Nail Clipping Advice

lunasmom

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My rambunctious little Luna barely sits still for me when I clip her nails. For the past year I've waited until she was in a deep sleep before I even approached her, but now she seems to be sleeping with one eye open. She'll wake up when she hears me approach, watches for a split second as I line up the clippers to the nail then shakes her leg and gets up to walk off whether or not I'm still holding onto the leg!


What are some other options that I can do? I've tried the treat approach, where after I've finished, I'll give her a treat, but obviously that isn't working out (she's not getting very many treats at this moment!
 

yosemite

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I also wait until Bijou is sleeping or just waking, but I hold him with his back against my tummy while I'm sitting and bring my left arm under his left arm and hold his paw to clip.
 

waddle

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My Jack is pretty easy to clip, but Henry is another story. I sit him much like Yosemite said, with him sitting kinda upright, his back to my stomach/chest, and wrap him up in a towel with only one paw sticking out. I often need to stop after each paw, let him down, give him a treat, then scoop him up again and do the next paw. He still resists but I can do it pretty quickly now. I do it once a week or so, so they stay used to it.

Someone posted this link a while back; you might want to try using a restrainer like this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...Np=1&N=0&Nty=1
 

emb_78

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You can try rolling her up in a towel so just her head and leg(s) is out for you to trim... Other wise it might be a two person job!
 

leto86

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I hold the kitty as tight as I can without hurting him, and grab a foot and do them as quick as I can without hurting the cat, or myself. out of all 4 of them, only 2 of them really hate it. Orion bites me while I clip them, and makes the most horrible noises. But its either clip them or get them declawed, and thats not an option. So I gotta do, what I gotta do.
 
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lunasmom

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Luna is definitely better when she's asleep or just waking, but she easily goes from sleep mode to play mode. And heaven forbid if I clip them in front of the other cats...it's a total teenager reaction of embarrassment.
Her nails grow a little slower, so I can get away with waiting two weeks. But lately I've been doing it one paw, or couple nails at a time. So really takes me a week to get all four claws.
Plus the past couple of days she's been sleeping in spots that are hard to get to without her waking up and realizing what is happening. I swear..if I ever have kids, I'll thank Luna for training me LOL
 

coaster

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

watches for a split second as I line up the clippers to the nail then shakes her leg and gets up to walk off whether or not I'm still holding onto the leg!
Ha ha....that's a pretty funny picture!!
 

rinadaventry

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Try making it a two person job, one person holding her at the scruff of her neck (not in the air, set her down and have someone stabalize her that way). OR you could snatch her into a towel, hold her tight, and pull out one paw at a time
I've heard vets do it that way sometimes.
 

pollycharlie

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I hold my kittens like Yosemite says. They struggle a lot, and make very aweful noises

I don't really know when they are actually hurt when I am holding them and when they are just expressing disagreement...
How do you tell if your cat is hurt while you are hold him/her?
 
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lunasmom

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I've seen a nail clipping towel before too, where you wrap the cat up like a cocoon and are able to stick one leg out at a time.
Haha...maybe strap a harness on her and tie a leash to the end table. Bungee leash for more entertainment!

Coaster, I'm just glad she's not big. She's still pretty midget, so I'm not getting dragged across the floor with her! LOL
 

chichismom

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Originally Posted by lunasmom

My rambunctious little Luna barely sits still for me when I clip her nails. For the past year I've waited until she was in a deep sleep before I even approached her, but now she seems to be sleeping with one eye open. She'll wake up when she hears me approach, watches for a split second as I line up the clippers to the nail then shakes her leg and gets up to walk off whether or not I'm still holding onto the leg!


What are some other options that I can do? I've tried the treat approach, where after I've finished, I'll give her a treat, but obviously that isn't working out (she's not getting very many treats at this moment!
ChiChi is very evil when it comes to her nails. She just recently in the last few years started needing them trimmed she is 16 and not quite as active anymore. After many battle wounds I had to give in and take her to the vets office for this it only costs me 5$ but it didnt last long she had enough of those people and acted a fool the last time and they refuse to see her now unless they are allowed to put her under NO WAY!!!!
but I have since found a new vet and she didnt seem to mind her attitude ( i explained it over the phone) and her 1st appnt. is this Sat. so I hope she can handle her. I hope your Luna accepts you trimming her nails, if not vets or groomers are more experienced with these fiesty felines and quicker too.Much
and hope for you and your babies
 
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lunasmom

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Originally Posted by pollycharlie

I hold my kittens like Yosemite says. They struggle a lot, and make very aweful noises

I don't really know when they are actually hurt when I am holding them and when they are just expressing disagreement...
How do you tell if your cat is hurt while you are hold him/her?
Luna only tell me she's being hurt when she snaps her teeth at me. At least I know that I'm going to far.
Sounds like your kittens just like to be drama queens...don't worry Luna is too. Sometimes we wait until she makes her monkey sounds, then let her go.


Hmmm..I have checked groomers and the vet...they want $15 bucks per visit. Ugh, that's a little much, esp. if I'm going every 2 weeks.
 
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