Never trimming your cat's claws is like never cutting your fingernails. You don't want your cat to end up like that freakish man from India whose fingernails are curling talons of horror do you? Come to think of it, even HE cut his nails in 2018. So grab some trimmers - we're going to cut some cat claws.
Meet Ernie. The subject of today's medical lesson. Ernie is a 100% purebred stray cat. A genuine feral, tortoiseshell, mutt, polydactyl cat. She's very rare.
I've owned many ( many = 3) cats and never declawed any of them. I've come close, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I try not to judge anyone who has their cats declawed, because I know how utterly infuriating it is to buy a piece of furniture that cost 3 weeks pay only to have a cat look you in the eye as it tears massive hunks out of it. Repeatedly.
Happy with its handiwork the cat usually strolls away with a wiggle in its walk, tail straight up in the air, presenting you with its anus.
I found Ernie on our front porch a few winters ago, curled up on my wicker furniture, covered in a dusting of snow. She was gone by the morning but came back every night. After months of taming, cajoling and calming I finally got that little cat into my house, only to discover she's a polydactyl. That'd be a cat with an unusual amount of toes. Many toes. A LOT of toes. Which of course means ... a lot of claws. Go ahead. Go back to the picture above and take a look at how big her paws are. That cat could take out a pot bellied pig with one swipe.
I knew for my furniture to have any hope in hell of making it, I had to start trimming her nails immediately. I was a bit worried that as a formerly wild cat she wasn't going to go down without a fight, but by the time she came to live in the house she was so happy to have a warm place to live and lots of food, she'd pretty much let me do anything to her.
So now every few weeks I wrangle her and trim their claws. I did the same with Cleo until she died. And this is how you do it ...
How to Trim Cat Claws
- Buy some cat claw trimmers at your local pet store. You can also get them on Amazon if you prefer not to venture out into the real world.
2. Holding your cat firmly in your lap, take one of its paws and push down on their knuckle with your thumb. This will make the claw extend out.
Take a good look at the claw. You'll see a dark portion in the nail. That's tissue. The quick. And you DON'T want to knick it, so be aware of where it is. If you do cut into the quick it will hurt the cat and bleed a little. It's not the end of the world, but it's not nice either.
3. While still pushing down on their knuckle to extend the claw, line your trimmers up to just before the tip of the vein and clip. You're just taking the sharp curved end off the claw.
The younger the cat is when you start doing this the easier it will be.
For first timers.
If you've never trimmed your cat's claws before, get your cat used to you handling their paws before you actually trim them. Just sit them in your lap and hold their paws for a little bit. The next day do the same thing but squeeze the paw so their nails pop out so they get used to that. Once the cat is comfortable with you handling their paws you can try trimming.
Just take the tip off the first time you trim your cat's claws. The more you trim a cat's claws the more their quick will recede. So you'll be able to trim their claws shorter and shorter as time goes by.
All of the cats I've owned have been fine with trimming their front claws. The odd time their back nails get to be so long and sharp you have to trim them, but not as often. These are a tad more difficult to negotiate, but it can be done.
To start trim your cats claws every 2 weeks or so. This will be enough to prompt the quick to recede and keep your furniture intact.
If you are bound and determined to grow your fingernails until they resemble a corkscrew tree, that's your business. Just don't let force the same sideshow fate on your cat.
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Sherry (BTLover2)
Such a beautiful kitty!! And how lucky you are that his nails are clear and not black so you can see the quick easily. It's even more scary when you have to guess. I've accidentally clipped a quick or two in my life and it's horrible (mostly for me). My pets yell and then bleed all over. Meanwhile, I'm nearly blinded by tears and guilt and they are running around like banshees leaving me a bloody trail to clean up. Try to clip their nails after that -- oh the terror for them (and me).
Excellent tips, Karen. Hilarious as always!
magali
another little tip that I would add: if you are scared that you can't see the quick properly, put a flashlight behind the nail. I have a mini one that I use just for that.
Nicole2
What an absolutely gorgeous cat Ernie is! A real stunner. And I volunteer at the local animal shelter, so I see all sorts! And I LOVE polydactyls, I think they're so neat.
To protect your furniture, pet stores sell this double sided tape that pretty unnoticeable. I put it on the back of the chairs, where my cat liked to scratch. She absolutely hates it, so now she only uses her scratching post.
