post spay nail clipping

ive just brought my kitten home today after getting spayed. shes recovering well, eating and drinking and using her litter box. but i noticed that her nails are clipped really short... past that pink part of her nails.... i was wondering why they would have to clip her nails for spaying (i already clipped her nails a couple of days ago) and what are the consequences of having their nails cut to short.. i heard that it hurts them but how about when they grow back and will she let me trim them again like she used to. basically if this is a big deal or not.
thank you

They did the same thing to Zissou when she was under for her spay. They clipped them way down, so that a couple of them had bled a tiny bit. I was kind of mad, but knew it wasn't any permanent damage. You do mean the pink part inside the nail, not the pink sheath of skin at the top, right?
I think they do it because a lot of people don't trim their cats nails, and maybe it helps prevent her from scratching at the stitches? I'm not sure.
They'll grow back in faster than you'd imagine, and she will probably let you trim them again. I didn't have any trouble. If you are worried about it though you should call the vet who spayed her.

my 2 boys nails were also trimmed at their nutering. I knew b4 hand bc they said it was included in the price. Yeah their nails were trimmed alot shorter than i usally trim but there was no bleeding with them.

thanks
ya i ment the pink part in side the nail. i guess im just over protective
a appreciate everyones quick response!

Hi!
I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy about the nails being trimmed. I am a veterinary technician and I can tell you that from 6 yrs. experience that it is always easier to deal with a scared kitty with no sharp nails than one who has daggers! I am sorry to hear that your vet did not tell you that they were going to do the nail trim, but in a week or so your kitty will sharpen them back to where they were. It is possible to get them too short to where they bleed, it is called "quicking" them and is no different then if we cut our fingernails too short, it is a little tender but not that painful. I suggest that in the future if you are concerned to let your vet know to NOT trim the nails and just say that your kitty goes outside or something of that nature. I never trim patients nails if they are outdoor kitties just because I do not want them to be left with "dull knives" for a defense mechanism if you know what I mean. Take care!!!!

I think I was just surprised. I didn't know they'd be doing it (they didn't charge for it or anything, I just didn't know). I was paranoid that they would declaw her on accident, though, so when she got home I freaked out cause they were so short that I couldn't see them unless I pushed them out! And that a couple of them had bled a little. I figured it was just like our nails, when you cut them to close to the quick, it was just sort of shocking.

Perhaps they just looked like they needed clipping and the vet just went ahead and did it. Some people don't cut them close enough.

If she didn't give you a problem before in nail clipping, I doubt she will now. They will grow - they constantly grow their entire life


BTW I trimmed Ling's nails (I do them short anyway) before she got spayed. Apparently it was good enough, as the vet didn't cut them again.

We cut cat's nails and dog's nails when they go down for a spay or neuter etc. because most people don't do it, and when they're under it's the easiest to have it done! I'm sorry they cut them so short, although they may look too short, you can cut the nail up to the quick without them bleeding. If they've been cut, I usually just take the tips off if there's been some growth between the time the owner has done them.