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claw trimming?

post #1 of 28
2/5/11 at 10:53am
Thread Starter 
Do you? Not declawing, but just trimming. Our cat is an indoor cat.
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post #2 of 28
2/5/11 at 11:35am
Yes, I clip my cat's nails and file them once a week (he's an indoor cat too.)
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post #3 of 28
2/5/11 at 11:49am
A lot of people here do. But I don't, and never have in the 50+ years I've had cats. So I don't think it is necessary, at all.

Robin

P.S. Love your poetry, by the way.
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post #4 of 28
2/5/11 at 12:02pm
There's accidental, and intentional scratches, traded around here so everyone gets trimmed. Plus a couple of them really like to knead us!
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post #5 of 28
2/5/11 at 12:22pm
We have a groomer we go to who clips their claws. Or we have the vet tech do it. The 3 of us are afraid to do it ourselves, we don't want to accidentally hurt them.
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post #6 of 28
2/5/11 at 12:34pm
I am going to start. Megan's claws never seemed that sharp or long so she'd just have hers trimmed at the vet 3-4 times a year. Domino .... well he's a different story. His poor claws get caught in everything. I ask the vet to teach and watch me do it last week. First of all she told me to toss my guillotine type clippers and just get the $5 ones that look like scissors. I did it with no problem.

I have to say I don't know if I'd be so confident if I had cats with black claws.
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post #7 of 28
2/5/11 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by captiva View Post
I am going to start. Megan's claws never seemed that sharp or long so she'd just have hers trimmed at the vet 3-4 times a year. Domino .... well he's a different story. His poor claws get caught in everything. I ask the vet to teach and watch me do it last week. First of all she told me to toss my guillotine type clippers and just get the $5 ones that look like scissors. I did it with no problem.

I have to say I don't know if I'd be so confident if I had cats with black claws.
I know what you mean! If they were black I would be afraid to clip the quick!!!
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post #8 of 28
2/5/11 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by captiva View Post

I have to say I don't know if I'd be so confident if I had cats with black claws.
I've never seen black cat claws even amoung half a dozen black cats and many other cats that had dark feet and paw pads. Does anyone have a good picture of this? Is it really only prevalent in some breeds?

If one has trimmed enough cat claws, though, you get a feel for how far out the quick grows on the front feet. Back feet vary between cats and how often the claws are kept trimmed.
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post #9 of 28
2/5/11 at 1:26pm
Yes - I check and clip as needed weekly. I'm paranoid about nails. I had a Russian Blue kitten that almost got his eye blinded by a litter mate when playing! After that I started to trim nails on kittens at 5-6 weeks old and have no problem doing any of my cats.

99% of cats have white nails - I've seen a few with some partial dark nails but never a cat with completely black/dark nails like you see in dogs.
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post #10 of 28
2/5/11 at 2:08pm
I clip all mine, checking them every 1-2 weeks and clipping as needed. Mine all sit on my lap and purr while I clip them.

Kittens I start at 4-5 weeks so they go to new homes being comfortable with nail clipping.
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post #11 of 28
2/7/11 at 11:58am
This is something I never even considered before but I wonder if it might be a good idea given Skittle's current enjoyment of running up and taking a swipe at people when "playing" and his complete disinterest in the THREE(!!!) scratching posts I've bought him. OK...one proper scratching post, one smaller one and a sisal wedge type thingie while trying to find something he likes to claw at better than me/my carpets :P

Skittles is only 7 months, is there a certain age cats should be before you consider this? Also, there's no way I'd be confident to do it myself, what is a vet tech? Is that the same as I'd call a veterinary nurse or assistant? (Am British, also not very clever, sorry lol) as I don't know of any cat groomers around here I'd be able to hire, only one dog lady
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post #12 of 28
2/7/11 at 12:09pm
They really NEED to be cut! But my cat won't let me. It takes two people to cut Solo's nails. There is a groomer about a block away that charges $23 for this, but it's just not worth it for me to stress him out by getting him into the carrier and taking him there. Does anyone have experience with special sratching pads that are designed to file the nail down when the cat uses them? That's what I need...
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post #13 of 28
2/7/11 at 1:08pm
We clip, but only about once a month or when someone inadvertently scratches one of us. It isn't so bad. Lily doesn't like it and makes a bunch of noise but the other two are pretty good with it.
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post #14 of 28
2/7/11 at 1:43pm
There are good days when i can trick Memphis into letting me trim his nails, but it's usually a hassle where I have to basically cradle him. He makes the most pathetic-sounding meows the whole time, too. But he loves to knead on my stomach when I'm laying down, and his claws get really sharp.