Karen
Huh! Interesting. Double sided tape you say. It's a possibility! ~ karen
Jessica
We have two cats - a 4 year old Maine Coon (Misha) and a 1-year-old tabby stray (Pint, for Pint-sized) that I found in my backyard.
Pint, despite being born wild, has never had a problem getting her nails trimmed and will sit in my lap and purr happily during the whole process.
Misha, on the other hand, definitely DOES NOT like having her nails trimmed. My boyfriend and I have to hold her down together, and even then, she'll growl and hiss and try her best to scratch. Once she realizes she can't scratch, because we've got all her paws, she bites - and hard too, enough to draw blood. I've tried using welding gloves to hold her and the force of her biting through that has brought tears to my eyes. Now we put a towel over her head so she can't see what's going on, and that seems to work a bit better. She still growls and squirms but she doesn't try to bite as much.
Even with regular nail trimming, we've had some furniture casualties. I'm currently making protective covering for the sides of the couch because we just can't bring ourselves to de-claw Misha.
Susan
Yuck! I had 2 cats at one time.... One was my daughters cat, one was a stray that I was a sucker for. I had the nails ripped out of the daughters cat cause she was staying and the stray ...who stayed forever, I might add, never got her nails removed, cause she may have just up and leave one day. The one without nails was so much better on the furniture, arms eyeballs etc. she also was a fierce and mean street fighter. Those back feet were wicked. Thanks but I will stick with my lumbering sweet Newfoundland dog. No cats for me.
Brenda
Great post Karin, familiar with the program seeing as I am bordering on the OK versus Crazy Cat Lady number. I find if your scratching post is high enough for the cats to stretch up they will use it more, I make my own with cardboard tubes and sisal rope...still need to clip however.
Tracy
My sweet docile kitty becomes Hell Cat when it's time to clip her nails; you'd think I was trying to force her to watch Threes Company re-runs or to eat dog food by the amount of screaming she puts out.
But the best think I ever heard to do was to get a nice big towel and wrap her up in it while you clip her claws. I take out one paw at a time, clip it, put it back in the towel and get another. I don't get any scratches and she stays relatively calm!
whitequeen96
"force her to watch Threes Company re-runs . . ." He he, I'd run screaming too! I couldn't even stand them the first time around.
Christine
My cats, past and present, have all been fully clawed. For self preservation I have developed my own technique. I get them when they're sleeping! This serves two purposes. First, I can usually get one paw done before they are fully alert and it's much easier. Second, they wake me up for every-freaking-day-at-Four-in-the-morning. It's nice to turn the tables every now and again.
I use people toenail clippers that are nice and wide. I've also used nail covers (Soft Paws) with varying degrees of success. Even though my cats have destroyed my wall to wall carpeting, my bar stools and my brand new chair and ottoman set, I can't bring myself to have them declawed. I love those stupid brats, razor sharp needle claws and all.
Tiffannie
We use Soft Paws with our cat and we love them. They save our furniture, our cat gets to keep her knuckles, plus they come is all sorts of fun colors! Visitors are always complimenting her on her "manicured" nails.
Tiffannie
Here's their site. They really are a life saver.
http://www.softpaws.com/?gclid=CMGIwOHPvq4CFUJN4AodiAMgrA
Violet
And be sure to keep some styptic powder on hand for the times you do accidentally nick the quick. You should be able to find it in the same section as the nail clippers in any decent pet store. Or you can buy online. Dunno if there are different brands, but the one I use is called Kwik Stop. :)
Sherry (BTLover2)
I agree! If it's good enough for the hubby's face, it's good enough for kitty's.
deanna
I HAVE to send this to my daughter! Yesterday, she sent me a video of her new cat - who just discovered the art of screen door climbing (that is only funny the first time!)
Diane
Ahhh the fun of nail clipping. I've been doing this for years, I've had cats all my life but during my adult life I've had only indoor cats, much to their dismay.
I have declawed the last two cats as they were costing me more money in furniture than in a year's worth of food and vet bills. But I still trim the back claws every so often. They don't like it, never have. So I sit on the floor with the cat belly up between my legs. I pin one back leg under mine so he knows moving is pointless and then we trim. I get to dominate my cat for about 5 minutes a month and he dominates me and my home for the rest of it. Fair trade I figure. ;)
nancy
I just use regular people clippers! But you can't flip them on their backs. Even the best cat will not like that. My cats use scratching posts really well, you just have to squirt them a few times when they are in the wrong place and have several cat scratching selections around (sisal mats, posts, and cardboard things).
