[CJinCA]

Had to trim claws this morning - again! Lickorish gets such long claws and they grow so fast. I can't even wait a month for her between trimmings. And she hates, hates, hates to have her claws trimmed - basically hates when I have to hold her in once place for more than a second. She tolerates it for a few seconds with her ears back, then tries to get away. I gave her treats afterwards but I think she's still a little miffed at me.:-( I have never drawn blood, I'm very careful.

Squeek was a good girl and put up with it well. She'll keep me company if Lickorish won't:wink:

 

[JoJodaPyro]

My Wife does our cats. They are very laid back about it.

 

[catloverami]

First of all you have to accustom "Lickorish" (love the name! BTW) to enjoy having the paws touched. Start by touching gently with a little smear of butter or salmon/tuna juice on your finger or something she really likes (ice-cream anyone?). When she's comfortable and looks forward to you touching her paws, you can try just putting pressure on the joint to make the claw visible, and when she's comfortable with that clip or two claws. You don't have to do them all at once. Give her a treat after each claw clipping. Hopefully you can get her to the point that she enjoys having her feet touched and won't mind you clipping when she knows a reward is coming. Ideally, cats should receive this training as kittens on a regular basis (about every 3 wks.), even tho the claws barely need clipping, as they get accustomed to this procedure and tolerate it well.

 

[MowMow]

When I got Shepherd Book it wasn't his feet being touched he hated.. it was being held down. He'd tolerate it for about the time it took to get two claws done and then he'd start yelling and struggling.

It brought back memories of our Malamute when she was a puppy. The obedience trainer suggest we do 'down time' every night with her to teach her submission. Laying down on the ground with her and holding her gently until she stopped struggling and fell asleep. I had to modify it a bit for a cat though as Book can definitely outlast me.

I lay on the bed with him on his side (spooned against my chest). At first he'd struggle right away and scream but as soon as he was quiet and still for a few seconds I'd let him up. I would casually release any pressure on him. At first he would bolt away but soon he would stood up and stayed near me. Then I could stroke him and he wouldn't run away. It took about 5 or 6 nights for him to realize the quieter he was the quicker I let go. Then I would hold him a bit longer until he struggled...and wait it out. I kept expanding on that until I could hold him for a decent length of time...5 minutes or so. He realized that if he lays quietly it's over quicker. Now even if he DOES struggle he gives up much faster.

 

[CJinCA]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I'm pretty sure its the being held down she hates the most. We've just now gotten to the point where she'll stand in one place long enough for me to pet her a little. She always wants to keep moving away and just out of arm's reach, even though her body language and meowing says 'PET ME!'...

She does lay in bed and let me pet her and even cuddle (as long as its loose and not holding her down) for extended time. I'll try to MowMow's suggestion. Will also work on the feet touching too like CatLoverAmi suggests.

Will try again in a couple weeks (yes, I have to do hers that often!)

 

[Beckie210789]

Most of my cats tolerate having their nails trimmed with very little issue. They will moan and groan a bit, but they let me take care of it, all of them except Waffles... Waffles is impossible to hold down, he's a stocky little bruiser of a teenage cat. The only successful way to calm him enough to keep him still, is to gently pick him up by the scruff and quickly snip his claws.

 

[hal1]

I've got a side table next to my comfy chair where I watch TV and use my laptop. I keep his clippers there, then when Toby comes to lounge on me I clip a few of his nails until he gets antsy. After a few couple days I get the whole set done.

 

[LadyMiseryAli]

We got the Pedipaws contraption. It works pretty well, but makes a horrendous odor. Peanut tolerates it to a point, but Chinchilla is not a big fan of it, and we will probably have to use it on her again soon because her back claws are pretty bad.

 

[marie73]

I trimmed all my girls' claws for the second time ever a couple weeks ago. It's so hard with longhaired cats, because by the time you find ONE claw, they're already doing the Exorcist Twist... I didn't get the back feet, that's impossible for one person (with these girls).

My new bed is waist-high, so I took them in the bedroom one by one and it wasn't as bad as the other times I've tried. Cali was easy. Charlee was hard. Cleo? o.m.g. She growls like a panther, then it turns into that high "warning" whine and you think she's about to go postal, but she's never bitten me or her groomer or anyone. Sure sounds like she's about to, though.

 

[princessbear]

I trimmed all my girls' claws for the second time ever a couple weeks ago. It's so hard with longhaired cats, because by the time you find ONE claw, they're already doing the Exorcist Twist... I didn't get the back feet, that's impossible for one person (with these girls).