In contrast, Tails couldn't care less that I'm trimming his nails. I could probably take an emery board to them without him putting up any fuss.
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post #15 of 28
2/7/11 at 2:00pm
I have to say that years go by and I'm not scratched by my own cats. And then it's just an accident and often my fault.*

With the help of Sticky Paws tape, none of my furniture suffers either. Don't even need it anymore.

However, at the shelter I often get scratched. Then it's because someone freaks out because they're scared, or I'm careless about back claws when putting somebody back in an upper level cage. No big deal though. Seldom any blood.

Robin

*Of course I don't yet pick up my semi-ferel Ariel. I'm not that brave. No one could clip her claws anyway, unless they were in armor.
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post #16 of 28
2/7/11 at 2:07pm
Before I started cutting Parkers, he was on my lap one day and got startled, when he jumped off his back claw caught the top of my leg and it left a 3 inch cut that actually bled. That did it for me. His claws are also really dark, so I just trim the tips. Enough so they aren't super sharp. I do it once or twice a month.
He also has extra claws between his toes that get really, really sharp and get caught in the carpet has he walks. None of the three cats here really like it but they don't put up that much of a fight.
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post #17 of 28
2/7/11 at 3:09pm
The awesome thing about having a house with almost all textured tile flooring is that active kitties wear down their back claws trying to get more traction, heh.
Quote:
Skittles is only 7 months, is there a certain age cats should be before you consider this? Also, there's no way I'd be confident to do it myself, what is a vet tech?
I have never heard of a age restriction on clipping claws, you just have to stay out of the pink part of the clear nail. Its $10 for all four at the Petco by my house, and not really rocket science. Its easier for them as the cat is scared stiff by the foreign environment and stranger that works fast. In home, kitties can be more fussy but trick is just to play with their toes so they get used to handling while young. For older cats not used to it though, my coworker has a old fat cat with his own opinion on the matter... and yeah, it would be safer to juggle chain saws than to dare try and touch the paw of "killer".

Sucky thing though is he loves being pet, and if you stop petting his head, he will grab your arm/hand with his paws to put it back on his head and often scratches you in the process.
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post #18 of 28
2/7/11 at 3:21pm
I not only trim my four, but when I'm at the shelter, I trim all the cats available for adoption. I rarely have one that I don't succeed with, and I've never been bitten or scratched.

I see the occasional black cat with black claws. I saw an all-black cat the other day with 3 black ones and a white one on one foot!
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post #19 of 28
2/7/11 at 3:33pm
I clip my cat's claws each week or two. If the claws are black, just take the sharp clip off if you are worried. Try trimming the kitties nails when they are napping as they will be more willing to put up with it. You can start by doing a few at a time to get them used to it.

Now all the kittens are just fine for nail trimming and enjoy their treat afterwards. I have a grooming table and put treats on it and some toys. They learn to have fun while I trim
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post #20 of 28
2/7/11 at 5:13pm
I trim all my cats' claws, front and back, partly because it's required for shows. I started trimming the kittens' claws when they were about 2-3 weeks old, just the very tips. I also file the edges smooth with an emery board after clipping. I do use the smallest scissor type clippers. The guillotine type scares me. I'm afraid a kitty will jerk and get her toes clipped instead of just the claws.

I clip the claws of all the cats at the shelter where I volunteer at least every two weeks. In the two years I've been doing this I've had only one cat that I couldn't do (a tortie of course ). There's one feisty guy there now that I have to have someone else hold him wrapped in a towel, but managed to trim all his claws last time without either of us getting bit.
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post #21 of 28
2/7/11 at 9:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by captiva View Post
First of all she told me to toss my guillotine type clippers and just get the $5 ones that look like scissors. I did it with no problem.
I just use the same fingernail clippers that I use to cut my nails. I use it sideways, and they cut perfectly and so easily. No special tools necessary!

