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

Original poster

Cat & nail clipping

41 replies

woodwaj · 29/12/2014 21:04

Does anyone else have a lazy cat that wont file down their own nails? How often do you end up having to go to the vet to cut them? My trips seem to be getting more frequent, and I cant help but think the vets aren't cutting them as short as they used too!! My last visit was 6 weeks ago!

OP posts:
cate16 · 29/12/2014 21:36

My cat just gives me her paws and I do them for her. She seems to like having them clipped. She has a scratting post she uses too though, but that doesn't stop them growing..I think it just sharpens them :)

chockbic · 29/12/2014 21:40

Scissorclaws sharpens his on my flesh.

OldLadyKnows · 29/12/2014 21:42

I have never had to have a cat's claws clipped - and my current cat is an indoors cat. He strops his claws, the old sheath slips off, shiney new sharp claws underneath. Why are you clipping them? Confused

Original poster
woodwaj · 29/12/2014 21:52

Because he doesnt wear them down himself they curl under and grow into his paws if they dont get cut. He has a paddy when i try to do it. I'm lucky that my furniture doesnt get ruined but its a pain in the bum!!

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OldLadyKnows · 29/12/2014 22:32

I've never encountered that. Does he go out? I'm just thinking it might be a idea to have him declawed altogether, but obv you can't do that if he needs them for self-defence. (I know declawing isn't common here in the UK, and wouldn't usually suggest it, btw.)

Original poster
woodwaj · 29/12/2014 23:02

He goes out a lot more than he used to as we now have a bigger garden, not so much in the winter though. As far as cats go he's useless. He never leaves the garden i dont think he could jump up on the fence if he wanted to!! He is a highly skilled sleeper though!

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tabulahrasa · 29/12/2014 23:43

Is he older? Mine needs hers done now as she no longer wears them down effectively due to mild arthritis.

I struggle to do them myself so she gets them done at the vet about every 3 months, but she's there that often anyway, so I just combine it.

midwinternights · 30/12/2014 08:25

One of mine appears to be in the habit of biting hers...

Aliennation · 30/12/2014 08:35

Um declawing is illegal in the UK. It's the equivalent of us having our fingers cut off at the knuckle!
If they really need clipped and you can't do it most vets offer nursing appointments for claw clips at a very reasonable price.
Some animals have very long quicks and only the tips should ever be clipped.

gamerchick · 30/12/2014 08:38

Doesn't declawing end up with deformed feet since they walk on their toes?

RubbishMantra · 30/12/2014 08:50

De-clawing? Yes, nobody would do that in the UK. Disgusting practice. Same as you having part of your finger/toe removed OldLady.

Wood, try holding his little paws when he's giving you a cuddle. Then he'll become more amenable to you snipping the very tips of his nails.

Christ, I can't believe somebody suggested amputating your cat's toes!

Aliennation · 30/12/2014 08:52

Yes, the RCVS consider it mutilation. Like us cats have 3 bones in their toes, declawing involves removing one of these bones and severing ligaments and tendons. They would effectively then be walking on their knuckles.
Am Shock that someone would suggest this.

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/12/2014 08:52

Yep, declawings illegal in the uk and leads to lameness in some cats.

You could build up to it, spend time getting them used to having their paws touched, then the claws spread so you can see them, then clipping one claw at a time.

Or a vet nurse might do it for a reasonable fee.

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/12/2014 08:54

5 years ago when relatives got their bengal they were offered declawing as part of neutering.

Maybe it's a recent ban?.

Aliennation · 30/12/2014 08:58

No it's not recent. Any vet caught doing it would likely be struck off.
I do remember a vet doing it to his own cat about 20 years ago, think the ban came in around that time.

RubbishMantra · 30/12/2014 09:00

Fluffy, I'm sure the de-clawing has never been legal in the UK. More of an American thing.

Leela5 · 30/12/2014 09:01

Declawing is an illegal mutilation in the uk.

I clip my own cats claws - is there any way you could train yours to allow you to do it? I used positive reinforcement

Original poster
woodwaj · 30/12/2014 09:18

I've tried it once he wasn't a fan he lets the vet get away with more than me! We are due a baby next month so ill need to deal with that before i chase him with clippers! Poor sod will hate it.

I adopted him a few years ago when a relative passed away. We think he is between 8 and 9.

Obviously declawing will never be an option.

My main issue is that its gone from being needed around every 3 months to about half that time.

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Original poster
woodwaj · 30/12/2014 09:19

And here is the soft sod in question!

Cat & nail clipping
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OnIlkleyMoorBahTwat · 30/12/2014 09:35

One of mine needs it every few months because he is very old so inactive, and has an over active thyroid, which the vet says makes them grow quicker. However, yours doesn't look like his thyroid is over active as this makes them very skinny.

You could ask your vet about it, but that might lead to a suggestion of expensive tests. You say he goes out more now but could he have lost his favourite scratching post or tree etc? Cats tend to either scratch on a vertical or horizontal surface so maybe try buying or finding him a new scratcher of a type that he likes.

Can you get your DH or a friend to hold and you clip or vice versa, as it really is a two person job unless you have a very compliant cat.

Original poster
woodwaj · 30/12/2014 11:18

We went to the vet this morning she clipped them as low as she could but didnt seem bothered about how often he went. He defo doesn't have a thyroid problem. He is a right chunk! I think i might get him a few small trees and a house to hide in outside in the summer. He has had a million scratch posts though he is just not interested!

I think ill give home clipping another go!

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RubbishMantra · 30/12/2014 12:08

Ah, he's a beautiful ginger and white confection of a cat!

I guess delicate feline manicures are the way forward for your lad then.

Original poster
woodwaj · 30/12/2014 12:13

Most likely rubbish! But he is cute and gets away with it!!

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sashh · 30/12/2014 12:28

One o the foster cats needed frequent clipping, the vet showed me how o do it.

Current moggy is not impressed with her latest scratching post but has recently discovered one of those cardboard wine carriers you get from the supermarket, it's flat and she is using it to sharpen her claws.

Original poster
woodwaj · 30/12/2014 12:33

I wish mine did that! Its the standard cat box rule in this house "if it fits, i sits!!"

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