Question Of The Day, Sunday, October 22, 2017

[micknsnicks2mom]

good morning!

i was thinking today that it's just about time again to trim my cats claws, or as i call it, 'salon day'.

so, for today's Question of the Day......



Do you have a routine for trimming your cat(s) nails, one that seems to work well for both your cats and yourself?



i'll start!

we do have a routine for 'salon day' here. i make sure to have some freeze dried chicken treat pieces ready, then grab the container of them and give it a good shake. that's guaranteed to bring both Punky and DeeDee running to me, with our Dude following them.

i start with which ever cat is closest to me. our Deed likes to be held and snuggled, so i give her scritchins between each nail clip. she gets a little wiggly towards the end, but is generally quite cooperative. then she gets some treats, as does both other cats. Punky likes to lay on her back on my legs, with her upper back/neck against my tummy/chest. poor thing has 3 extra claws to trim, because she's polydactyl. Punky is more wiggly than Dude or Deed, but she tries really hard to cooperate and does quite well. we take short breaks as needed for lovins and scritchins. then she gets some treats, as does both other cats. and our Dude prefers to sit on my lap, and receive lovins and scritchins, to have his nails trimmed. he's many times the most cooperative of my three for their 'salon' day'. then Dude gets some treats, as does both other cats.

i always thank my cats for allowing me to help them with their nails, after we've finished trimming. i think it really helps that they know they'll be given treats after their nails are trimmed.


okay, now it's your turn!

 

[muffy]

At one time I had 8 cats. My routine was to take them to the vet to get their nails clipped. I was afraid to do it myself.

Muffy

 

[Margret]

I don't generally plan a specific day for it, I just keep the clippers handy (they're part of my pocket knife, so that's easy) and when Jasmine comes up to me with her mind set on lap time I pull the clippers out and start trimming. If she expresses interest in the clippers I let her sniff them, and I give her lots of loving between claws, and tell her what a good girl she's being, and I don't insist on doing both front paws on the same day.

Does Jasmine actually like it? Of course not, but she does tolerate it, and the trauma is minor for each of us.

Margret

 

[artiemom]

I do not have a routine for claw clipping. I guess I am very fortunate. Artie is somewhat crabby about his back paws, and does try to run away with the front ones, but on the whole he is very good at it.

I either do it on my chair, while holding tightly on to him.. or on the cat tree, where I brush him.

I generally clip them about every 3-4 weeks.

 

[Winchester]

We normally set aside the first Sunday afternoon of the month for claw clipping, ear cleaning, etc. Tabby is wonderful about letting us clip her claws and clean her ears....once we catch her, that is. We try to do her first, simply because it's easier to grab her first. Tabby pretty much lays in my arms while Rick clips. Then he cleans her ears out well. Once he's done, she knows it and she starts to squirm to be put down. I put her on the floor and she zooms out of the bathroom.

Mollipop. We've always said that you can hear Molli screaming on Pluto. I grab her and Rick starts in. She might let us clip a claw, maybe two if we're lucky, and then she starts yelling at us and tossing herself in my arms. A lot of "Molli, NO! Molli STOP! Molli, behave! Please, Molli!" Followed by " it, Molli, stop it right now!" And all the while she's screaming like the Hellhounds are on her tail. We've never clipped her too closely; Rick is very careful. But she hates having her claws clipped. We consider ourselves lucky if we can manage 6 or 7 claws at one time. I put her on the floor, she snorts at me and says, "I win. Again." And saunters out of the bathroom. Brat.

After we're done, everybody gets a treat in the kitchen. And til we're done, everybody is out in the kitchen waiting!

 

[di and bob]

I have had many, many cats and have never trimmed their claws on any of them. I always check their claws when they sleep on my lap and have NEVER seen a need. No excessive 'curl' back into the paw, etc. They use a corrugated scratcher regularly. Even Burt, my 17 year old, had claws that were just fine. They all use trees too when I supervise them in the back yard.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

...
i was thinking today that it's just about time again to trim my cats claws, or as i call it, 'salon day'.

so, for today's Question of the Day...

There is never only one "Salon Day" for Milly.
I wish there was but she won't let me do all her nails at once.

I have to catch a few here and there, as the opportunity arises.

 

[Freedom]

When I had 1 to 6 cats, every Saturday was mani / pedi time. I'd get each one, sit in the recliner and wedge kitty in between me and the left side arm, then snip, snip, snip.

As my pet family grew, this happened less and less. Now, I just clip nails on the 3 who come to me when I am in bed. They are the ones who get their nails in to me! Not intentionally, of course. I keep the small nail clippers in the nightstand drawer, and will cuddle a kitty and snip, snip, snip. This usually results in the other 2 dashing off. So I don't do those 3 together, now.

 

[betsygee]

No specific routine here, either. I keep the clippers out all the time and when one cat seems mellow enough to let me do it, I go for it.

 

[Willowy]

I only trim the ones who like to dig their claws into me while sitting on my lap . Otherwise, no need. I just keep the clippers near the couch and if someone pokes me, snip!

 

[maggiedemi]

My cats have never had their claws trimmed. I'm afraid I would do it wrong.

 

[LTS3]

Both cats get their claws done in the bathroom. Leroy is done on the counter facing away from me. He's usually good at holding still but has this annoying habit of trying to lift up the opposite leg while I'm clipping the paw on the other leg Sometimes he gets fussy and complains. If he's really cranky, he'll hiss. Emma is done on the floor tucked between my knees. She has a habit of tipping over onto her side if I do her on the counter no matter how firmly I hold her in place Emma tolerates clipping a lot better now than when I first adopted her. She'll hold still and maybe complain.

Claw clipping is usually combined with tooth brushing. Once a month they get their flea prevention treatment as well. I figure since I already have them in the bathroom, might as well do everything at once.

 

[bodester413]

I don't have a set routine time wise. I can usually get them clipped while he's sleeping.

 

[rubysmama]

Ruby hates having her paws touched, so nail clipping doesn't go well. I try to do a claw now and then when she's in a deep sleep on my lap, but there's certainly no routine.

 

[misty8723]

When I first got cats and they told me I needed to trim their nails, I tried with Swanie. He pitched a royal fit. At that point I researched and found the only reason I would need to do it is if they grow abnormally, or if you are worried about them scratching up your house. So far, they grow normally, and my cats aren't scratching up anything except the carpet under the door of a room we had closed against them once. That can be replaced, and I have learned they don't like to be excluded. I have scratchies all over the place, they take care of their own.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
A routine? Certainly.

 

[neely]

Neely's claws were a breeze to trim. Her predecessors were not as keen on it so it was a 2 person procedure, i.e. DH would hold the cat and I would trim. However, Carleton, my extremely docile Persian, turns into a tiger when he needs his nails trimmed. His paws are extremely sensitive and the vet confirmed that as well.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

.
A routine? Certainly.

View attachment 201469

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

At one time I had 8 cats. My routine was to take them to the vet to get their nails clipped. I was afraid to do it myself.

Muffy

that sounds like the ideal way to clip kitty claws!!! very nice!!

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

I don't generally plan a specific day for it, I just keep the clippers handy (they're part of my pocket knife, so that's easy) and when Jasmine comes up to me with her mind set on lap time I pull the clippers out and start trimming. If she expresses interest in the clippers I let her sniff them, and I give her lots of loving between claws, and tell her what a good girl she's being, and I don't insist on doing both front paws on the same day.

Does Jasmine actually like it? Of course not, but she does tolerate it, and the trauma is minor for each of us.

Margret

ahhh, you and your Jasmine have 'agreed' on an acceptable way to trim her claws!!! well done!!