Claw trimming nightmare

[crazycatlady19]

Our oldest cat is a female almost 3 and she's been randomly attacking the other cats so my solution was to trim all of their front claws to avoid injuring each other any further. Well, I got the 3 youngest done with no issue not even from the one who hates people. Except Pikachu who is normally great with grooming. I ended up having to wrap her in a towel and still only got 3 claws done before she escaped. I have experience trimming claws, but Ive never seen a cat freak out how she did. Any suggestions before she keeps tearing up the others?

 

[hey jude]

I have a similar problem, having rescued a feral cat back in April.  I posted about Gracie in "FERAL CATS".  Gracie has made great strides toward becoming one of the family with my other 3 boys, but she is a drama queen.  I have always clipped my other cats' nails without incident (3 boys), but I think being a girl, she is too much of a princess for such things.  Since we rescued her when she was barely 5 months old, she never knew humans until us, and spent all her life running away from people, struggling with the frigid brutally arctic winter we had here in Michigan, very little to eat or drink.  We really can't believe she survived the winter here.  But we are still getting her used to life with us.  She loves our other cats, and they all get along really well, all play, wrestle and chase.  BUT she is sticking to the carpets, her toys, etc, and I know her claws are out of control.

I am wondering Xanax?? Just a touch maybe to get her to allow the clipping, just until she understands its ok, and there's a nice little treat afterwards.

All suggestions appreciated - also, she will NOT be restrained, that's panic-city to her, so wrapping in a blanket is out of the question.  I am going to ask our vet. as well if there is a temporary and safe calming thing to give her.

Thanks

 

[inka]

Hi,

Xanax won't help, unless you give her enough to knock her completely out.

But then you will feel like walking guilt, as she will be miserable for a couple of days, also having nausea and possible headaches. Believe me, you don't want this to happen every other week. 

I am having same circus here. 

The solution for me is obligatory claw trimming each time we are visiting the vet, then at home I cut my stray Teddy's claws (2 y.o., large, strong, street smart and fighting like a lion) over a few days, like 1-2 at a time, when he sleeps or perches and doesn't expect it.

Usually that works, he does not mind 1 or with a stroke of luck 2 claws, barely notices what is happening, but then I have to let him be and to remember which one claw is the next to trim so I don't spend time searching through and making him impatient at the next attempt.

When all 10 claws are done, I feel like I could need some Xanax myself, or at least a glass of something, while enjoying the fact there are 5 whole days till we have to go through this again

I don't trim Sissi's claws, because she is old and tiny and I want her to have some advantage just in case.

They say regular paw massages make cats used to having their paws/claws touched and handled, but haven't tried it with my cats.

 

[crazycatlady19]

I tried to do it while she was asleep but she wakes up every time

 

[hey jude]

Yep, mine being a feral cat, seems to still be on alert and wakes up any time I walk in the room where she is sleeping, I don't even have to touch her.  So "sleeping kitty" won't work for me either.  her little claws are so long and she keeps getting stuck on her cloth-type toys.  She does let me touch her paws, but just barely, not enough to get a clipper near them.

 

[orangeblossom]

We have this issue with our girl...adopted as a kitten, now about 1 year old. She has made great.strides in allowing us to pet her and is a social lap cat who will great guests...but heaven help those who try to touch her paws! We were sooo persistent in trying to use positive reinforcement, get her used to it...nope! I can sometimes trim a couple nails while she's sleeping, but we have found most success wrapping her in a towel burrito-style. My husband also recently got a pair of long pruning gloves that he can hold her with while I trim since she's become really clever with escaping the burrito before it's "wrapped." She is really angry while it's happening, but totally lovey afterward as if nothing happened!