Cat makes it so difficult to trim nails

spineshade

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Hi there. My girlfriend and I have 2 cats. One is ridiculously easy to trim her claws. We grab her scruff gently of course and it's basically the off switch and we get them done.

Our other cat when she was a kitten used to have no problem she would sleep through it. Now you can't do it at all. Holding her scruff does nothing, tried wrapping her in a towel does nothing. Tried like the vet had said holding her down. Nothing. I'm sure what the problem is. She bites at us, growls cries tries to swat. You can't even touch her feet unless she is sleeping and that is rare we can get 1 claw done.

So is there any thing else we can try. To avoid having to go to the vet every couple of weeks. She is perfect at the vet cause she is petrified.


Thanks
 

tabbytom

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@Spineshade

If it's a difficult cat, maybe try not to trim all nails at once? I don't think it's a good idea holding him down just to trim the nails. In my opinion, this will instill fear in the cat and she'll be watchful of you each time you get near her even tho you are not trimming her nails.
Maybe you can get her to get use to you just touching her paws without the clipper. Touch it everyday and let her get use to the touching and also let her get use to you pushing her paw to get the claws showing. Once she is accustomed to this, then slowly clip one claw at a time. If she struggles, continue another time. Don't finish all at one go. If she struggles, you might clip it too deep and her claws will bleed.
The other way is can you trim them while she's drowsy while sleeping?
 
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spineshade

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That's the weird part. We used to be able to touch her feet all the time . We have had her since she was like 6 weeks old(outdoor stray) and in the past 2 year's has gotten like bad. She is scared of everything lol. She is a huge mush and lap cat though. But even when she climbs up on us she will truck her feet in. And it has gotten harder now to get her when she is sleeping because she sleeps under the bed.

We will try to tree introduce her paws though maybe that will work.
 

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"They" say don't try to trim them all at once.  Just do one, a few, whatever you can.....then go back awhile/later and do some more.

Problem is.   Usually the ones you got the 1st time, are going to be the ones you find the 2nd time.   And a single good sharp claw can sure do some damage!
 
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spineshade

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Yeah I'm not sure why she got so skiddish so suddenly. We have moved once since having her but it's weird as she got bigger everything scared her lol. We thought maybe is having a loud argument might have. But it's just weird. She hates when people come over while the other cat wants to be the center of attention. She runs and hides. I was actually thinking blocking the under bed hiding spot, but that's not fair. But we will just try to get her one at a time and see how that does. And just 5 to instill some cottage and loves lol
 

tabbytom

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Hope she gets over the skittish part and also let you trim her claws.

I think they are smart animals. It's just like my boy January, every morning he'll wake me up for food at 5am and will sit by her brush for me to brush him before eating. But, when he poos, after covering his poo, he'll immediately jump out of the box and run away because he knows that I want to clean his bum :lol3:
 

gareth

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Indoor or outdoor, I have never bothered trimming a cats claws in my life. Maybe it's a cultural thing as I'm not convinced it's done a lot in the UK? 

I make sure they have plenty of scratching posts etc so they leave the furniture alone, and just leave them to it. I would never dream of trimming them because they are a bit sharp. They are supposed to be a bit sharp. That's why they care called "claws" rather than "nails" :)

Keeping my animals stress free is more important to me than the odd accident when I am reminded that Loki can move a lot faster than me when we are both reaching for the string :)
 
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spineshade

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Yeah bella and sweetie are both indoor. They both have a couple scratch items but they will scratch everywhere plus those lol. I grew up with cats and never had one such a scaredyy cat like bella. When I left my parents house they had 6 and it's crazy I've never seen that.
We are just gone try to get here one at a time I think.
I just feel bad when she get stuck in the couch. Although she frees her self she had the most sad adorable face lol. Kind of like nothing to see here, no that's not my foot stuck lol.
 

grrr cat

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"They" say don't try to trim them all at once.  Just do one, a few, whatever you can.....then go back awhile/later and do some more.

Problem is.   Usually the ones you got the 1st time, are going to be the ones you find the 2nd time.   And a single good sharp claw can sure do some damage!
This doesn't work for me because mine has a tantrum and rages for hours. i pin her down with her head in an arm lock and cut all claws.  I am similar to the OP in that i started young.

have you tried Burrito instead of scuffing. Scuffing sends mine into a hiss rage.
 

basscat

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This doesn't work for me because mine has a tantrum and rages for hours. i pin her down with her head in an arm lock and cut all claws.  I am similar to the OP in that i started young.

have you tried Burrito instead of scuffing. Scuffing sends mine into a hiss rage.
I crouch down on my knees with kitty between my legs (head and front legs sticking out).   I do the best I can, as quick as I can, without sqeezing or squishing kitty.  (he's a big kitty).  
Still, only able to get clip 5 or 6 claws.
If I go back a day later?  every stinking little claw I get to stick out has already been clipped.
Ugh....


I only attempt this for the vet though.   They prefer his claws to be clipped when I bring him in.

Which, I find strange.  He doesn't use his claws at all at home.  But, when he gets to the vet....different story.

At home?  Sometimes I wish I could clip his teeth.
 

michka

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Hey Spineshade,

History:

We used to be able to trim our cat Michka's nails as well. First in her sleep when she was a kitten, then one person holding her gently and talking to her and the other trimming, then we trimmed to short once cause she suddenly moved and started bleeding, then we were afraid of doing this again so we thought we need to make sure she doesn't move, so we switched to blanket. Then we had to leave her with a friend for 2 months and when we got back she remembered us totally but would not for one second let us get close to her claws. One reason would be that the friend never trimmed her nails so she just turned into a bully about it lol.

Anyways, we tried getting her relaxed and used to us touching her hands and feet but she never did. We wrapped her in a blanket and scruffed her (in a lying down position) but she screamed so hard the neighbours could have thought we were torturing her, plus we couldn't even hold her still to get even one nail. So strong at only 1 year!!!

Solution:

Anyways, now we've come to the scruffing as you said yourself. However, it doesn't turn her off as much as we need to, so what does the trick for us us is that my husband scruffs her (in a standing position) with one hand and holds a treat right in front of her nose with the other but with a slight distance so she can't eat it. She's all into the treat and distracted with that and I trim her nails. She does get angry and try to fight a bit but it doesn't make things impossible. I don't trim all at once though. We do this 2-3 times to get all nails. Then we put her down and give her the treat after each time and she doesn't gets over her rage.

Good luck! If you do try it please let me know how it goes!!
 

suzanneaz

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I am having the same problem with my fat girl Dutchess.  I cut her nails once a month, and she was good about it until a couple months ago.  I am always very careful just to get the tip, but I wonder if maybe I cut one too close and hurt her that last time?  Now it's damn near impossible - she even tried to bite me.  Her nails, especially the ones on the "thumb" higher up her leg, are starting to curl over and get stuck in the rug.  I live alone and have no one to help me scruff her.  I may try the burrito technique and maybe some catnip a few minutes prior.
 

tabbytom

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I am having the same problem with my fat girl Dutchess.  I cut her nails once a month, and she was good about it until a couple months ago.  I am always very careful just to get the tip, but I wonder if maybe I cut one too close and hurt her that last time?  Now it's damn near impossible - she even tried to bite me.  Her nails, especially the ones on the "thumb" higher up her leg, are starting to curl over and get stuck in the rug.  I live alone and have no one to help me scruff her.  I may try the burrito technique and maybe some catnip a few minutes prior.
SuzanneAZ,

The "thumb" is called the dewclaw.

Try trimming the nails when Dutchess is sleeping. I do that with my boy.
 
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