Is It Time To Cut Their Claws?

aliceneko

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When is it best to cut Toffee and Fudge's claws? We think they're pretty overdue on being cut, since they seem quite long and are starting to cut into things. They don't seem to effect the boys, though when they're kneading on us or climbing up on us, the length and sharpness of their claws becomes apparent.
They were last cut the day we got them last year, which I am concerned is very late, though I have been told different times by various websites and vets online about claw cutting.
And how to go about it with two fidgety cats?
 

GoldyCat

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It's really up to you. Some people never trim their cats' claws. If their claws are hurting you it's definitely time to trim them.

My show cats get their claws trimmed before every show and about every 2 weeks in between if shows are too far apart. The rest of the clowder get theirs done about once a month, depending on how fast they grow.

When you start out it's easier if you have two people. One person holds the cat wrapped in a towel or blanket and the other pulls one paw out at a time to clip the claws. If you have a really wiggly cat (see escape artist) you may be able to clip only one or two claws at a time. I'm sure there are YouTube videos showing you how to trim claws, but I've never looked them up.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi! I'm like M mmin , I started with my boy really slowly when he was asleep too.

I pretty much try and get it done every 6-7 weeks or so...I'm always wondering about him getting a claw hung up in something, plus one of his can grow a bit crookedly if it gets too long and impacts the toe next to it so I have to keep a close eye on that :)
 

rubysmama

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And how to go about it with two fidgety cats?
As the "mama" of a cat that hates being restrained in any way AND hates having her toes touched, I unfortunately have little advice to offer. Currently, in fact, Ruby's claws are super long (and sharp) and yet every time I touch her paw she gets up and walks away.

The only time I successfully clip a claw is if I can get her in the right position when she is sleeping and clip one before she fully wakes up. Doesn't happen often. :(

When you do try to clip them, it would probably be best to just clip the very tip, until you get comfortable doing it, because if you clip too far, it will cut the quick and cause pain and bleeding.

Here's a TCS article with more info:
How To Best Take Care Of Cat Claws

:goodluck:
 

abyeb

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Charlie is SUPER fidgety when he gets his nails trimmed. I was able to trim his nails when he was a kitten, but as an adult, he decided that he did not like the nail trims. I actually take him to the vet for a nail trim, about every six weeks. It’s super fast there, in and out in less than ten minutes. So, if your kitties decide that they won’t tolerate a home nail trim, you could take them to the vet’s or groomer’s to get them done.
 

LuvDeezKittez

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If I were you I'd probably take everyone's suggestions combined:
  1. Ask someone to assist you
  2. Take advantage of a time when kitty is sleepy
  3. "Purrito" them-- Wrap them in towel
  4. Trim just a little bit at a time, a little but more often is better than too much just once
  5. Keep trying, don't get discouraged. But also know your personal limits. If it's too much for you, then consider having the vet do it.
And my two cents-- keep treats on hand when trimming. Your assistant helper person can help distract the cat with a snack when they get fussy. It also helps with positive association and reinforcement. Nail clipping time =treat time. Of all the methods we did with our cats, this worked the best for us and caught on the fastest with the cats. We went from 2 people and purritos and treats after every little snip, to one individual being able to trim nails without assistance or bribery snacks for each toe. The cats became desensitized to it, and now at the end of the session I reward them with treats. They want me to hurry up and get each paw done so we can get to the good stuff! :yess:
 

vince

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You don't have to do the whole job in one session. If you can only do one paw, even just a couple claws, that's an accomplishment. It actually is better to do it that way when training them to have their claws trimmed: More sessions=more treats=more positive reinforcement.

Just be sure not to cut into the quick. They'll remember how it hurt and the whole process will have a setback. You might have little red footprints to clean up around the house, too. Only take a tiny bit off the end of the claw to start with if you're not sure.
 

Elphaba09

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We cut all nine of our cat's claws about once every two weeks. Each of them is different. For the most part, the hardest part is catching them! When I start doing one, they all catch on and run. Fennimore is the easiest. He just sits there. Estella is unhappy and wiggles, but things usually go well enough. Typically, I sit on the couch and kind of lightly sandwich them in between the arm of the couch and me.

We used to have to use clips to scruff one of our cats, but, over time, it has gotten much easier with her.

Freya, on the other hand, is a beast. A tiny, adorable hell-beast. Scruffing alone does not work on her, nor does wrapping her up like a cat burrito. Treats were a joke to her. Instead, we have to hold her legs facing upward while scruffing with medium pressure. My daughter usually holds her because Freya likes her the best. I do the trimming. I used to have to do it a bit at a time, but she now lets us do all four paws, as long as I move quickly.

Freya likes to be held like a baby, which is why holding her like that makes things easier.
 

kobata1928

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I clip all of my cats claws once a week, just the sharp tips. It's crazy how some claws grow so much faster than others. I have been doing it since they were very young, so they don't complain too much. I say clip them often but be very conservative, you don't want them in pain and bleeding from cutting into the quick
 

kobata1928

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I forgot to mention, that I had special cat nail clippers, but after I saw my vet using human toenail clippers, I started doing the same. I have been completely satisfied with a nice set. They seem to cut much smoother and easier than my old pair of cat nail clippers.
 
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