When to cut claws?

De's kittens are three weeks old on monday, and I've noticed that when they're playing, their claws keep getting stuck in each other, our clothes, their bedding etc.

When should we be starting to trim their nails? I got really worried the other day as one of them had her claw stuck near the other ones eye (I thought it was in it at first!).

De is awful at having her nails cut, and no matter what we try she doesn't get any better. I want the kittens to get used to it early so it's less distressing for them and whoever adopts them.

Oh, yes, mine are 4 weeks and that happens often(hehe, one was swinging on the curtain over the water dish ).
I wouldn't cut them yet, because at this age their claws don't retract into their paws, so that's why they stick onto thinks alot. I'd wait until their 6-7 weeks, unless it becomes an issue that they get stuck and it hurts them.

Thanks, it doesn't seem to be too much of a problem at the minute so I'll leave them for now.

The earlier you start the more likely you are to be able to do it without a fight. You do have to be careful because it's harder to see the quick on those tiny little claws. I started clipping just the very tip of the claws when my kittens were about 3-4 weeks old.

I start nipping the tips of the front feet only at about 5-6 weeks old. They are a little tricky as the babies will not hold still for long. But I found that by letting them lay on their tummies and then doing one foot at a time works pretty good. As they grow, I start teaching them to lay on backs against you and get nails trimmed.

The easiest way to cut kittens claws is to wait 'til they are very tired.
I have a new kitten in the house right now (he is 15 weeks old) and yesterday when I was clipping his claws he fell asleep during the clipping.
The breeder started to clip his claws when the kittens were 5-6 weeks old.

When you are dealing with a litter of kittens - they never seem to be tired enough to wait for nail clipping. So I just do it when they are awake and work with them that way.

IMO its better to teach them to accept nail clipping at any time you choose to do it, rather then trying to catch them asleep.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

When you are dealing with a litter of kittens - they never seem to be tired enough to wait for nail clipping. So I just do it when they are awake and work with them that way.

IMO its better to teach them to accept nail clipping at any time you choose to do it, rather then trying to catch them asleep.

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I agree completely with GK45's post. I started playing with Bijou's feet and holding his "hand" to get him used to having his paws touched from the moment we got him. Now I can clip his claws without even holding him. He'll be laying on the table and I just sit in front of him, life each paw and clip.

I honestly don't think your kittens are too young to start clipping. Just be careful to only snip the very ends at this point until the kittens get a bit older and the quick shows more clearly on their claws.

What I meant was that it's easiest to do it when they are tired, for the first times, so that they get used to it and don't feel like they are being 'forced' to it. That way they'll let you do it easier later. Same thing works for older cats who are going to get their nails clipped by a new owner who they might not trust that well yet.
All of my adult kitties get their nails clipped when I feel like doing it, and they are fine with it.

Maybe they just sense my "authority" but I've never had a problem picking up a strange cat (friends/relatives) and clipping nails. They actually are quite good because they have no idea who I am and don't know how to fake me out like they do with their owners.....