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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

clipping claws & cleaning teeth.....

9 replies

paisleyII · 27/12/2011 01:10

mil bought me a book on cats, bloody good book and only just finished reading it. i had NO idea that a/owners are supposed to cut their cats claws and b/it is advised to clean their teeth once a week. i thought (as a new cat owner who has no idea) that claws wore down naturally and that teeth cleaned themselves naturally in the same way that wild animals teeth were cleaned but it would appear that was wrong. i can't for the life of me imagine being able to clean my cats teeth, she is a feisty bugger and would i fear take my hand off for trying.....just wondered who you lot deal with such things (same with clippign her claws, i wouldn't have a bloody clue how to do this and doubt the cat would let me...)

OP posts:

cate16 · 27/12/2011 01:35

Never cleaned her teeth, but my cat gives me her paw's for me to clip her claws! Personally I didn't think you needed to clip the claws - but mine seems to like it done. (I orignally clipped them as I thought they were a bit sharp, and just took the very tips off) She does have a scrating post which she uses.

tabulahrasa · 27/12/2011 01:49

I've never managed to clean their teeth, one does have dodgy teeth though which have had to be cleaned and a couple taken out at the vets.

Claws take care of themselves until they get older and stiffer

MyLittleFluffball · 27/12/2011 02:25

I've never clipped a cat's claws or cleaned their teeth and don't think any of my cats would have tolerated it. Claws seem to take care of themselves; teeth get cleaned professionally at the vet's under anaesthetic once there's a plaque build-up, and in the meantime we attempt to feed the cats food that's designed to clean their teeth (Hill's Science Diet "Dental"). I imagine you could probably only regularly and effectively clean a cat's teeth if you trained the cat to put up with it from when they were a kitten.

Fluffycloudland77 · 27/12/2011 08:53

Nope never clipped my cats claws because he needs them for fighting, we did have a Persian who used to get stuck in the carpet but she rarely went out so the vet did it for us.

I give our cat biscuits once a day as the only cats we've had who don't get teeth problems ate biscuits. However he doesn't think much of them but as he gets a bad tummy on maize food there's only two types he can have so tough luck for him really. "I'm starving, feeeeed me! Biscuits? The pouches are right there. So biscuits then? Well I'm going out then. (to interview new owners)"

Original poster

paisleyII · 27/12/2011 11:02

ooh thanks chaps, i literally woke up worrying about it. i have never heard of anyone clipping their cats claws or cleaning their teeth. as we have only had a a few months and not since being a kitten (she is roughly 2'ish) i doubt she would take to it kindly and tbh i am scared at the thought, wimp that i am. i feel a huge sense of relief. i think every year when she has her vacs' i can ask the vet to check over her teeth/claws then, like an mot. thanks again :)

OP posts:

DontCallMeBaby · 27/12/2011 18:21

Our cats had a touch of gingivitis at their one-year check, despite eating almost exclusively dry food, so the vet taught me (painstakingly, over several visits) how to clean their teeth. I did it all through the 'lessons' - then never again. I did feel a bit rubbish about it, but it was a hideous thing to have to do, they hated it. And half the time we wouldn't see one of them for 24 hours, and the first thing we'd have to do (well, I would have to do) when he turned up was grab him and shove a brushful of chicken-flavoured toothpaste in his mouth. It was bad enough when it was a 2yo DD who was refusing teeth cleaning, but at least after a while she could be reasoned with!

Fortunate, despite neglecting the teeth cleaning, at their two-year check nothing was said about their teeth and gums (and they WERE inspected). They have dental 'treats' now, which they seem to like and aren't doing any harm.

I did clip their claws when they were very young and didn't go outside, but stopped when they became outdoor cats. They scratch everything in sight, and trot about on tarmac all day, so it seems to wear them down. I have a look at their claws every now and then, just to make sure they're not over-growing, and it's not been a problem. In fact I don't know WHAT one of them does to his hind feet, those claws are usually barely more than stubs.

purpleknittingmum · 27/12/2011 18:26

I used to brush our cats teeth but don't now as he is on dry biscuits but I might start doing it again occasionally as the vet said he has a bit of tartar build up.

He is an indoor cat with a scratch post and we cut his claws, well I do, used to do it to my mum's cat, I just take a tiny bit off the end

Original poster

paisleyII · 27/12/2011 21:01

my cat doesn't like having her feet/paws touched which is a shame as they are so furry and cute, so tempting to try and touch them but she ain't having any of it, her tail always starts to swish and i can tell she will end up going for me thus NO WAY am i going to try and clip her trotters, not a chance. have decided that when she has her now yearly vacsinations i will get her teeth and claws checked. thanks chaps for your posts

OP posts:

sashh · 28/12/2011 12:05

Only ever clipped one of the foster cats' claws, I got the vet to show me how as I thought it would be less stresssful for her. Most have kept their nails in good order.

Also I tend to feed dried food so their teeth don't need as much of a clean

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