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I have never had a problem trimming claws UNTIL Luna came along. She fights me at every turn and I end up with scratches all over me-and some are pretty deep. The towel doesn't really work. I just got a couple of new scratching pads (already had two) but I don't know if that will help keep them trimmed or make them sharper and more deadly.
Is there any advice anyone has to help me in this task? Or do I have to sedate her to do it?
I wrap one in a towel. She screams the house down but lets me. I think she just screams on principle. The other, now 16, had to be trained to accept nail trims and it took a few years.
I did Paw Work with her. Each day, every single day I held her briefly in the position I would ultimately use to trim her nails, take a paw, gently press it to extend the claws. Then I would release her and give a special treat reserved ONLY for nail trims (a drop of mayonnaise, if you must know. )
At first I did one paw only (rotating which paw by the day). Gradually I worked up to pressing two paws, then three then all four. Just held her, pressed each paw one after the other, to extend the claws, release, give the treat. Daily.
(Important: when I did this I also told her what I was doing and why)
After she started accepting all four paws, I next brought out the clippers. And started all over again. Snip a claw. ONE claw. Then paw work with the other three paws, and release and treat. After a few weeks I was able to do two claws at once, ...then three..then a whole paw...and so on. Fast forward about 6 years I was able to do all four paws in one sitting, and still do, to this day. She hates it, detests it, growls and warns me and air snaps, but allows it. It takes less than two minutes, then I release her and giver her the treat.
(I also smear a little mayo on her mouth to give her something else to think about as I do it)
As always I talk her through it telling, her how proud I am of her for letting me do it, when I know how much she hates it.
Oh, I no longer do daily Paw Work, but I didn't stop it until she was accepting all four paws done at once on a monthly basis.
One more thing. During the years when she was only allowing Paw Work, not trims, I had to take her to someone to have it done. There was one person who worked in the kennels at the vet, who she would allow to do it, held on a high wooden counter with her draped over my arm, slipping drops of mayo onto her mouth while the tech snipped away. That person still asks about her every time I see her.
Last edited by catsmom21; 03-15-2020 at 02:48 PM..
I believe it took years, as some cats never seem to get over it. Even Gypsy grizzled and made faces when I asked the vet to do the thick ones for me.
Mine was similar, but I would show her the clippers, let her sniff them, rub her head on them, whatever. Touched paws, extended claws, did one or more if I could. No mayonnaise. But the drama! The wounded, betrayed sounds. She should have won an award.
Don't laugh, but some cats (like mine) don't want to be restrained. The less you touch her, the better she behaves, so it would be like giving a manicure, just show her the clippers, then take a paw. I had much better luck when I stopped trying to hold her.
I believe it took years, as some cats never seem to get over it. Even Gypsy grizzled and made faces when I asked the vet to do the thick ones for me.
Mine was similar, but I would show her the clippers, let her sniff them, rub her head on them, whatever. Touched paws, extended claws, did one or more if I could. No mayonnaise. But the drama! The wounded, betrayed sounds. She should have won an award.
Don't laugh, but some cats (like mine) don't want to be restrained. The less you touch her, the better she behaves, so it would be like giving a manicure, just show her the clippers, then take a paw. I had much better luck when I stopped trying to hold her.
I flip all of mine backwards in my lap, so that their heads are closest to me and their back legs extend outwards. My Russian Blue complains vocally during the whole procedure, but that's just her way. The oldest one is actually the wiggliest, even thought she is the smallest, so I do her as quickly as I can as she can strain her back end by twisting around. The Tonkinese is pretty calm but has scratched me deeply by jumping off suddenly after twisting around when I wasn't wearing long pants (my bad). My sister never could trim her nails at all, but I did it after just 3 weeks after she came to me. The technique never fails me.
I trim my 19-year old's while she is laying on the couch - I sit next to her. If her paws are hanging off or near the front edge of the couch, I'll scrunch down in front and clip them that way.
Mind you, I have been clipping her claws since she was a kitten but she still will fuss on occasion.
Take it slow - maybe do one claw a day and follow with a treat.
I guess I lucked out because my little guy doesn't really like it, but he only puts up a small fuss compared to what I'm reading here, and I can still manage to get it done.
I flip all of mine backwards in my lap, so that their heads are closest to me and their back legs extend outwards. My Russian Blue complains vocally during the whole procedure, but that's just her way. The oldest one is actually the wiggliest, even thought she is the smallest, so I do her as quickly as I can as she can strain her back end by twisting around. The Tonkinese is pretty calm but has scratched me deeply by jumping off suddenly after twisting around when I wasn't wearing long pants (my bad). My sister never could trim her nails at all, but I did it after just 3 weeks after she came to me. The technique never fails me.
I do this too, sort of sit them like a human baby. We have one who gets bite-y, so I sometimes need to put a muzzle on her for a few minutes. She gets dis-orientated enough that I can quickly get the job done.
I also sit them backwards on my lap. With all 4 feet in the air the most they can do is squirm a little, and it's easier to see the claws to clip them. I've had the most success when I started them as kittens, doing one toe at a time, with lots of treats, then progressing to two toes, one paw, two paws, etc. They enjoyed the process and would sit quietly, purr and drool in my lap as I clipped and gave them treats.
My 12 year old female kitty fights every time I try to clip her nails. If not properly restrained, she bites hard and scratches. Normally, we wrap her up firmly mummy-style in layers of thin, big towels, leaving only front legs exposed (we don't clip the rear claws). It's easiest when my husband holds her in his lap with her lying on her back but I've done it solo, too. Sometimes we cover kitty's face. She growls and hisses the whole time. Once in awhile we just take her to the vet but warn them how she acts. Fortunately, the two male cats who don't enjoy the clipping, at least cooperate with only a wiggle or two.
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