Stressful Nail Trims and Vet Visits

[TardisDance]

My cat Sango gets very stressed about being picked up and handled in any way. I suspect it‘s due to the abuse she suffered as she’s from a hoarding situation. I’ve tried to catch while she’s sleeping for nail trims and she scratched my arm up pretty badly. Another family member tried to help and almost had to have stitches from deep scratches on her legs and back.

Since then for nail trims, I have to suit up with leather grooming gloves and layered clothing. A few weeks ago, when my husband and I did her nail trim, her reaction was the worst ever. She fought me like crazy and started panting while my husband started trimming her nails. I was worried she was going to hurt herself and tried to hold her a securely as I could. I know we could get the vet to do the nail trims and we used to do this in the beginning, but she’s equally stressed when we try to bring her to the vet. I’ve heard of meds like gabapentin. Do they work in this situations? Since she hates being handled, can it be applied topically? Are there other meds that could work?

I need to schedule a vet visit anyway for her annual exam and booster shots so I’m curious if anyone has had success with medications. I may bring it up at the vet.

 

[Katdog]

Why bother trimming her nails? I don’t trim my cats nails. It doesn’t seem to be a problem. A scratch board and a scratch tree seems to satisfy her nails/scratching interest. Maybe others can chime in, on why it’s necessary?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I know a number of members on this site have used Gabapentin in advance of a vet visit - something to help calm their cat and 'take the edge off'. I don't know about a topical version, but Gabapentin can be prescribed in liquid form and then mixed in with your cat's food - or, even better some baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut), the 'juice' from canned tuna or chicken, or even any of the lickable treats that are available for cats. Usually the lowest dose possible is given the first time to determine if that is enough to calm them as opposed to drugging them out. Gabapentin also comes in not only tablets (that I believe you can crush) but capsules containing powder than can be mixed with food too.

I have been lucky with Feeby, in that she tolerates me cutting her nails. It's a good thing, because I would need to take her to vet at least every month given how her nails grow!

 

[di and bob]

I never trimmed my cat's nails either until I started keeping them strictly indoors. They have scratchers, but I noticed that one cat 'clicked' badly when walking on my hardwood floors and always got his nails stuck in the blankets. I got a nail clipper and while he is on my lap try to get in one nail at a time. Naturally, he is like your cat and HATES being handled. I take him into the vet to have his rear end shaved once in a great while because he refuses to let me pull off any 'clingers'. I did it myself the other day by grasping him by the loose skin on the back of the neck and using my other hand to clean him. The next time I need to trim his nails I think I will have my husband hold him by the loose skin and see if that helps. You can hoist their front end off the ground (NOT their rear end too) to see if that will calm him. they instinctively still when handled this way. I thought of it when I realized that is what the vet assistants do. you might try it!

 

[pipperoo]

I find that gently holding the scruff (loose neck skin), helps my cat settle long enough to get maybe one paw done. the key is GENTLE (and don't lift the cat, just let her settle on the couch or chair, quickly trim one claw, the give her a nice treat). Its a two person job - one scruffs, the other trims. I'm not 100% successful, and mostly i just let her have claws. If your cat gets super stressed, then I would just let her be. Just make sure she has lots of good scratching aparatus around the house. If she scratches furniture, you can buy that clear sticky furniture protecting tape.

Vet visits is another story - and since she doesn't like to be handled, you should talk to your vet about something to calm her down before a vet visit. + some Feliway spray!!

 

[TardisDance]

pipperoo , I bought 3 Feliway diffusers when we adopted her and I didn’t see much of a difference, if any. She was extremely fearful of humans at first, but I think it’s just that she needed time. She actually came out of hiding briefly when my father-in-law stopped over yesterday. It’s a huge step for her. She always hides from strangers.

I think the main trouble I’m having is that she fights so much I can’t get a good scruff on her and end up grabbing her closer to her shoulder blades. I feel terrible over it. She up shedding chunks of fur. I may next time just sit with her in the bathroom where she hides for a few minutes so she calms down. Now that’s she more comfortable in her territory she jumps everywhere and that was part of the battle. She went on the window sill, bathroom vanity, etc.

She wears her claws down on her sisal scratching posts but it’s super uneven. We try to wait as long as we can with nail trims, typically 5-6 weeks out.

 

[pipperoo]

Oh - great news that she came out for your FIL. That's a really good sign. I had a cat like that once. She stayed under the bed whenever there was a visitor. She didn't like loud voices or sudden movements--a true scaredy cat.

Poor you and poor Sango. The only thing I can recommend is that you abandon ship at the very first sign of a struggle--even if its only one second into the struggle. Once a cat is scared/panic-y, every second that it continues is another second it imprints on their brain and you don't want her associating nail trims (or you!!) with trauma! It sounds like she is slowly coming around but it could take a long long long time until she's comfortable getting a nail trim. Good luck.

Finally - you might want to rule out anything that might be causing your cat pain which will cause her to be quite fractious when handled. Helpful Vancouver Vet has some thoughts:
she's a lucky girl that she found a home with you after living in awful conditions.

 

[terestrife]

I know its not the same, since your cat is abused. But the way i trim my cats nail is i have someone hold them facing forward, while the person is sitting down. That means the cat feels safe and supported. Then i come in from the front and do the nails.

I get attacked if i try to lean over them and do their nails myself.

I know it might not work, but i thought i would share.

 

[maggie101]

My solution was to already have a carrier ready in bedroom closet,pick her up and shut the door. Much easier. Even for small cats get a large carrier since they like to grab the sides. Most cats take care of their claws but not all. I check often. Coco never trims her claws. Luckily she's easy