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Do SoftPaws hurt the cat??
- Thread starter madmanmib
- Start Date
They do not pervent retraction, and do not cause the cat pain, though they probably do cause a little confusion at first.
You can expect the first set not to last very long, while you cat gets used to them.
Also, it helps to get a coloured set, rather than clear, so that you can see when one has fallen off.
You can expect the first set not to last very long, while you cat gets used to them.
Also, it helps to get a coloured set, rather than clear, so that you can see when one has fallen off.
Nope, they dont cause pain... probably just a weird feeling.... when you apply them, you make the nail come out, but the cap doesnt cover the entire nail when it's fully extended, so there's plenty of room for the nail to retract properly
They didn't cause my girl any pain. Think of it as artificial nails for you. they don't hurt and eventually they just fall off. the nail retracts normally.
I think some people aren't to sure what retraction of the claw means. If you retract your cats claws and watch them relax, the claw does not dissapear inside a sheath. The joint merely pulls the claw back to a protected state, keeps them nice and sharp that way off the floor. So in essense the soft paw does nothing to hinder pulling the joint back, it just sheaths the claw.
Just take a look at your cats claws relaxed, and then image a small glove over the claw. You will see it won't hinder anything, though it sure is hard to explain!
Just take a look at your cats claws relaxed, and then image a small glove over the claw. You will see it won't hinder anything, though it sure is hard to explain!
It is really hard to explain. i just ordered some for my girls! I got pink ones for Phenom and blue ones for Phantom!
They don't hurt at all, but after the first few applications, your cats are going to chew and lick at them in an effort to get them off. Eventually they learn that you'll just reapply them and they give in
They are a wonderful alternative to declawing and you may not have to use them forever, they can be used for a few months as a training aid if your goal is to redirect their scratching to a post.
They are a wonderful alternative to declawing and you may not have to use them forever, they can be used for a few months as a training aid if your goal is to redirect their scratching to a post.
I just read some threads on Softclaws?paws? From what I can understand is this like false fingernails? When do you use them? I'm always behind. Can someone tell me more. Where to get them. How old can the cats be? Thanks for the info.
SoftPaws are awsome! I've had them on all my kitties.
Not only do the kitties need to get used to them, but so do you. It takes an application or two to get the hang of it. The first time is kinda awkward, but you'll become an expert after long.
Wearing them doesn't hurt the cat at all. I agree with the posts above that it's just like wearing fake nails. They just have to get used to the feel of them because it's not what they're used to.
Basically, they're little plastic claw-shaped covers for the hard nail part of the claw. You also get nail glue and little plastic applicator tips for the glue bottle.
You choose the size by looking at your kitties claw and comparing it to a chart. They come in Kitten, Small, Medium or Large (if I recall correctly). I agree with choosing a color, otherwise, it will not be very noticable if one has fallen off.
They can be found at PetsMart and other retailers now, but here's a website for the original maker of them: http://www.softpaws.com/.
The website has instructions on how to put them on.
Good luck!
Not only do the kitties need to get used to them, but so do you. It takes an application or two to get the hang of it. The first time is kinda awkward, but you'll become an expert after long.
Wearing them doesn't hurt the cat at all. I agree with the posts above that it's just like wearing fake nails. They just have to get used to the feel of them because it's not what they're used to.
Basically, they're little plastic claw-shaped covers for the hard nail part of the claw. You also get nail glue and little plastic applicator tips for the glue bottle.
You choose the size by looking at your kitties claw and comparing it to a chart. They come in Kitten, Small, Medium or Large (if I recall correctly). I agree with choosing a color, otherwise, it will not be very noticable if one has fallen off.
They can be found at PetsMart and other retailers now, but here's a website for the original maker of them: http://www.softpaws.com/.
The website has instructions on how to put them on.
Good luck!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #10
Thank you all so very much. It's comforting to know that there is a product like that out there. I have a room mate that is extremely worried about the carpet and his new furniture. Either way I will be building them ascratching board and trying some of the other ideas to help them not scratch certain places. Knowing now that the scratching is natural and how and why they do it will help alot.
One thing you might want to try is introduce the scratching post to them.
