I did it! I clipped his nails!

meow meow

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I got my kitty (16 wks) neutered one week ago and they did clip his nails for me. My husband wants him declawed (long story -- his previous cat was declawed) -- but I told him that I'd like to try clipping his nails and training him to a scratcher first.

Well, it was not easy! My heart was pounding like crazy. I'd give him a treat then while his was eating it, put him on lap and start looking for nails. The problem is his paws are white and his nails are so tiny I have a hard time finding them. When I finally find them, the clipping parts is no big deal though. He cried like I was killing him and I was madly afriad he was going to bite me (but he never even tried). After each nail, I'd let him down and give him another treat -- then pick him and up and try again. I found four nails on each paw. Is this correct? I never got to the "dew claw" but I don't think that nail causes much damage to the carpet and furniture.

Does this ever get easier? I was surprised how they grew in one week (the vet really had them cut nice and blunt but of course the cat was knocked out while he did it).

Any tips for finding the nail? I just kept gently sqeezing until I saw one. Is there a specific place to squeeze like between the toes??
 

simpleblue

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Yayyyyyy meow meow


soon i'll be cutting my kittens nails. i have other things i wanna get done before that though. i dont wanna put my kitties through too much at a time...

just try not to cut to close to the pink part in the nail (blood vessel, but you most likely know that)... sounds like you did a wonderful job if you didnt get clawed or biten.

i hear that cats claws need to be done around every 4-6 weeks so that may come as a relief. i'm no expert but i think they might have grown fast right now because your kittens are in the stage of growing. and its to be expected. just a guess though.


i'll be sure to post when i cut my kittens nails. i hope it goes as well for me.


i hope it goes well with your husband and you guys both decide to let the kitten keep it claws. much of the cats joy comes from them.

dreamer
 

phenomsmom

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It shouldn't take much pressure to make the claw visable. And watch for the blood vessel. You might want to pick up some steptic powder just incase you nick he vein on accident. It will stop the bleeding. Once your kitty gets used to you doing it he should let you do it. Make sure you handle his paws a lot to make him used to them beign handled. It will make it easier.
 

abigail

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WAY TO GO GAL ........ soon you will be doing them all in one shot because you will get so comfy with it. And then you can press a little harder and get the dew claw too.

My cat doesn't even make a sound now or really fuss. and it takes about 15 seconds to do one paw. She then sulks for another minute and comes and climbs in my lap. Alternate mondays are her manicure day
.
 

goldenkitty45

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Actually there are 5 nails on the front - you need to cut the "thumb" nail - or it will grow into the pad. Back feet have 4 nails.

Yes it gets easier only if you do it as a routine thing - not once every few months. I check and clip nails about once a week. Kittens grow fast (front faster then back) so check them often. Your kitten will get used to feet being handled and not fight so much. Also play and handle the feet without clipping so your kitten doesn't get the idea that anytime you are touching his feet he will get nails clipped.

Some cats will still protest no matter how many times you've cut. Just remember that if you give in your cat will object quicker. YOU be the one to end the session - not the cat.

I find that my guys tend to want to claw/scratch more on the posts when the nails are longer.
 

yosemite

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Good for you! Yes, play with their little feet (not hard to do)
so they get used to having their feet touched. I did that with Bijou and now he doesn't mind me just sitting there holding his paw and stroking it while he sleeps or rests. It is also best to clip when they are sleeping or just waking, they are calmer. I calmly talk to Bijou and kiss the top of his little head while I'm cutting his nails. Actually I find the more I relax, the more he relaxes. The nails do need cutting about once per week for a kitten and about every 2 weeks for an older cat.

Sounds like you are on the right track. I'd probably try to do all of them at once though rather than putting the kitty down after each clip, or at least try to get one whole paw done at a time.
 

natalie_ca

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Good for you!

My oldest cat loves to get her nails cut. i give her a paw massage at the same time and she's in heaven, LOL Abby the youngest hates getting her nails cut, though somethings she will suffer through letting me do one paw, but then I have to catch her while she's sound asleep to do the other.

Now that you've done it once, future times will get easier and easier. I was terrified when I first cut my cat's nails. I was sure I was going to cut off one of her toes, and as a result I bearly clipped the pointy tip. Eventually I managed to get braver though, especially after I saw how short the vet managed to cut them one day.
 

shadowsoul

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That's splendid
I had a hard time the first time I had to clip Oscar's nails, now, he enjoys it, together with ear cleaning sessions with me. He lies on his side and he lets me take it one paw at a time. I do it while gently talking to him, and he loves it, no more crying



It's also a good time for us to bond, it builds trust on his part.
 

laureen227

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well, i was going to suggest you wait till he's napping, but Yosemite beat me to it!
but i'll tell you - i had the hardest time with Cable at first - she squirmed like the dickens! today [she's now almost 2 years old] she climbed into my lap, so i took advantage of it
& she sat there very calmly & let me clip all 10 of her front nails
she was very good, & i told her so. now, if i could just get Java to take lessons from her...
 

kluchetta

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My vet tech told me that her cat goes instantly "boneless" when put into his halter in preparation for a "walk". So now she just puts on his halter to clip his nails!

Oh, and you push straight down on what would be our second knuckle (you know what I mean?) to get the claw to pop out. With equal pressure on the pad on the opposite side.
 
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