Taking Care of Claws when the cat doesn't

[erinradfeeley]

I wanted to share this story for others who might have the same issue.

The story:

Moe was adopted by my friend at 8 weeks old. He had to be separated from the other cat in the house as he had an URI. He was locked in a bathroom for 4 weeks to get him better. As a result, he missed out on major learning on grooming.

Fast forward to today:

He is now an 8 year old cat. He had to be re-homed when my friend moved and couldn't take him. So we took him. In the past year his claws have gotten worse and worse from him not cleaning them and he was getting violent when we clipped them. Turns out, all his back claws were infected. We were looking at the radical de-clawing for him, because we didn't want him to get sick or lose a toe over this.

Our vet suggested a simple fix. It wasn't de-clawing. We now have him stand in warm water twice a week. The other days we wipe his claws off with a baby wipe or antibiotic pads if it's showing infection signs. He doesn't get violent any more. He complains when he has to stand in water, but that's not a surprise. 

I just wanted to share this so others who are having claw issues look at options other than the radical de-clawing. It takes time, but is worth it.

 

[di and bob]

Thank you for sharing! I have never heard of a cat needing to clean their claws, so learned something there too. Although I guess I have seen them licking them once in a while. 

 Once again, thanks for the tip!

 

[erinradfeeley]

Normal cat grooming includes them cleaning their own claws. However, with Moe, he doesn't. so we had to come up with something.

 

[catpack]

Yea for your vet working with you to prevent a declawing!! And thank you for the extra care you are taking with Moe!

 

[erinradfeeley]

Thanks CatPack. I really didn't want to have to do a de-claw, but was only considering it as a last ditch alternative. Our vet is great. Moe see's him tomarrow to see how great he's doing now.

 

[stephanie42]

now i'm curious about claw cleaning.  i see my cats gnaw and chew and pull at their claws.  they pull off the little nail husk things and spit them all out on my couch (thanks, thanks a bunch).  one of mine is borderline violent when trying to trim his back claws (he doesn't like the fronts, but he's not as nasty)... i wonder if they bother him?  what did they look like when they were 'bad'?

 

[catwoman707]

 
now i'm curious about claw cleaning.  i see my cats gnaw and chew and pull at their claws.  they pull off the little nail husk things and spit them all out on my couch (thanks, thanks a bunch).  one of mine is borderline violent when trying to trim his back claws (he doesn't like the fronts, but he's not as nasty)... i wonder if they bother him?  what did they look like when they were 'bad'?

I wouldn't even begin to attempt trimming their back claws. Cats are veeery funny about touching or holding their back paws, let alone trying to force hold and trim? Not a chance.

Your comment about chewing their shells off on your couch is funny!

Are they getting to exercise their claws well enough?

Part of why cats do claw is to keep up the strength in the claw muscles as well as shed off the outer layers they have and lose monthly or so.

@ErinRadfeeley  you and I are close neighbors! I am in Solano county next to you!

 

[stephanie42]

 
I wouldn't even begin to attempt trimming their back claws. Cats are veeery funny about touching or holding their back paws, let alone trying to force hold and trim? Not a chance.

Your comment about chewing their shells off on your couch is funny!

Are they getting to exercise their claws well enough?

Part of why cats do claw is to keep up the strength in the claw muscles as well as shed off the outer layers they have and lose monthly or so.

@ErinRadfeeley  you and I are close neighbors! I am in Solano county next to you!

only one of mine is really bad about his back claws.  ever since i started trimming their claws i've done the back claws.  my vet does them too when i bring them in.  i trim their back claws because those are the ones they usually scratch me with when they're jumping off of me.  i have one huge cat tree with (let me count) eight sisal wrapped posts that they scratch on, as well as one cardboard scratchy thing that no one really uses any more.  and we have play time regularly with laser lights or other interactive toys.  they still spit out their claw husk things on my couch.  always have, since that's where they seem to spend most of their time.

 

[catwoman707]

That's so darn funny! Sorry, maybe not to you but just the way you said it!

My vets do as well if I ask them, but as for myself at home, I don't, but shoot, if they allow it then all the better. I'm sure starting at an early age helps this too!

