to trim my cats' claws.
Can anyone give advice on how the process might go a bit smoother? I like the towel idea. Anything else?
Mainly you just have to build up trust between you and the cats, mess with their paws a lot. If they still don't get it, easiest thing to do is just hold them by their legs, and have someone else clip the claws. :P As in, you sit there and hold them in your lap, on their back, and the other person takes one paws at a time to clip their claws. Making sure you hold on to their tail as well helps, since they have less balance.
It's still a big matter of trust, the more you can build up, so they don't think they're being harmed while it's going on, the better.
Another method is to make sure that after each time you trim their claws, give them a treat when it's done. Positive reinforcement afterwards always helps.
Sometimes, though, no matter how much you prepare it's going to be a two-person job
Get clippers ready. (make sure they are the right size for the cat. Human ones are going to crush the nail and then it'll splinter)
Get cat, sit cat on towel on lap. Wrap towel around cat.
Talk to the cat. Keep your voice calm and keep talking. Mine seems to be much more relaxed as long as someone is talking it's when I get quite that he starts to get pissed.
Get a front paw. I place their heel (the backwards elbow part) in the crook of my arm and open the paw with my hand. I work quickly through the nails (don't forget the "thumb"). Clipping without cutting the dark vein.
Then I assess the cat's situation after one paw. Usually I get through all four legs without him having too much of a fit. But for a while I was doing one paw and then letting him go. I'd sit back and watch some TV. At the next commercial I go find the cat again and do another paw. Repeat until you're done.
If your cat is the type to go hide somewhere after one paw, it might take awhile. But giving the cat a break makes sure that they're not going to yank on their paw and possibly cause you to miss, cutting their nail too deeply. If that happens you'll want to apply pressure with the towel until it stops. If you don't, you've got a bleeding cat moving at mach 2 until you can catch them.
It took me a while to realize that the only reason I wanted to do all four feet at the same time was to make *me* feel better. My cat was much happier if I took it slowly.
So, use the right tool, use a towel, and take breaks between paws as required.
Be extra careful, if you haven't ever trimmed the claws then trip just the very tips the first time so that the blood vessel thats in the claw can retreat, otherwise you will cut it and it will bleed. Your cat will be terrified of you.
I'd say snip the very tip off the first day, wait 4 days and snip them a little more. You'll have to clip them once every two weeks minimum, we have sunday clipping sessions and try to get all the cats done at once. My girlfriend cleans the bucket, I pin the cats down and snippity snip.
If you give em some treats when you're done they'll get over the trauma pretty quickly. Just dont ever expect them to be thrilled at the prospect.
The actual cutting isn't hard, just squeeze the "finger" and the claw for it will poke out. Be gentle. For the "thumbs" it's a little more difficult, just an odd angle at which you have to push for the claw to poke out and it's a bit harder to clip.
I just suggest you buy a claw clipper, human finger clippers smoosh more than cut, and splitting your cats claw is a good way to piss it off at you forever.
When I trim my cats (I have 3. Listen to me!) it's usually a two man job. Like my ex would hold the cat on their back so they kind of looked like a U.
I clip back to front. It's easier to do the back paws. Don't be afraid to take breaks if your cat is fussy. They will get used to it too if you do it regularaly.
I cut a small triangle (I'm assuming you already have cat clippers. Like offical from the store and all). Cut only the white. If you cut further you cut the vein in the claw.
I'm lazy and don't do it frequently, but if you do you can worry less about the vein and the cats become accustomed to it.
If you're doing this solo or with a fussy cat I recommend wrapping them in a towel to pin them down comfortably while you take out one paw to clip at a time.
You probably know that already though, but it's worth mentioning.