Hello

[mj412]

I'm new to the site and just wanted to say Hey! We adopted an almost 4 mos. old female calico 2 weeks ago and found this site browsing for information on behavior. Thank all that's mighty and powerful for the internet...gotta love it! This site is awesome. Anyway, it has been a good 20 yrs. since we've had any pets. What a way to break in, a rambunctious ace climber and jumper. She is a pistol, as they all are as kittens.
The main thing I am concerned with right now is trimming her teeny little (razor sharp) nails. I saw some demos for grown cats, but what about the bitty ones? She is 100% house cat, so the nails have got to be trimmed, for every ones benefit. I don't want this to be a traumatic experience. I don't expect her to love it and come to me voluntarily to have them trimmed, but do want it to be "do able". Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[nurseangel]

Welcome to TCS!   I don't know anything about trimming nails, but I am sure there are members who are can give you advice from personal experience.  You may wish to post in the health forum, where your question would more likely to be seen by more folks.

It's very nice to meet you and I think you'll enjoy TCS as much as I do.  

 

 

[pinkdagger]

Welcome!

First thing, especially with a rambunctious kitten is to tire her out! Play and exhaust her and get her while she's relaxing afterwards.

It depends on the cat... if you can associate it with something good, that's always a good start. If she's good with being handled a lot, my boyfriend got our older cat used to nail trims by holding and cradling him to start as a kitten (6-8 months at the time of adoption), so he loves to be held by people and held on his back. He gets lots of pets and affection, and eventually he started lying him on his back between his legs, scratching his head, and then holding one paw and clipping.

Our younger cat isn't as ragdoll-like as the older cat, and is contrarily very skittish. The first time we trimmed her claws she was over a year old, and I doubt the foster home had done so before we adopted her. In her case, I get a second person to snatch her up, give her some pets, and hold her upright so her front paws are off the ground and I sit in front of her and clip, then she gets tons of pets and a treat immediately after. The first time we did this, her tail was tucked between her legs and she was obviously unhappy about it, but she doesn't fight and she gets a treat so all's well in the end. She just saunters off, and it hasn't scared her off from us or the clippers.

Some people use the burrito method wrapping her in a blanket and getting one paw out at a time, but I tend to reserve that for more of a last resort since I don't want the cats to see a blanket or something else that frequently lies around the home as a scary or negative thing (or be able to see it coming). Although some cats love being burrito'd!

 

[mj412]

thank you, I think we'll try to two person approach. the "burrito" method was the absolute last thing I wan to resort to...only because I don't want this to be the battle royal and big stressor for all of us. The day we adopted her, her foster mommy trimmed her nails..but we didn't get a demo, she did that while we filled out our application. anyway,

MJ's mom

 

[alyssam]

Welcome, welcome! Show us little MJ? Best of luck with your nail trimming... I have heard the younger they are when you start trimming the easier it gets over time. Maybe it has something to do with them getting used to it. Try to associate nail trimming with good things like play and treats, might make your time a bit easier

 

[mj412]

thank you; and I'm happy to report I got one nail done today

 so far. I'll a pic as soon as I figure out how

 

[GemsGem]

thank you; and I'm happy to report I got one nail done today

 so far. I'll a pic as soon as I figure out how

Welcome to the site

Looking forward to seeing some pics of your beautiful girl

Nail trimming can be tricky when you have an unwilling kitty :lol3: But if you can aim to do a least one or two nails a day to start, then you will have them all done in about a week

 

[mj412]

thanks for the encouragement.

 

[mj412]

 
thanks for the encouragement.

 
thank you, I think we'll try to two person approach. the "burrito" method was the absolute last thing I wan to resort to...only because I don't want this to be the battle royal and big stressor for all of us. The day we adopted her, her foster mommy trimmed her nails..but we didn't get a demo, she did that while we filled out our application. anyway,

MJ's mom

Ok, between husband, me a sleepy kitty and some treats, I was able to trim all but 3 nails

 will get the rest tomorrow. (only doing front paws)