I normally get my girls claws clipped 1nce every 2 months but she has been good and hasnt scrtached anything,was thinking of letting them grow,i can hear her snag carpet a couple times when she walks,would she by any chance get stuck on carpet and pannick asnd maybe injure herself or im a just being nervous?
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Claws
- Thread starter rasn1320
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Depending on how quickly your cat's claws grow, you can actually trim them every 4 to 6 weeks. The only thing I would be worried about is if the claw begins to curl under. Some cats, if not trimmed or given adequate scratching surfaces, will continue to grow their claws until the claw begins to press into their paw pads. There is a chance she could get a claw snagged in something, and injure herself, but that possibility is always there as long as she has claws. Dulling and trimming the claws just reduces that risk.
The best way for me to tell if they need to have their claws trimmed is to check their paws when they are relaxed in sleep. If the claws are fully retracted, but a little bit of claw still shows, they may need a trim. Just be careful not to cut into the soft quick -- the large amount of blood vessels there that feed the nail are very painful if cut, and bleed profusely.
The best way for me to tell if they need to have their claws trimmed is to check their paws when they are relaxed in sleep. If the claws are fully retracted, but a little bit of claw still shows, they may need a trim. Just be careful not to cut into the soft quick -- the large amount of blood vessels there that feed the nail are very painful if cut, and bleed profusely.
We trim nails about every 3 weeks or when we can hear them snagging on the carpet. If she is indoor-only, her nails will need to be trimmed.
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Could lead to issues if she panics. most of mine will stop and just pull if stuck. I go every month on the 13th(Dog gets heartworm pill too) I have 33 cats/kittens at the moment and even with some of the REALLY bad ones I get done in hour-catching them takes time:S
Try to play with her paws and give her a treat then try later on/next day one nail give treat. The ones I got as babies are all doable but a few I had luck with doing that. I admit I still have 3 I just have to hold down to get it down-with this many cats its also to prevent any serious scratches onto other cats as sometimes playing on tree ends with them play fighting and hitting eachother.
Try to play with her paws and give her a treat then try later on/next day one nail give treat. The ones I got as babies are all doable but a few I had luck with doing that. I admit I still have 3 I just have to hold down to get it down-with this many cats its also to prevent any serious scratches onto other cats as sometimes playing on tree ends with them play fighting and hitting eachother.
I have 17 indoor cats, and I can and do clip most of their claws. However, 3 of them are entirely feral, I can't even touch them. So I don't clip their claws, of course. 2 are semi-feral, I haven't tried to do their claws but they're getting better so I might try soon. One other is Silka. She's crazy. Possibly evil. She bites. So I don't clip her claws either. She never scratches anything except her cardboard scratcher so it doesn't matter.
One of the ferals has gotten her claws snagged on a chair. But she just pulled them loose, it wasn't a problem. Other than that I've never had any trouble with the unclipped cats. No snagging or anything. Bitsy's back claws click on the hard floors (she won't let me do her back claws) but that's not really a problem, exactly. Just a funny quirk. I think cats mostly take care of their own claws (except some older cats), and the only reason I clip is to prevent painful poking when they knead my lap.
Let her go unclipped for a few weeks and see if it's a problem. In most cases it won't be.
One of the ferals has gotten her claws snagged on a chair. But she just pulled them loose, it wasn't a problem. Other than that I've never had any trouble with the unclipped cats. No snagging or anything. Bitsy's back claws click on the hard floors (she won't let me do her back claws) but that's not really a problem, exactly. Just a funny quirk. I think cats mostly take care of their own claws (except some older cats), and the only reason I clip is to prevent painful poking when they knead my lap.
Let her go unclipped for a few weeks and see if it's a problem. In most cases it won't be.
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Yea mine bites if you go fort the paws,she turns into evil girl when i take her for the paws,but she loves the car ride. Ill let it go for a few weeks and see,hopefully i dont come home and find that i have to put new carpet in my apartment lol.
