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Clipping Nails

post #1 of 11
5/21/04 at 4:12am
Thread Starter 
Help! Bradley the newest member of our family needs his nails clipped, badley. But he won't let me any near him fornt paws, he rolled over on his back and i had on of the other housepets pet his tummy while i snipped his back claws , but he goes nuts when i try to do the front paws, any ideas?
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post #2 of 11
5/21/04 at 7:51am
I get my cats while they are just waking up from a nap and the house is quiet, usually in the evening. They are much more cooperative when they are sleepy. He may just not be used to having his front paws touched so while you are petting him you can gently play with his paws until he is more comfortable with you touching them.
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post #3 of 11
5/21/04 at 7:59am
I'd have to agree with Abby here, he's probably just sensitive to you touching his front paws.

Can you clarify a little what you mean by "badly" though? Do you mean that he's scratching things, or that he is not moving right or acting like he is in pain?

Spotz
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post #4 of 11
5/21/04 at 10:00am
Thread Starter 
Badly is that they are so long that when thet are retracted that you can still see most of them, and everyone in the house looks like they've tried to commit suicide! We have scractches up and down our arms. He moves fine nothing warrenty a vet visit. I am setting just a basic exam for in later this month but thats just for routine stuff...
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post #5 of 11
5/21/04 at 11:39am
Then I would just work with him on getting used to his paws being touched/held/played with etc.

You can always coccoon him in a towel and forcibly clip his claws. I wouldn't reccomend it as a first resort, especially with him well armed However it will work, if you can't get him to cooperate any other way.

If you haven't managed to get them clipped by the time of the vet visit, have the vet do it, and give you a few pointers.

Spotz
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post #6 of 11
5/21/04 at 8:14pm
I take my cats into the bathroom...one at a time and about once a week. They do "protest" a little....but they get special nail clipping treats afterwards.

Katie
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post #7 of 11
5/24/04 at 8:51pm
I would really like to learn how to clip my cats nails. Can anyone recommend a nail clipper that is easy to use? I've seem some with a nail guard to keep you from cutting too close. Has anyone tried these? I have three cats, but only one ever gets his nails clipped, only because he is a long haired cat and I take him to be groomed every three months. Thanks for your help.
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post #8 of 11
5/24/04 at 8:57pm
Hey Spencer....I just bought the normal nail scissors that they have for cats. The one rule of thumb is to never cut the "quick" which is the part of the nail that goes from clear to cloudy. I do recommend finding a small space to do the clipping (like a bathroom...where they cannot go to far) and also reward your cat with treats. If your cat is skiddish about having his paws touched..then gradually work him up to it by giving him a treat for allowing you to touch the paw etc. My cats are at the point where they don't squirm too much because I've clipped their nails for over 5 years...but when I first started...I sometimes would wrap them in a towel and pull out one paw at a time to clip.

Good Luck.

Katie
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post #9 of 11
5/24/04 at 8:58pm
I use baby nail clippers and just snip the very tips off because Im scared to cut any more than that. I always make sure they are super sharp because I had a dulling pair once and instead of snipping it just bent and split the nail.

I catch my cats while they are sleeping and just gently pull the top of their foot back so I can see the nails and snip the ends. Sam lets me file them round, but Sally is a bit more moody about it and I usually have to do 2-3 nails at a time until I get them all.
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post #10 of 11
5/24/04 at 8:58pm
Cats nails are relatively simple to cut...assuming you can find the cat .

Basically you extend the claw, should be simple and minimal pressure required (basically don't hurt the kitty). If you know how to get the claws to extend then you're pretty much halfway there. If not, play with the kitties, get them used to you doing that, and you'll pretty much figure it out quickly.

Once you get the claw to extend, look at it from the side, you should see a thin pinkish/redish line going through it. This is the "quick", somewhere towards the pointy end of the claw the quick will disappear. Any claw beyond this, is safe to cut. If you are relatively consistent with trimming the claws, the quick will actually shorten some.

It's somewhat purrsonel preference as to which cutters you use, I like human nail clippers. Revlon Heavy Duty Toenail Nippers. This is what I prefer to use, I can place the blade preciesly and it cuts clean and quickly.

Spotz
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post #11 of 11
5/24/04 at 8:59pm
Wow...Spencer...you must've asked a good question...three replies within 1 min. LOL!

Spotz
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