I used to have a tapestry sofa and a cat that would go to town on it, and he never damaged it at all. A Mystery.
Momo's Momma
What's funny is that my cat actually lays on her back in my lap quite happily while I trim her claws. I started when she was just a bitty kitten, about three months old, and she's never had a problem being on her back for snuggles, nail trims, or lap time. I keep her head and shoulders against my stomach and give her kisses and gentle encouragement and she tolerates the clipping extremely well, unless she's trying to bite the clippers. XD Some days she's just feisty, though; she's only a year old now.
Carswell
My Siamese used to do the same thing. Laying on his back in my lap, purring his brains out and flexing his paws - which made clipping the nails easier. He loved it. But then he loved anything he interpreted as attention from me. I could have hung him upside down while clipping his claws and he would have been fine with that too I am sure.
My current furry girl will have none of it. I take her to the vet to get her claws clipped periodically but she will NOT let me do it. It is a two person job. She won't let me pill her either.
Christine
Karen, you are so entertaining as a writer that I will read a post about information that I know I will never need to know...but cheers to everything I have learned from you. Every time I walk past my magnet gate holder, I feel ridiculously proud.
Karen
Thanks Christine. >__< ~ karen
Missnicoleo
haha - same here, not at all a cat person, but a major karen humour person.
itchbay
We started with Mr. Bob when he was young, and he actually kinda likes it. At least, he patiently waits for it to be over and he gets scritches and treats. Our rescue kitty, Little Girl, on the other hand... no, not so much.
Anita
I too have a cat who is perfectly fine with having his claws clipped (with people clippers, no less!) as long as he's being cuddled normally. Why would you flip a poor cat onto his back? My cat won't even let me show his belly when I'm holding him!
Tanya
I trim my cats' nails and it makes a big difference to my delicate epidermis. One cat used to freak out when we touched her feet so I just slowly built up to it. Gave her a favorite treat, then touched her feet, then next time clipped one nail, more treats... We quickly got to the point where she sits patiently because she's waiting for her treat. Pavlov's cat?!
Alisha
Friend had a bit of a douche for a cat - Armani. Snuggles on his own time, hisses when your shadow crosses his path from 17 feet away and certainly does not like to be held. I looked after him for a few months and before she left she mentioned that he HATES his claws clipped and she's come close to losing an eye. Only do it if absolutely necessary ...
I clipped them. No problem at all. And I'm clearly proud of it. But I'll tell you where she went wrong. She pulled him up into her lap AND flipped him on his back AND (this is the real kicker) she used people nail clippers on him! Poor kitty. I snuck up on him while he was sleeping on the bed, snipsnipsnip, purrpurrpurr and done.
PS You have a pretty kitty
magali
People nail clippers are not a bad thing. That is what I always use for my cat and everything goes fine.
Cindy
I'm into the "sneaking up on them" idea! This is very timely for me ... we have been driving our two cats to a groomer for claw trims and they aren't fond of that, and it would be nice to save the cost!
Wyldecent
I also use people nail clippers with no problems. People nail clippers are also what they use at the cat rescue I volunteer at. Flipping them on their backs makes cats feel vulnerable so I agree that this is not an ideal position to use.
devra
i have always trimmed my cats' nails ... using regular people clippers, which i find easier to use. the cats have scratching posts all over the house ... but they still have favorite pieces of furniture which they decide to shred. one upholstered chair in particular has no fabric on its back anymore ... you can see the frame.
nevertheless, i love my cats and will continue wrestling with them and trimming their nails.
karen, i love your writing style and your stories and recipes. :-)
Karen
Thanks devra! ~ karen
Marti
This struck me as sort of touchingly sweet that you go through this every 2-3 weeks to let your cats keep their knuckles. I love kitties, but I wasn't so kind to my own in the past.
Ohhhh, look at me. I'm all verklempt!
isea
if cats had a scratching post to inflict their wrath upon, would you still need to trim their claws?
Karen
isea - Yup. Fraid so. The post will dull their nails a little, but it won't cut the length off. Cat nails grow the same way peoples nails grow. And they grow pretty quick! :) ~ karen
Tina
Plus very few times do cats use their back feet on the scratching post. I have one cat who loves her post, the other, my apprentice kitten, loves my leather furniture. I try to make the post more inviting by mashing catnip into it.