Cat Acting Strange After Nail Trim - Hurt Or Grumpy?

[all_is_wells]

Hi there,

My boy, Sazed, has been acting a little strange since I trimmed his claws yesterday for the first time. He's generally pretty chill and doesn't mind me touching his paws, so I got the first one done as he was just lying on his rug -- but immediately after he jerked his head back a few times, mouth open, as he if he were about to sneeze, and then fled under the bed. I got him out and wrapped him in a blanket to keep him calm while I finished, and back under the bed he went.

I offered him dinner immediately after as a reward, and he picked at it. He also followed me out of the room in the evening when I went to do some cleaning (he usually follows me from room to room), so I thought he'd be okay. But he spent all night under my bed instead of on it with me, and when he came out for a few minutes this morning he did that weird head jerk thing again after a moment and fled back under the bed. He hasn't even tried to come out for his breakfast, and just licked at a piece of turkey offered under the bed.

Do you think he's just unhappy about his new nails, or might he be hurt? I figure if he doesn't start eating by his breakfast tomorrow, I'll call the vet.

It's just bad timing too, because my new roommate is moving in with a dog and cat tonight and all the hubbub isn't going to do good things for his appetite.

 

[abyeb]

The only way you can really mess up a nail trim is if you cut the quick- the pink part inside a cat’s claw. If you cut the quick by accident, it would bleed a lot. So, I’d say that it’s more likely that he’s just stressed from the whole experience, but I agree with you that taking him to the vet if he’s not eating by tomorrow is a good call.

 

[Hellenww]

The nail trimming and the about to sneeze movement might be coincidental. Take him in the bathroom for a steam session then offer him food.

 

[all_is_wells]

Thanks guys!

I don't think the weird sneeze-like gesture is respiratory, but yeah, maybe there's something else that's rearing its head around the same time I trimmed his nails... I'll keep an eye on him and hope he starts eating soon.

 

[all_is_wells]

Update: Yes, I think there's something else going on and the timing with the nail trim was coincidental! By last night he was back to his affectionate, adventurous self, and I was woken up by cat sniffs in my face as per usual, but he's still not eating. He'll meow his head off for food at meal times but when I give him fresh food he eats a few bites, jerks, and runs away. A few times when I've offered him treats, he'll take one into his mouth, make a strange sound, and spit it back out. I suspect a toothache or other mouth ouch. To the vet it is!