cat hates getting nails clipped

Hey everyone.
My fixed 4-yr old male cat hates going to the groomer to get his nails clipped. I've had him for 2 years. He's never liked it, but if the groomer was fast, it wasn't that big a deal. But the last 3 times, I've taken him to get his nails clipped, hes been very very difficult. squirming, hissing, attempting to bite the groomer.
No groomer has ever made him bleed, so I don't know what his issue is, or why he's gotten more difficult about the situation. He needs to have his nails clipped. He won't let me do it either. I even tried some sedatives from the vet. They made him loopy and didn't help the grooming situation. He was just stoned and still just as difficult.
Any suggestions.

Don;t know how much help this is, but With Sebastian I wait until he is sleepy and relaxed, then I play with his paws and pet him till he is almost asleep. This usually works and he is cooperative with me trimming the nails. But he also likes his paws touched so if your kitty does not like you playing with his "hands" then that may make it more difficult.

Crystal

Try wrapping him in a big blanket or towel, like a papoose, with nothing hanging out but his head, and front paws. Do it quickly, and then give him a treat immediately afterwards.

I have no idea if this will work but will be interested if it would help in this case. We have to give our cat injections instead of pills. She would fight us and really anger my husband. Bad situation all around. After reading some post here, I put my hand over her eyes and she was perfectly calm during the injection, didn't move a muscle.

My Cleo also hates to have her paws messed with. She growls and hisses. Josie, I can do without a big fuss, but Cleo is another situation. I was letting my vet clip the nails, but I thought I'd save some $$ and do her myself, but she's just too fussy. So I'm bringing her back to my vet. He muzzles her, which I don't think she cares for either. But he says it helps to calm them down and plus they can't bite. She just looks so darn pitiful in it! It does help calm her a bit. She hisses less when he put it's on her than when he doesn't us it. I've seen cat muzzles at the pet store. Maybe that might help as well.

Hi everyone. Thanks for the replies. But I've tried the blanket thing, the groomer tried the muzzle thing, both just upset him to no end. He hates to have his paws messed with. And I have tried to clip the nails when he's falling asleep. He's fine until I pull out the clippers, then he is suddenly awake and ready to act a fool.
I was just hoping someone knew of some product over the counter that might knock him completely out for 5 to 10 minutes so I could get the job done.

Let the vet do it. He can muzzle him and his vet. assistant can hold him down so he can clip the nails. That's what I have to do with Cleo. He charges the same as a groomer. I tried to do it myself to save money and figured I'd have "gentler" touch, but she still protested. I also took Cleo to a groomer too, but she would growl. When they told me if an animal bites them, they have to turn it over to quarantine 10 days....and they weren't using a muzzle. Since I couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't bite, I stopped bringing her there. So now it's the vet for her!

My cat, Chichi, hates her nails to be trimmed as well She puts up such a fight that the vet has to gas her and put her out to do it. The gas last about 15 minutes, just enough time to get the job done-thens shes back awake I don't know the name of the gas, but its not anesthesia-- it knocks em out only for a few minutes

Is clipping cats nails something that should be done? None of the four that I have get ther nails clipped and the vet has never suggested it?

If the cat is outside, then no you don't have to clip. And unless you want your cat to tear up your furniture or curtains or yourself, you need to trim indoor cats' nails. Besides if they get too long inside, then they tend to catch onto things (blankets, etc) and the cat can panic.

I've trimmed nails from age 3 weeks on - its a routine thing. I've also had a kitten almost lose his eyesight from playing with a litter mate. So I trim often and early.

I can't stand a cat with long sharp claws

ok my 3 cats at the family home go outside and my one that is indoors during term time uses his scratching post and hasn't damaged the furniture so that should be ok

For all practical purposes I gave up on my bengals however I did figure it out. I bought a straight jacket for them and it takes two people. One has to hold him and the other snips. I quit showing them so I quit cutting them. Was a huge fight from day one, they were a few months old and it got worse when they got big.

We have 2 nutered males that are each a year and a half old....have never clipped their nails, and they do not scratch the furniture. They tried when they were kittens and we taught them to use their scratching post.
Every once in awhile, by accident when they are thundering through the house like wild horses, they might accidently slide and scratch the wood floors or another piece of wood furniture....but "Orange Glo" for wood works wonders...and if it ever gets bad enough I`ll just sand and restain and varnish.....gotta be easier than trying to trim a cats nails! (In fact...I never even heard of doing such a thing til I came on TCS).....and the thought just ran through my mind....if you do trim...how do you keep them from resharpening ?????
Linda

Practice makes perfect with nail clipping as with most things! I can't say mine are very happy about the whole thing but they are resigned to it after having it done every few weeks for years. This is my technique with Jaffa - I sit on my heels with him held firmly between my knees facing outwards (crossing the ankles helps prevent him backing out). Left hand holds paw and splays out the 'fingers' so that the nails are visible while right hand does the clipping (arms help to hold him in place). It usually gets done quickly and painlessly (for both of us!). If you have 2 people the 2nd person can try covering the cat's eyes with their hand as that often calms down cats. I also find that if he struggles a lot releasing my grip and pausing for a while (give him a stroke) helps calm him. With my kitten I usually wait til he's sleepy as he's too small for the other technique. When he's on my lap I practice touching his paws and pretend to clip his nails so that he gets used to being handled.

My current lot keep their claws at a civilized length on their own (they do go outdoors some).

Prior to these cats the only one who needed claws clipped was Shasta (RB). She also went outdoors, but still needed a clip periodically. Her vet said every two weeks, and I did that at first, but it was such an ordeal that I got a little lazy about it. And then I discovered that if I left it until the claws were just starting to catch in things -- clothes, sheets, whatever -- and annoying HER, I could pick her up, take her to where we did the dastardly deed and have it done in 45 seconds with only token protest -- because she had discovered that, distasteful as this procedure was, it corrected the catching problem and made her more comfortable.

I agree with urbantigers, too -- practice makes perfect, for sure. A slight variation on her technique, in case it's useful to you -- I used to sit on an armless chair or on the stairs, and take Shasta under my left arm, pinned (gently) with my elbow. From there the technique is the same, left hand to spread the toes, right hand to clip. Move quickly and confidently, and talk soothingly all the time, and it's over before you know it.

Good luck.

This is what I do:

Imagine riding your cat like a horse on her back...obviously putting no weight on her. But it is a really good position to hold the cat firmly between your legs while you clip the front claws.

I'm not sure about the back as we don't clip Trouts back claws.

I trim about half of my cats nails.
SOme cats naturally keep them a normal length, but I have a VERY polydactly who has some nails that don't touch the ground (and thus don't nautrally wear down), and another cat who just grows LONG sharp nails that stick her to the carpeting.
It's also good maintence IMO, gets them used to being handled and having unpleasant stuff done.

One thing I know makes a HUGE difference is having BIG sharp clippers. My mom will either hold or scruff them, I grab a foot and clip clip clip! My big nuetered male doesn't like it and hisses a lot but he also gets stuck to the carpeting a lot so... It's a neccesity.

You should try rapeing him in a blanket without hurting him.It usually works,he might be angry at you afterwards but it's pass

Have someone hold him, they can scruff him to keep him from biting you and then do it.

I treat my cat like a dog... I always have, I hold him on his back and clip his nails. He knows he doesn't have to enjoy it, but he has to tolerate it. People don't think you can't give cats rules, but you can.

Maybe you should try touching his paws often but not trimming his nails? Then he won't freak out and think you're going to trim everytime you touch his paws?