My cats refuse to get their nails cut

[wannahelp]

My cats have become increasingly resistant to having their nails cut, so much so that the vet won't even attempt it. I'm not sure why they're so averse. Nothing has ever happened while having it done. I've got scratches all over my hands. I desperately need to get their nails cut. I know some people who use a dremmel for dog nails but I don't know if that's appropriate for cats or if that would be any better tolerated.

 

[SeventhHeaven]

  It takes work to build up trust

 I think it's allot easier to do it the old fashioned way over a dremel due to the noise.

Have the Pedipaws trimmer was never successful.

You don't want to get to forceful just go very slow even one nail a day...

 

[Brian007]

@KalebKat  has a method for training cats to get used to the sound of clippers, using dried pasta  

 

 

[madzoya]

I will follow this post as Bruce restled me quite a lot last night to cut his nails. I already noticed in the shelter when they did it that he struggled somewhat.

I would like to know how to make it less stressfull for both of us, since this is something that will need to be done regularly. My previous cat did not have much trouble with it. I would start when she was asleep and very relaxed and she would just endure it.

 

[rubysmama]

My Ruby hates having her paws touched and hates being restrained, so nail trimming is extremely difficult. It's simply impossible to just hold her and do all nails at once. She is just too squirmy.  So getting the vet / vet assistant to trim them doesn't work.

She does however love sleeping in my lap. So what works for me is keeping the nail clippers within arm reach of the sofa, and every so often when she is napping on my lap I attempt to trim a claw. Frequently she wakes quickly and pulls her paw away. Occasionally I will manage to get one claw done.  Sometimes two.  Then I don't try again till at least the next day.

My procedure is very slow going and sometimes I'm sure I do the same claw twice, and one gets missed over and over, but this is the only way I've found that I can get just the sharp tips of her claws clipped.

Good luck. I hope you find a method that works with your cats.

 

[tiptopper]

We also trim their nails when they are relaxed and sound asleep. They don't even wake up. Take it very slow and let them get used to having their feet touched. 

 

[Brian007]

@Madzoya  I stuff a sweater over the head and then take each paw, in turn, up a sleeve.  It acts as a homemade straightjacket, and can be pull taught.  You only have to deal with one paw at a time.  You really do need a helper to grab hold of the cat and pull the sweater taught, whilst the other person cuts the claws, poking of of a sleeve, one at a time.  Dudley desperately need a trim but I don't have anyone around to help.  He'll have to wait for his next vet check. 

 

[madzoya]

@Brian007, I hope I don't have to resort to that. I believe as long as Bruce gains more trust in me, it will be easier, just like it was with Zoya. I don't want it to be a stressful thing. 

Yesterday I tried it at the wrong time. Bruce was relaxed but not asleep. I will leave it for the weekends, when he sleeps in my lap. 

Just like picking him up, at first he would not allow it, the second week he would wiggle out if it was for more than 10 seconds, now I can carry him from one room to another with much trouble. He's a good boy, just a bit unsure still, I think.

 

[wannahelp]

I have tried the technique in the video. It does not work with my cats. Even when they're very relaxed, they pull their paws away and/or wake or get up. If the vet won't cut their nails, I don't know ehat I'm going to do. My hands have long deep scratches all over them.

 

[jcat]

What kind of clippers are you using? I've had the most luck using small nail scissors that I can conceal in my hand. I started out just clipping the tip of one claw when Mogli was sleepy or sleeping, then giving him a little treat. After a few weeks that was increased to two claws, and so on. Paw massages on an almost daily basis helped, too. Nowadays I can clip all four paws in a minute or less with no struggle at all.

 

[sargon]

Oen thing that seemed to help on occasion was to trim my own nails before doing a couple of my cat's nails. She saw me doing it to msyelf and not freakign out, so it seemed less scared when i did it to her, i believe.

I stopped, because I stopped using human nail trimmers on her in favor of a specialized cat trimmer, but it id work ( to an extent at least.)  My new trick is to trim hr on the kitchen table.  she doen't like the trim, but i ONLY do it there, so i build negative associations for her and a place Id' rather he avoid. ;>

 

[wannahelp]

I've been trying to use regular nail clippers, not anything cat-specific.  