Whenever I get a new scratching post (which is usually carpet) I start scratching on it myself. That usually get's their attention and they start scratching too.
My scratching posts usually get shredded to the point where they have to be thrown out.
Whenever I get a new scratching post (which is usually carpet) I start scratching on it myself. That usually get's their attention and they start scratching too.
My scratching posts usually get shredded to the point where they have to be thrown out.
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I have a cat that is close to 27lbs. he is mean as hell and bits and claws everyone who comes close to him but me.
i was thinking about buying soft paws from amazon cuz the vet here where i live wont put them on him
does it hurt cats to apply them on their nails ?
i was thinking about buying soft paws from amazon cuz the vet here where i live wont put them on him
does it hurt cats to apply them on their nails ?
No, it does not hurt them.
Soft Paws are not a permanent solution to your problem, however. Your cat can still bite, and when one or two of them sheds off (in 3 or 4 weeks, depending on your cat) he will be able to claw with those. I would suggest posting to the behavioral section to try to get advice for your cat.
Cheers!
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well, your cat will most likely grow out of the stage of having soft paws depending on where you allow him to go. for example if you allow him to climb up trees his paws will get rougher to prevent his paws hurting, if you don't allow him outside then he will most likely have soft paws for longer then if you allowed him to go outside.
I think you have the wrong end of the stick here. SoftPaws are glue-on nail covers for cats' claws. It keeps them from damaging things by scratching.well, your cat will most likely grow out of the stage of having soft paws depending on where you allow him to go. for example if you allow him to climb up trees his paws will get rougher to prevent his paws hurting, if you don't allow him outside then he will most likely have soft paws for longer then if you allowed him to go outside.
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If your cat is a mean 27 pounder - you may want the vet to do the first application. I had to pay $50 to sedate my devil cat - and I hate to say that - but he was found in the wild - should've left him there. Only lets me touch him - growls - takes a swat at you, bites. I've offered $100 to take him, but no takers. Anyway - he's had his first set of Soft Paws, and he isn't walking. Not eating yet. Hoping he gets over this!! It's this or my marriage - he has taken to my husband's leather recliner! Yikes...
I have used Soft Paws on all 11 of my cats (3 have passed on) with great success. The first time I used them on my cats, their ages ranged from kitten to geriatric (over 7 years) and with the exception of one cat, they all adjusted quickly and didn't mind them at all. I never could get Duck to keep them on, she was the only cat who actively pulled them off. I even tried "painting" them with lemon juice or something I thought cats would find yucky, but it didn't matter. Pulling them off did NOT hurt her paws/claws in any way.
Here are some things I learned I hope will help you (#5 and #7 are especially important!):
1. Your cat must be used to having their nails clipped by you. Most of the time I could apply them myself, but with some cats I needed a 2nd person to hold the cat while I clipped claws and applied the soft paws.
2. The glue needs 5 minutes to dry. Watch your cat during that time and prevent them from licking their paws by distracting them. If you have a scaredy cat, apply the Soft Paws in a small area that you can control where they go.
3. Soft Paws are non-toxic, so don't worry if they eat one. It'll pass right through their system.
4. DEFINITELY get colored ones, especially if you have more than one cat. That way you can easily see who needs a replacement. The clear ones are impossible to see and if you drop one during the application process, good luck finding it quickly!
5. You will need to keep an eye on your cats' claws - some of my kitties (especially when they got really old) did not groom their paws/claws as well as they should. A cat's claw will shed itself, much like a snake skin. Sometimes cats either don't help this process along in their grooming or it doesn't shed easily on it's own and the outer sheath stays on. This means the Soft Paw will stay on too, and it will grow outward as the claw continues to grow. You will notice a growing gap between where the cat's claw begins growing out of their "finger" for lack of a better word and the end of the Soft Paw. If you've ever had fake nails, it's similar to when your nail grows and the fake nail gets farther away from your cuticle.
