If you own a cat, do you trim its claws?

[Lliam]

If so, what is your method? Cats don't like getting their nails trimmed.

Updates

+1 y

This question was inspired by Vivant who posted a video of a guy wrapping a dog like a burrito.

My wife and I tried doing that a couple times to a cat when we wanted to trim its claws. It didn't go well.
At some point I discovered that if I wanted until she was sleeping or lying down all contented and relaxed, I could grasp one paw at a time and trim the nails.

Updates

+1 y

After one paw, she was done with it. So, rather than making it an unpleasant experience for her, I came back another time and did another paw at a later date.

The cat became accustomed to it over time. She didn't like it, but she didn't get upset unless I persisted beyond her patience. She knew I wasn't planning to hurt her.

I've found that works with all cats.

[NathanDavis]

I have a female adult cat, and now a male kitten which is HUGE, and a smaller female kitten

I never had a need to trim their claws, first because they don't mess with my furniture or clothing or anything like that, I did dedicate plenty of time and effort to have them "behave" or so I think lmfao, maybe they just decided on their own that they don't need to be that type of cat... I do have plenty of stuff around the house in which they can claw in and bite, play and do as they feel

and my cats also have access to the outdoor and the roofs, so they can encounter other cats as well, they do like to climb and explore around trees, walled gardens, bushes, neighbor houses and what not (they never wander off to other streets or other sets of houses/roofs/gardens) so they do need their claws as natural, to keep themselves safer and ready for them to venture out there

their claws do not represent any problem to me at all, and of course they do not represent a problem to them, so no need for me to trim them

also I love their claws... lol

[WhiteSteve]

We could never get our last car into it. He was in his teens when we started to try, so he just wasn’t having it. We started using the little plastic claw caps on his front paws instead. The vet technicians would apply them for a small fee, so there was no hassle on our end.

[AmandaYVR]

• Wear garden or mechanic gloves. (I'm serious.)
• If they're really bitey, put a towel or something around the head or neck so that they can't bite you.
• Do it regularly, so it gets used to it, but start with just little nips and not going too far down.
• Two people : 1 cat, lol.
• Let them know you decide when it's over, not them. Them being fussy is not reason to stop. Do it very quickly, one snip on each nail, until finished. They'll eventually get a sense of how long it's supposed to take.
• If you do too much, and cut into the quick, and they bleed in pain, they'll never forgive you.
• Scratching posts sharpen. Cats don't need them, they just like them.

[Lliam]

That was great, Amanda.
Did you read my update (s)?

[exitseven]

@AmandaYVR I could not do that to my cats. I have a rough hewn beam in my living room and it has claw marks all over it from my cats. Now that they are gone i smile when I see it sometimes.

[AmandaYVR]

Well good for you if you think that worked for you all.
Unless the animal is hurting, I don't think they should get to dictate the shots. They're little beasts inside, some cats. Very wild, like their ancestors.
My last cat was the most stubborn I've ever had. He kicked and scratched and bit when I did maintenance on him. Long silky hair gets lots of knots, and surface brushing every day wasn't enough. It's painful to tug on them, I'm sure. They happen mostly on the stomach and have to be cut out. Many people just give up and shave them (awful, I think.) There's lots of things animals don't like, but have to tolerate, for their own good. We can't have our furniture and clothing being torn up by them.
He went on hunger strikes, and demanded only specific treats, because he liked them best. I spent hundreds on new bags, every type of formula you could imagine. He would only eat the treats, eventually. The vets clearly thought I was starving him.
As soon as I would turn out the lights and go to bed, he would jump on the kitchen island and go prowling for whatever food he wanted that might be left out. Took seconds.
He hated baths. But guess what, Persians get diarrhea and it gets stuck in their hair, and guess who liked to sleep on my pillow...
I've also been around a dog who was sometimes aggressive. Animals are not pack leaders, we are, we have to be.

[AmandaYVR]

@exitseven Your interior must be quite rustic.
I still have the holes in my clothes, and snags on my bedding, as mementos from him.

[exitseven]

When I had the house built we opened up a wall and used these rough hewn beams to replace the carrying was that we eliminated. It does look pretty rustic. It was perfect for the cats.

[Lliam]

No cutting to the quick, Amanda. Just enough to dull the tips when they get long and sharp.

[AmandaYVR]

I know, I did it once, and can never forgive myself. (It was on my dog, not this cat. Never came close on him.) It traumatized both me and the dog, poor thing. I still shudder thinking about it often.