 

[erinradfeeley]

 
now i'm curious about claw cleaning.  i see my cats gnaw and chew and pull at their claws.  they pull off the little nail husk things and spit them all out on my couch (thanks, thanks a bunch).  one of mine is borderline violent when trying to trim his back claws (he doesn't like the fronts, but he's not as nasty)... i wonder if they bother him?  what did they look like when they were 'bad'?

Moe's claws had a black ring around the base. That was the sign of infection according to my vet. It takes 2 people to trim all my cats claws (7 total). We do front and back. I think it works out better with 2 as one can scruff and stop violence for the most part. I know if the nail husk doesn't come off right than it can lead to stuff like litter getting under the skin. That sounds like normal cat cleaning, but spitting them out on your couch..... I'm really glad mine don't. Good luck with that and talk to your vet about the one who is borderline violent. Moe quit being violent after a few standing in water sessions. He knew it helped. Now he is jumping around and playing with the kittens which he wasn't.

 

[erinradfeeley]

 
I wouldn't even begin to attempt trimming their back claws. Cats are veeery funny about touching or holding their back paws, let alone trying to force hold and trim? Not a chance.

Your comment about chewing their shells off on your couch is funny!

Are they getting to exercise their claws well enough?

Part of why cats do claw is to keep up the strength in the claw muscles as well as shed off the outer layers they have and lose monthly or so.

@ErinRadfeeley  you and I are close neighbors! I am in Solano county next to you!

Good to meet you catwoman707. 

 

[erinradfeeley]

 
That's so darn funny! Sorry, maybe not to you but just the way you said it!

My vets do as well if I ask them, but as for myself at home, I don't, but shoot, if they allow it then all the better. I'm sure starting at an early age helps this too!

Not sure about that. I have 4 10 month old kittens. We started their trimmings at 4 months old. Have to do them like ever 6 weeks right now as they grow so fast. They all wiggle up a storm trying to get away. But then all 4 of them are from a feral mom and dad and weren't separated from mom until 4 months old. Might work out if you do it from 4 weeks old on a non-feral. Might try that on my next cat in a few years.

 

[erinradfeeley]

Update on Moe: We saw the vet yesterday. He is extremely happy with the change he saw in Moe. Add to the fact Moe is now playing. It means a life time of standing in water twice a week and having his claws wiped every day, but he will not be de-clawed.  We are soooooo happy.

 

[catpack]

So happy to hear the update on Moe!! =)

 

[mrsfpmister]

My cat absolutely refuses to let my trim his nails, especially the front. I usually have the vet do it when I'm there, and last time they gave him a sedative treat just to get through it. I worry though because his front (especially few claws) get long and start to develop a wicked curve that I worry will hurt him! He does groom them and like stephanie42 he likes to throw the husks on my couch too >.>

 

[tammyp]

I don't think it is beyond our reasonable hopes to have a calm nail trimming session - I believe in many cases it is entirely possible.  (Maybe it is possible in ALL cases given sufficient time and patience and the right approach).

I started at 12 weeks with both of mine, so they were young but not super young.  (They weren't feral, or feral born, though).  It took a good year for Kato to be ok with a 4 foot trim in one go - we started with maybe one toe at a time!!  And you do need to trim every 2 weeks - 6 weeks sounds way too long, or maybe we have super growers!  I've never scruffed or burritoed, and never will, as I believe good training relies on pleasant experiences, and my Kato is richter 10 on willfullness and self expression.  I have some pictures of nail trimming in my blog (see my sig) under 'grooming' if anyone is interested...and this from the cat that growls like a dog anytime something isn't to his liking lol!

I also loved what I saw on last season's 'My Cat From Hell'.  It seems like an instant turn around for a cat who violently objected to nail trimming (and who can blame him with that method?!), to a very calm cat who allows a regular manicure (accompanied by treats!).  I found a link to it (season 4, episode 10) - if you don't know the show, it's a real treat! 

http://www.primewire.ag/external.ph...Y4M241dnY=&domain=c2hhcmVzaXguY29t&loggedin=0

 

[mrsfpmister]

I still try, but as I found him outside (I wouldn't say feral exactly as he is very human socialized, knew the litter box, etc) and he is already 5-7yrs when I rescued him (vet took a guess. I figured bet high, so we recorded him at 7yrs old, almost 8 now! lol) I know this will take extra time and maybe he will never be comfortable with it. Growing up, our family indoor cat was just fine with it, but we got ER as a kitten and she adjusted to it.