 

[orange&white]

I always carry a (human) nail clipper in my pocket.   Like others have said, I only clip when the cat is sound asleep.   Sometimes I get 2-3 claws, and sometimes I can do all of them in 60 seconds.   I never let the cat struggle at all.   If it wakes up and pulls its paw back, I walk away and try again later.   Never let it stress out either one of you.

 

[marypetlover]

I have to do the same thing, I try to keep the clippers within reach so I can sneak a trimming when shes sleeping. It's slow but the least stressful way to get it done.

 

[Brian007]

Dudley uses his sisal scratching posts many times a day, and there are always dozens of nail sheaths on the floors.  However, that doesn't solve the problem of the tips of his nails that he sharpens up to fine points with all his vigorous scratching post sessions.  I have tried valerian calming him but I'm a big wuss and can't even bring myself to push his nails out for exposure, let alone cut one.  He obviously needs them cutting as he gets stuck on things.  Thankfully, I'm taking him to the vet soon for vaccinations, weigh-in, and a general once over for a long road journey, and will ask the vet to trim them.  But in the long run this doesn't solve the problem.  I have no one around to help hold him but this should, hopefully, change after I move.  

Anyway, I'm thinking of getting him a nice big log of wood, cedar perhaps, as cats are attracted to the smell of cedar and like to rub around it.  And it smells delightful, to my nose anyhow.  My theory being that my mum's cats don't have scratching posts but they do scratch up the thick wooden washing pole in her garden, and her wooden fence.  

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

I'm also thinking of trying him with a sanding block  or pad as they are nice and squishy yet abrasive, and perhaps he would let me gently sand him.  This sounds a ludicrous idea but I'm willing to give it a shot.  

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

And I'm going to splash out on a sisal scratching mat, as he likes to scratch my rugs, which is fine but the carpet belongs to the landlord, which is not so fine.

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

I figure I might as well throw into the mix a corrugated cardboard scratcher in an eye-pleasing shape.  I'm highly doubtful about their ability to blunt the nail tips, however.

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

And, instead of trying to position a nail in the wee curved bits of normal cat nail scissor clippers, I'm wondering about giving these guillotine ones a whirl.

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

Also, maybe even a funky wee, low noise, gadget that trims & grinds like this.

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• Brian007
• Apr 5, 2017

I doubt this has been helpful to those of you, like me, who are single catparents but I'm procrastinating from what I should be doing and so thought I'd distract myself briefly with this post.  

 

 

[danteshuman]

One of my cats is more difficult to clip his nails than the other one. Like she said, do one nail a day or every other day if need be (maybe just do the tips, then come back and clip it shorter a week later.) One of the things that has really paid off for me is EVERY time I did something they disliked (brushing, bath, flea medication, nail trimming, saline drops for a short while, medications) when I finished I gave them treats. So treats became the all clear signal and they know that though I'm annoying them with the trimmers, they will get treats. Also since your cat is anti trim you might want to walk it back where you start with treats = sight of nail trimmers. Let me handle your paw = treat. It is a patience game but you can do it it Lastly the most basic kind of nail trimmers (the kind that looks kinda like scissors) my cats like better than the more fancy kind. So maybe experiment there? (Just like my cats like the rubber brush over all other brushes)

 

[sue f]

The fact that this problem has been progressing, assuming you could clip the nails before, makes the question more challenging.
Like others, I started early, with playing with the paws, with treat reinforcement. My two still aren't exactly fond of clipping time, but they know that a greenie treat, which is only given with at least two successful clips, is at the end of the session. Most of the time they don't mind, but I have to wait until they are relaxed on my lap to the point of sleep to attempt it. They will immediately wake up, but all I have to say is "treat!" or show them the little canister (cat proof!) to get a grudging co-operation.
Now, brushing, that is another story...

 

[bodester413]

I usually have to do it when my cat is sleeping. He might let me do a few while he's awake but never more than that. The more tired he is the better...like after a play session vs just napping.

 

[daisyd]

I wouldnt even attempt to cut Gracie's myself ! My partner took her to her vet surgery last week for her flea and claws clipped and apparently she bit the vet (it's a vet I don't really like so I kinda didn't mind...) ! The vet had to call a vet nurse in to help ! It's propably not cost effective to leave it to vets but it saves me struggling !