My mother had two dogs, and she would take them to the professional grooming shop quite regularly. They would regularly cut into the quick and make the dogs bleed. The blood stains were on the back seats of her car. I was furious about this. She was not. "Oh, Mandy" was all she said. Groomers have said "it's normal." I told my husband to stop taking our dog to a similar groomer. He also was passive. I took care of the animals more, but when I told him I couldn't do it all anymore, and he took over, we suddenly had a 'lion cut' dog, no fur. Wtf. That is not how you deal with your animals, having other people work with them because you can't/don't want to. And how on earth could these shops hire and train these people to do these things. It disgusts me. But raising pets is not unlike raising kids. Sometimes you strongly disagree with your partner, and then what. One just does as they please.

[VIVANT]

I will try to find this video for you— I saw it last night.

they had this hanging hammock blanket with holes in it for the legs — the cat is put in it with the legs dangling, so the body is fully supported but there is easy access to the paws. they fed the car treats while clipping the nails. I imagine it takes eon getting used to I wonder if it works the cat genuinely seemed ok 👌🏼

Thank you for the shout out and the consideration towards your cat! 🙏🏼🙏🏼☺️

[VIVANT]

I don’t have cats is trimming their nails essential or can they just scratch a post and run around filing them down naturally? I kind of thought cats take care of it themselves situation it’s good to surf s reliable method.

[VIVANT]

They can retract when ne ready right? And If they are in danger will need the nails for defense. I answered geode thinking about the at t I don’t think cats needed or should necessarily get trimmed 🤷🏻‍♀️ the video wss cool tho lol

[Lliam]

Actually, cat nails can grown pretty long. If they are indoor cats, I don't think their nails get worn down naturally as they would if the cat was outside walking on the ground.

Plus, it depends on the cat. We have a Burmese whose nails are long and visible, and click on the floor when she walks, even when they are in retracted mode.

"Cats' Claws Grow in Layers.
As they grow, the outer layer loses its blood supply and sheds, leaving a sharper, healthier claw underneath. It's a normal process and takes between two and three months for most cats' claws. Trimming the cat's claws regularly can speed up that process and help the outer sheaths shed faster."

[OlderAndWiser]

Too difficult and too muck risk of hurting the cat.

[Daniela1982]

It depends if you are careful because if you cut too deep the cat can start bleeding. Cutting cat's claws are about as easy as baptizing a cat.

Try and cut my claws and you will pull back a bloody stump!

[TrueConfection]

My cat died (at 18) several years ago and I am now catless. When he was alive, I used to trim my cat's claws with claw trimmers and file the edges. He would lie on his back in my lap and let me do whatever I wanted. He was just a big lovey.

[VIVANT]

🥰🥰🥰

[lightbulb27]

Yes and used the same technique. starting as kittens and they get used to it and it's not scary (low sound), it's better.

or just let them keep them crisp and sharp on trees...

[exitseven]

nope. what if he had to climb a tree to get away from a dog

[Lliam]

Good point.

[Ironic_Method]

I just make a clicking sound to call them over and start clipping. No fuss.

[Lliam]

Wow, you have mellow cats!

[BlueScorpio]

Yes, I usually have my husband tackle her little butt and hold her down. She sit there meowing like a baby but once it's over she's fine.

[JaxiCats]

I want to but my cat won’t let me and that method doesn’t work for him or me. If my other cat was alive probably could have but he wasn’t the one always sharpening his claws

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

No cat... My daughter has two and think she takes them in to get it done

[Flats-Runner]

I just snip the very tips off the claws. To stop him getting caught on everything. He just jets me do it without any fuss 😊

[KrakenAttackin]

Man, I have the squrimiest Siamese you ever met. She is the only cat I have ever had that defies my efforts to trim her claws.

[Dinosaursandanime65]

No, we don’t thrum their claws. At least not much. My mom tried once

[TammyVeracious_III]

No, it needs to catch mice.

[Lliam]

Good point. I was thinking of out indoor kitties. We had one for 22 years. We have one now.
But we've also had cats that we let out during the day to catch mice and voles. They did a great job and we didn't trim their nails.

[maximumpower]

No.
Cat lives outdoors most of the time and hunts for own food.

[Wise4myage]

Yes I do, and I would take her to a groomer.

[Prettygurl12]

My cat is declawed.

[TonyV]

I don't trim their claws

[Nikki1989]

We never have