The larger that gap becomes, the more likely these two problems may occur:
a. Things can get caught behind the Soft Paw in that gap. Looped rugs, strings from the carpet of well used cat scratches and the like can get stuck and the cat can't free itself. I've come home to a few cat's "stuck" to the cat scratch or dragging around a bath mat because their Soft Paw edge got caught.
b. The claw and the Soft Paw can become so long that the tip of the Soft Paw can actually start pushing in on the paw pad below it and cause pain. I had this happen with one cat, who was 14 and very sick. He just didn't groom himself well anymore, and I saw he wasn't grooming his claws properly and one claw was so long it was squashing his paw pad and hurting him.
Both of these problems are quickly remedied by removing the Soft Paw, trimming the nail and applying a new Soft Paw. Removing it takes a bit of patience, you will clip the tip of the Soft Paw off with the trimmers, and if that doesn't free it (it doesn't a lot of the time) you will have to clip off the Soft Paw bit by bit. It makes a mess and takes time, but it won't hurt the cat.
6. While you can put them on the cat's back claws, it's not really recommended. They don't do as much damage with their back claws anyway.
7. Please please PLEASE don't let your cat outside with Soft Paws on! They use the sharpness of their claws for climbing and more importantly, defense. They are really meant for indoor cats only. Try using your touch pad phone or tablet wearing rubber gloves. Did it work? Same idea.
I hope this helps you decide if you want to try Soft Paws. I really liked them, but I stopped needing to use them. The company ships quickly and has great customer service. Good luck!
Here are some things I learned I hope will help you (#5 and #7 are especially important!):
1. Your cat must be used to having their nails clipped by you. Most of the time I could apply them myself, but with some cats I needed a 2nd person to hold the cat while I clipped claws and applied the soft paws.
2. The glue needs 5 minutes to dry. Watch your cat during that time and prevent them from licking their paws by distracting them. If you have a scaredy cat, apply the Soft Paws in a small area that you can control where they go.
3. Soft Paws are non-toxic, so don't worry if they eat one. It'll pass right through their system.
4. DEFINITELY get colored ones, especially if you have more than one cat. That way you can easily see who needs a replacement. The clear ones are impossible to see and if you drop one during the application process, good luck finding it quickly!
5. You will need to keep an eye on your cats' claws - some of my kitties (especially when they got really old) did not groom their paws/claws as well as they should. A cat's claw will shed itself, much like a snake skin. Sometimes cats either don't help this process along in their grooming or it doesn't shed easily on it's own and the outer sheath stays on. This means the Soft Paw will stay on too, and it will grow outward as the claw continues to grow. You will notice a growing gap between where the cat's claw begins growing out of their "finger" for lack of a better word and the end of the Soft Paw. If you've ever had fake nails, it's similar to when your nail grows and the fake nail gets farther away from your cuticle.
The larger that gap becomes, the more likely these two problems may occur:
a. Things can get caught behind the Soft Paw in that gap. Looped rugs, strings from the carpet of well used cat scratches and the like can get stuck and the cat can't free itself. I've come home to a few cat's "stuck" to the cat scratch or dragging around a bath mat because their Soft Paw edge got caught.
b. The claw and the Soft Paw can become so long that the tip of the Soft Paw can actually start pushing in on the paw pad below it and cause pain. I had this happen with one cat, who was 14 and very sick. He just didn't groom himself well anymore, and I saw he wasn't grooming his claws properly and one claw was so long it was squashing his paw pad and hurting him.
Both of these problems are quickly remedied by removing the Soft Paw, trimming the nail and applying a new Soft Paw. Removing it takes a bit of patience, you will clip the tip of the Soft Paw off with the trimmers, and if that doesn't free it (it doesn't a lot of the time) you will have to clip off the Soft Paw bit by bit. It makes a mess and takes time, but it won't hurt the cat.
6. While you can put them on the cat's back claws, it's not really recommended. They don't do as much damage with their back claws anyway.
7. Please please PLEASE don't let your cat outside with Soft Paws on! They use the sharpness of their claws for climbing and more importantly, defense. They are really meant for indoor cats only. Try using your touch pad phone or tablet wearing rubber gloves. Did it work? Same idea.
I hope this helps you decide if you want to try Soft Paws. I really liked them, but I stopped needing to use them. The company ships quickly and has great customer service. Good luck!
