How often to you trim the nails?

I took Frankie to get his nails trimmed because I wanted to learn how and man is he strong. We had to put a towel over his head to get him to calm down enough to trim his nails. I won't be able to do it myself with my DH until he gets better about it so I'll keep going back to the groomer that I went to on Friday for the time being. How often do you trim their nails?

I actually keep my nail trimmers on the coffee table next to me when I relax at night with the kits. They all come up separately for attention. I am always clipping someones nail. I do this to keep them used to the clippers. My little girl Cassidy used to fight something awful Now she doesn't like it but tolerates it for the most part. I also pet their feet and extend thier claws even if I am not clipping as part of their petting just so that they get used to it and for them to realize it it not a bad thing. I know it sound strange and I don't really have a timetable for you. But maybe if you can get your cat to get used to you touching his paws the process might get easier for you. It works for me. I wish you luck.

Tricia

Thanks. I pet his feet but I don't extend his claws very often so I'll try squeezing them a little so he gets more used to it. At least he didn't scratch or bite either of us when I was at the groomer. He just would not hold still. Funny thing is that when we got home he acted like nothing even happened and I laid down the on couch and he came over and took a nap laying on me so he wasn't mad at me or anything. I'm hoping he gets to a point where he'll put up with it better.

Probaly going out to a stranger threw him. My guys get nails clipped all the time, as needed. sometimes it might just be one or two nails. they don't seem to grow all at the same rate. Today Spike ripped a curtain, so I was a little delinquent there. It was a real pointy one. I just tuck them under my left arm with my hand going up under their belly onto their paw, and squeeze out the nail which I clip with regular (large) nail clippers. It is no big deal, and if they are a little squirmy you can pin them with your arm around them.
My guys are ok with it.

I check and trim nails on the cats about once a week. Some nails grow faster then other (front faster then back) but they are all checked and clipped as needed once a week.

If you establish a routine with your cat he won't be so hard to handle. Its easier to do once a week rather then fight him once every month or two!

I try and check them weekly and trim when needed, which may be weekly, or may be fortnightly.

I also keep a nail trimmer on the coffee table near where I usually sit in my living room. My cat is a lap-cat so whenever she comes and climbs on me (several times a day) I can tell if her nails need trimming! If I feel a sharp nail I'll trim it right then... Once in a while I'll check all of her nails to see if any need trimming.
When we first got her we had to practically put her in a choke-hold to be able to touch her feet and trim her nails because she didn't want her feet touched at all, but she's gotten used to it.. Now I just pick up one of her feet and trim quickly without grabbing at her or anything, which keeps her a lot calmer.

I trim my girls nails about once a month. If I can catch them when they are totally relaxed, it's easy. If not, DH help hold them. If you do a search, there is a very good thread on here that I learned some good tips from.

When my significant other complains that the cats are running around with razors on their toes

I'm really bad about doing this. I should take the suggestion of keeping the trimmers on the coffee table.

I TRY to once a week, but that doesn't happen...generally if she's laying on me and I notice the nails jutting out, I will trim them.

I trim Bandit's once a week. I have to roll him up like a burrito to get it done but he eventually relaxes. Sundays are our routine whether he likes it or not.

Originally Posted by peachytoday

I actually keep my nail trimmers on the coffee table next to me when I relax at night with the kits. They all come up separately for attention. I am always clipping someones nail. I do this to keep them used to the clippers. My little girl Cassidy used to fight something awful Now she doesn't like it but tolerates it for the most part. I also pet their feet and extend thier claws even if I am not clipping as part of their petting just so that they get used to it and for them to realize it it not a bad thing. I know it sound strange and I don't really have a timetable for you. But maybe if you can get your cat to get used to you touching his paws the process might get easier for you. It works for me. I wish you luck.

Tricia

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This is actually a great thing to do. We started touching and handling their paws while they were babies and even though they aren't fond of nail clipping they will cooperate and we try to do it at least every 2 weeks. I can usually tell it's time when Bijou starts his kneading on my face and neck before bed and the claws start to dig in.

You can also do one or two at a time as they are sleeping/relaxed.

When we first got the two cats, the shelter recommended clipping them every two weeks. I tried with Swanie - a rather large male tuxedo cat - and two of us couldn't hold him to do it. He really freaked when he saw the little cutters they sold us, and I think that's why he stopped getting on my lap. Before I tried that on him, he was on me as soon as I sat down.

So.. I went searching for the reason to clip a cats claws. According to just about everything I've seen, the main reason is to keep them from scratching your furniture or scratching you. I even talked to the vet because I wanted to make sure it wasn't something that would be hurting the cats if I didn't do it.

So, I've provided them with a ton of scratching alternatives to my furniture (and if they do scratch it once in awhile - oh well - the price I'm willing to play for having two beautiful cats live with me.) And other than the first month or so until I learned the right way to play with a young male cat with lightning fast reflexes, I haven't been scratched by either cat. Even when I've had to give medicine or put drops in eyes.

I do watch, and if they ever look like they're getting curled or seem uncomfortable for the cats, I'll take them to the vet.

I was really nervous to trim claws when we first got Blue (Delilah's declawed) and it was slow going at first. At first, I'd do maybe a toe or two a day. Now that's she's used to it, I check them about once a week. Sometimes only a few need to be trimmed. (The front ones seem to get long faster than the back ones, particularly.) I have not had one scratch from her and neither have my kids (small miracle), which really surprised me - this nail trimming thing is fabulous!