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Yes, she can injure herself if the claws get long and sharp and catch in things. I'd keep on with the trimmings.
You know, it took three years for Mazy to allow me to trim her claws at home. She loathes her paws touched and would go berserk. So I was bringing her to the groomer every six weeks to have them trimmed, but in the mean time doing Paw Work with her at home.
Paw Work is simply I had her treat handy (a little mayo) and gathered her up and touched each paw, then gave her a treat. I did this every single day. Gradually she went from me just lightly touching the paws, to me being able to hold and press gently to extend the claws. Once she allowed that for a few months, I started trying to snip. At first I coud only snip one claw, then I would release her.
Gruadually it got so I could snip a whole paw at one session. Finally after three years of this I was able to do both front paws, and have been now for two years. I put a blob of mayo on her mouth while snipping, and she's so busy licking it off she doesn't have time to bite me.
But it took a lot of patience, and like I said, that daily Paw Work. She still doesn't like it, and still growls the whole time I am snipping, but it's much easier on her than bringing her to the groomer every six weeks, if she only knew!
I don't see how you guys can STAND to deal with long sharp nails. Our cats get trimmed weekly (as needed) to keep them short. If they are too long, not only can they get caught in curtains, rugs or even the treehouse carpet, but if they try and pull them out, they could rip out the nail or panic because they are stuck and hanging from something.
Keep them trimmed weekly or every other week.
One other thing - the main reason she doesn't like it is that you don't do it on a regular basis and so she fights every time you try. I start trimming nails at 5-6 weeks old. Our HHP hates getting her nails done - she complains the entire time and she's been getting them cut weekly.
Keep them trimmed weekly or every other week.
One other thing - the main reason she doesn't like it is that you don't do it on a regular basis and so she fights every time you try. I start trimming nails at 5-6 weeks old. Our HHP hates getting her nails done - she complains the entire time and she's been getting them cut weekly.
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Every six weeks works just fine for my gang, their nails do not grow long and sharp sooner than that. In fact Tolly (11 years old) really doesn't need them done even that often.
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Aw..the poor girlie. I really think you ought to start doing Paw Work with her as I described in an earlier post. Even if you never get to the point where you can do the claws at home, at least she will be used to having them handled, so it won't be quite so traumatic for her.
See if she likes mayonaise, or yogurt, and use it as I described. Do it every day. Start by simply holding her in your lap, and touch each paw lightly, then give her the drop of mayo. Give her a taste before you touch the paws too. Before and after. Do it every day.
After a week or two try touching her paws more purposefully, holding the paw in your fingers instead of just touching. Again, a drop of the mayo before and after.
This may go a long way toward helping her cope with the nail trims.
About the nail trims: how is it done? Do you hold her? Is it done on a stainless steel table? Is the person who does it gentle and talking to her softly as they do it, reassuring her?
Also, you might get some Rescue Remedy, and use that on nail trim trip days, to help reduce her stress.
See if she likes mayonaise, or yogurt, and use it as I described. Do it every day. Start by simply holding her in your lap, and touch each paw lightly, then give her the drop of mayo. Give her a taste before you touch the paws too. Before and after. Do it every day.
After a week or two try touching her paws more purposefully, holding the paw in your fingers instead of just touching. Again, a drop of the mayo before and after.
This may go a long way toward helping her cope with the nail trims.
About the nail trims: how is it done? Do you hold her? Is it done on a stainless steel table? Is the person who does it gentle and talking to her softly as they do it, reassuring her?
Also, you might get some Rescue Remedy, and use that on nail trim trip days, to help reduce her stress.
For those of you that think its ok to not clp claws:
My 16 year old got a claw caught on my desk chair sometime last night.
She dislocated her shoulder as she hung there, helplessly and ended up peeing and pooping all over the chair and herself.
Dehydrated because she couldn't get to the water.
This is a cat who's claws get clipped monthly.
