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Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,458
Registered: ‎06-10-2015

@Susan423 wrote:
What do I do about a kitten(well about 8 months old), that has claws like razor blades and knows how to use them. She's real loving and loves to be picked up. But when I pick her up she gets up on my shoulder and grabs ahold of my back where I can't reach her claws. When I'm standing in the kitchen she'll come up and dig her paws in to my leg cause she wants to be picked up. I though about trimming them but she hates to be messed with like that and I would end up a bloody mess. Anyone have any suggestions. I won't get her declawed.

 

I agree with all the advice here, to either learn to clip her claws or to have it done by a pro. This will get her accustomed to being handled If you do it yourself, a good clipper is a must, and so is learning how to identify how far back you may clip, so you don't cut into the quick. I hold my cat's paw pad and the base of the nail firmly, to stabilize it and minimize the feeling of something being done to their claws, which are very important to them.

 

Inspect the cat's nails after coming home from the vet or groomer to make sure they didn't overcut, and if they did, complain about it immediately and don't use the service again. I fired a vet for overcutting when the tech did an awful job, bloodying the claws of a very loving, docile kitten.

 

It's just my personal opinion, but I do not like the whole concept of claw covers. They leave the claws in an extended state, which is as unnatural as the colors those things come in. If you want to imagine how that feels, stick stuff under all your  fingernails and then jam some floss between your teeth for good measure. That's imposing ongoing stress on them. I won't do that to my cats. Again, JMO.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,486
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

As the others have suggested, now is the time to get your kitten used to having you touch her.  Take it slowly if she is skittish.  Touch, rub, hold, pet all parts of her body before trying to hold her paw.  Don’t try this when she’s full of energy and wants to play because she’s more liable to scratch you then.  Try when she’s sleepy.  I normally catch my cats when they’re sleeping on my bed.  Then I just get on it myself and clip each nail while they’re laying down and sleepy.

 

The object is to sneak a nail trim in while you’re doing something she enjoys.  If you make a big deal of it, she’ll have a negative reaction and memory and you’ll always have a problem.  

 

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,837
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

I agree with @noodleann  about claw covers.  I don't like them.  I read a lot of reviews on Amazon, and people had their cat's paws/claws get infected from the glue getting into the skin at the base of your cat's claws.  I also don't like the fact that the claws don't retract when using the cat claws.


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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,322
Registered: ‎02-22-2015

Take your cat to a vet and have them show you how to properly trim the nails. You don't want to trim too far and cause bleeding. Once you've learned the proper techniques of extending the nails and the accurate amount of trimming, you'll be able to hold your kitty without any problems.

I've always trimming my felines nails to keep them from destroying furniture. None of our cats ever tried to climb us or dig into our skin. Perhaps you need to spend more time with your kitty. Daily cudding time is very important. Give that feline plenty of time to sit on your lap and purrrrrr! You'll find it very relaxing, too. 

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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,629
Registered: ‎06-14-2016

I used to clip my cats claws alone and he would put up a FIGHT.  I did not start when he was a kitten.  What works for me NOW, if you have another person in the house that the cat likes.

 

I clip his claws while hubby pets him and talks to him,  Oh, you are such a good cat, good job Socks.

 

When I clip his claws this way, he is calmer and does NOT Put up a fight.  SO if you have another person who can distract your cat it might work.

 

Also I watched a few videos on you tube which shows how to not cut the claws too low.

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,152
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

@Susan423  - You've had a lot of good responses from the posters here.  The sooner you start to clip your kitten's claws, the easier it will be in the future.

 

I will add one more vote against the glue on cat claw covers.  In addition to what others have said, I'd worry about the cat biting at them to get them off and possibly ingesting them.

 

I have four cats now (have had cats since I was a little girl).  I clip all of their claws.  The only one I had a real problem with was a rescue who was about a year and a half old, when I got her, and she'd had a hard start to life.  Initially, I took her to my vet to have her claws clipped, but even she's okay with it now.

 

Just be patient, even if you only manage to clip one or two claws at a time, and don't clip a lot off to start with. You'll get there!  

 

Just off to clip my cats' claws now!  Smiley Happy

Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,874
Registered: ‎12-07-2012

We adopted an older shelter cat whose only vice was scratching, no matter how many different scratching posts we provided.  Was bad enough that we had to have an upholsterer cannibalize our leather loveseat to fix the sofa.

 

Anyhow, I had very good luck for a year or so with the nail caps (Soft Paws).  Not to mention how cute a pure black girly cat looked with red or shocking pink claws.  They usually shed naturally by themselves, but we had a stubborn one and as I was wary of cutting it off myself, it required a vet visit.  So be aware if you use these.

Denise
Valued Contributor
Posts: 874
Registered: ‎10-27-2018

If I were you, I would take her to the vet to get her nails trimmed. That's what I do for my two cats.

 

DO NOT use cat claw covers. It's NOT a good idea. As others have stated, your cat could get an infection or bite them off and ingest them, which would cause a SERIOUS problem.  Also, your cat wouldn't be able to retract her claws if covered.