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
I not only trim my four, but when I'm at the shelter, I trim all the cats available for adoption. I rarely have one that I don't succeed with, and I've never been bitten or scratched.
Same here! I cut all my own cats' nails and I may get a wiggle or two, but no one has ever scratched or bit me. Thomas and Walter's foster mom told me when she first brought them over "I trimmed their nails for you, b/c it's kind of hard" I just looked at her and thought to myself "Please!" lol

I trim them about once a week, but it really depends. I only do it once I notice that their nails are sticking in my clothes when they knead, or if they are playing with me and they feel really sharp. I tend to not cut them until they are really sharp, though.
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post #22 of 28
2/7/11 at 9:06pm
I started clipping claws when I married my husband and his cat decided to like scratching my sofa. We reduced the damage while training her to scratch elsewhere. I continued the practice with Lucy and Carly. I got lazy with Lucy since she didn't do any damage, but I find I need to do it about once a month because she gets caught on blankets and tends to panic. Carly needs it because she likes to knead my neck. The kittens are now learning and having trimmed nails limits the damage while they are learning the right places to scratch.

Kiefer does have dark nails though they become clear near the tips.
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post #23 of 28
2/8/11 at 6:16am
Yeah, I trim Larry's claws with just regular people nail clippers. He's so docile about it, it's no problem.

I started off, when I first got him, by just gently massaging and rubbing his paws while he was really relaxed and sleepy. I then moved on to using that time to clip the front claws. I don't do the back ones. He just lies there and purrs....he's really good about it.
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post #24 of 28
2/8/11 at 7:18am
Ritz is a strictly indoor cat. I start to trim her front paw nails about every two to three weeks or when they get caught in the carpet or her favorite tunnel toy. I wait until she is in REM sleep (she twitches and sometimes talks in her sleep, that's how I can tell), to trim her nails. I can trim her dew claw most any time--it's not at all sensitive on her.
I'm not very good at cutting nails, the cut is not very clean. May need to get a different type of nail cutter.
I don't worry too much about the back claws; Ritz will sometimes chew those herself. The cat stratchers get off the top layer of the nail , don't do much else.
Note that most professional pet sitters will come to your house and trim nails. Much less stressful and probably cheaper than taking the cat to the vets.
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post #25 of 28
2/8/11 at 12:15pm
I have always clipped the nails of every cat I have owned

With Kismet I wait until he comes over to snuggle - if his bread making hurts me, I get out the nail scissors and trim them really fast.

Sometimes he gets up and runs off for a few minutes but then he always comes back so I finish the job. Usually I can get them all done on the first try though, he is used to me playing with his feet (I give him kitty massages on his feet, neck and shoulders ) Usually I can do all front in 1 minute flat. I do them probably twice a week, usually just taking the point off but sometimes shorter.

I do Kismets BACK nails about once a month.

He does not like the nail file so if there is a sharp edge we just tough it out for a few days or I try to make a neater clip on the toenail.
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post #26 of 28
2/8/11 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JustJayde View Post
I do Kismets BACK nails about once a month
Yeah, Find the back ones don't need trimming very often. The front ones get razor sharp pretty fast though.

BTW, I LOOOOOOVE the pic in your signature!!
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post #27 of 28
2/8/11 at 5:47pm
by the scruff of the neck...just like a mother cat would do and have someone else cut their nails for you. This keeps them still just enough that they won't squirm and you can trim their nails. (and it won't hurt them) I do this with my oldest siamese as she won't let me cut her nails at all. The rest just lie there and let me trim their nails. oh and i just use a pair of 'human' nail clippers.
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post #28 of 28
2/8/11 at 6:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LuvMyParker View Post
Yeah, Find the back ones don't need trimming very often. The front ones get razor sharp pretty fast though.

BTW, I LOOOOOOVE the pic in your signature!!
Yea Kismet needs his front ones done every few days - 2 or 3 times a week but his back are easier.

Thanks! I need to make a new siggy - this one is his cute kitty face, he is looking more refined now lol
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