She's stiff, but ok, but the dehydration may end up causing her to crash due to her CRF.
It could have been much worse though.
My 16 year old got a claw caught on my desk chair sometime last night.
She dislocated her shoulder as she hung there, helplessly and ended up peeing and pooping all over the chair and herself.
Dehydrated because she couldn't get to the water.
This is a cat who's claws get clipped monthly.
She's stiff, but ok, but the dehydration may end up causing her to crash due to her CRF.
It could have been much worse though.
OMG! THat is terrible! I don't even know what to say, her way for a quick recovery. I am for claw trimming, I trim Maia's claws myself when necessary. Usually it's just one or two at a time so she doesn't hate me for it, but every once in a while I get a full paw done, and that's when she is such a good kitty!!!!!!!! Smothered in kisses and pets, treats!
I think it's important to start when they are young but even more important to maintain a clipped tip when they are older for this very reason...
My 3 cats and 2 dogs got pedicures this afternoon. I agree that it's important to keep those claws clipped for the benefit of the animal, the fur siblings that might come in contact with the claws, the humans and the furnishings! All of my pets are pretty easy to clip and my dh and I get it done together in about 10 minutes for all 5.
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How terrible. I hope she's doing better now. I worry about that happening to my kitties so clip regularly. I am grateful Mazy now allows me to do her at home,(it took three years of training for her to allow it) but if she didn't we'd still be going to the groomer every six weeks.
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I clip Holland's claws about every 3 weeks. The first time she needed a trim, I took her to the vet. But after they charged me a $25 vet tech fee, I decided I needed to figure out how to do it at home.
I used to hold her by the scruff in my mouth so I had two hands free to trim. Now, while she still doesn't LIKE to have her claws trimmed, I can hold her in my lap and get them trimmed up in less than a minute.
I agree with Otto, get her used to having her paws "handled". It's possible that she gets nervous just going to the vet, so being able to trim her claws at home might lessen her anxiety. And unless she goes for regular walks on concrete sidewalks, you absolutely do not want to avoid claw clipping. I have known animals who've gotten a claw caught in carpet... bad things can happen.
I used to hold her by the scruff in my mouth so I had two hands free to trim. Now, while she still doesn't LIKE to have her claws trimmed, I can hold her in my lap and get them trimmed up in less than a minute.
I agree with Otto, get her used to having her paws "handled". It's possible that she gets nervous just going to the vet, so being able to trim her claws at home might lessen her anxiety. And unless she goes for regular walks on concrete sidewalks, you absolutely do not want to avoid claw clipping. I have known animals who've gotten a claw caught in carpet... bad things can happen.
Another good reason to clip nails (and why I'm paranoid about keeping them clipped). I had a litter of Russian Blue kittens. As kittens grow they have to learn how to retract the nails - they are not born being able to do this. And they can get quite rough in playing with each other.
Two of the boys were having a wrestling battle (about 3 months old at the time) and one swatted at the other. I had to rush the kitten to the vets because he had blood pouring out of the corner of his eye!
The vet wound up stiching the eye shut and gave me meds for the eye. He told me that had it been a mm closer to the cornea, the kitten would have been blinded.
So after that I started nipping nails at 5 or 6 weeks old to prevent this from happening again.
IMO whether the cat likes it or not, nails should be clipped on a routine basis. I think weekly, but every other week may work for you. Monthly is too far between times.
Two of the boys were having a wrestling battle (about 3 months old at the time) and one swatted at the other. I had to rush the kitten to the vets because he had blood pouring out of the corner of his eye!
The vet wound up stiching the eye shut and gave me meds for the eye. He told me that had it been a mm closer to the cornea, the kitten would have been blinded.
So after that I started nipping nails at 5 or 6 weeks old to prevent this from happening again.
IMO whether the cat likes it or not, nails should be clipped on a routine basis. I think weekly, but every other week may work for you. Monthly is too far between times.
