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Clipping claws

10 replies

Olinguito · 14/06/2018 10:53

My elderly cat's claws have got quite long and sometimes catch on things. She hates the vets so I am thinking of giving them a trim myself, particularly the front ones - I expect to have to do this by stealth whilst she is sleeping. Can anyone recommend any good clippers and where to purchase them? Any useful techniques for doing this without losing an arm also gratefully received!

OP posts:

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Toddlerteaplease · 14/06/2018 11:54

I got some clippers from PAH. My cats are very placid but I take mine to the vets as it's a two person job!

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Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 14/06/2018 12:00

I had to do old boy for the last year of his life for the same reason as you OP. Just bought clippers from the pet shop (the type that look like pliers).
I used to do a paw at a time while he was asleep.

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freshstart24 · 14/06/2018 13:30

My two elderly cats had the same issue. I though it was because they were less active and so weren't wearing their claws down but the vet said it's part of the ageing process and to that they often become thicker too.

I got them done by a veterinary nurse at the vets- cheaper than a vet....

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ginauk84 · 15/06/2018 11:57

I use child's nail clippers, if you can give your cat something to lick like squeezy cheese or lickelix then you will probably be able to clip them while he is enjoying a treat :)

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smurfy2015 · 15/06/2018 19:06

Here its a 3 person job, one to trim, one to dispense treats directly to cat and the 3rd to hold cat, one hand firmly on their back ready to scuff at a milli second notice and the other hand covering their eyes with the thumb of that hand very loosely under the bottom jaw in case of reaction (which is bite)

so can get away with a lot in my experience as long as the cat cant actually see whats happening (i read this somewhere and it works for me) and the treats keep coming 1 by 1 (we sniff them as they are offered but always accepted) ,

the trimming takes less than 5 mins and no damage to anybody except cats nails are trimmed which leaves her looking at them in a "wtf just happened kind of way"

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withsexypantsandasausagedog · 15/06/2018 19:39

It depends on how much the cat tolerates their paws being held. One of my cats doesn't mind his paws being held so I can usually get one or two while giving him a stroke on the bed. I use human nail clippers.

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freshstart24 · 15/06/2018 20:17

Old cats nails are sort of thicker... Part of the ageing process according to my vet. So it may pinch the live area more when cutting. Maybe consider getting vet to do it first time to see how it is tolerated and then DIY if you dare going forward.

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Namethecat · 15/06/2018 20:20

Bought the nail clippers from the vet shop .......... Take her every 6/8 weeks to the vets ! ! Nuff said.

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SecretNutellaFix · 15/06/2018 20:21

I'm going to be taking my girl to the vets to get hers done when her face has healed. She scratched all the fur from her ear to her eye on both sides and looks dreadful. No infection, but she is in a collar until it fully heals and her claws trimmed.
She hates being held and hates her paws being touched so it's going to be a 3 person job.

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Olinguito · 16/06/2018 11:12

Thank you for your answers everyone, and various suggested techniques. Interesting to hear it's a common problem for older cats.

I'm going to get some clippers today and give it a go, as she isn't very co-operative at the vets, to put it mildly! However, if all else fails we'll just have to hand the job over to the professionals. Knowing her record there I can imagine the colour draining from their faces if I ask them to do it!