Marie - I have the same problem - by the time I've parted the fur and found the first claw - Mimi is already getting antsy - so I do only one or two paws, or if I'm lucky, one whole paw, at a time. Forget the back paws. That's impossible as I live alone. I do Mimi's in the bed as well since I put her in the same position (with her butt tucked in between my legs so she can't back out and I lean over her) as I have to for her weekly ear drops (which she, obviously, HATES). I put her on the floor for her eardrops so we have two different locations for the horrible things she feels I am doing to her ...

 

[littlesushi]

I usually wait for a time when Aster and Cody are sleepy or sleeping to trim their nails. Like what some others have said, I may only do a couple at a time over a few days depending how fussy they are.

 

[Milky's Mammy]

Milky didn't like the nail trimmer one bit. He started struggling to get away and yelping when we took the nail trimmer out (not even touching him yet!!) He only gave us trouble the first one or two times we had to trim his claws. Bascially we just held his paws and put a bit of pressure on each of his fingers and toes every time we held him in our arms. We did that every time until we had to trim his nails again and then he was ok. He didn't struggle like he used to, maybe just very slightly but then he would be fine. I always give him a treat before and after so he knows it's something good!!

 

[Nora B]

We now have a really good pattern at my house. Every two weeks is trim time. First I load all 3 kitties with all the catnip they would like, then they either get droolie and drosey or run themselves ragged, then I clip and treat. The kitties not getting clipped are shut out of the room as nothing messes things up like another cat watching.


My elderly mom has a different plan - I couldn't hold to it but it seems to work to for her: every night she holds pets and gives treats to her kitty and cuts 1 or 2 nails. every night?!?! I guess at one a night it will grow back in 2 weeks but htat would drive me nuts.

My only real point is do what you've gotta do, and everyone seems to do it a bit different - whatever works!

 

[Hepburn]

I keep the claw trimmers on the end table next to my recliner. I wait until Niles is fast asleep on my lap (like, dead-tired, sound asleep), and then I start in. I can usually get a whole paw done before he is awake enough to be annoyed. And, since he's not moving, there's no risk of me accidentally slipping and cutting too close. I usually just do one paw at a time, so that it doesn't become traumatic/annoying for him, but if he's tired enough, I can do them all without him getting up from my lap.

 

[Alpaca]

I do my two in two separate ways. Miu lets me sit her down like a little girl in my lap. She doesn't mind her fronts being cut and will actually sit docilely waiting for me to finish, it's the back ones that she hates.

As for Cap'n Jack, I leave him on the ground while I'm kneeling. I'm right handed. I trap him under my left arm and reach around his body to hold his paws with my left while I trim with my right. He's also against or between my knees so he can't escape from the back.

I use treats too. Jack is the skittish one and also I've only trimmed him less than 10 times so he needs some encouragement. Of course if I treat him, I gotta treat everyone else too...

Gotta figure out what works for you. Every cat is different. Took me a while to figure out Jack's method.

I tried the two ppl technique with one person holding him down and other person cutting. Didn't work. Then I tried using a towel to cover his head but that didn't go over well. It turned into a more traumatic experience for him since the process is prolonged with the catching then the 'struggle to put towel over head' thing. Then for a few clippings I resorted to begging a friend to do it, but how many times can you get someone to clip when your cat needs clippings every 2-3 weeks? I was also asking around for vet pricing. MY GOD those are expensive. $30 for 5 mins of work. With the one I'm using now, I'm usually done in less than 5 mins, I can do it by myself without assistance, can do it anytime, I don't need to worry about the other cat looking (neither one cares) and I can do it at home for free. No need to traumatize Jack to frequent vet visits.

 

[Des_Esseintes]

I've got a side table next to my comfy chair where I watch TV and use my laptop. I keep his clippers there, then when Toby comes to lounge on me I clip a few of his nails until he gets antsy. After a few couple days I get the whole set done.

That's what I do with Artemisia, too!

Wait until she gets all sleepy on my lap, then clip a few nails. If I'm really lucky, I can get one whole foot done at once.

 

[Alpaca]

If it works for you guys, great! I dunno how though. Both of mine are so alert that sneaking up on them while sleeping is 100% impossible.

 

[marie73]

My cats don't sleep that soundly, either. I touch one paw and they're up and running. Away.

 

[cooncatbob]

I used to hold Samantha in the crook of my left arm facing outward, I'd gently take one of her front paws in my left hand and squeeze it to extent the claws, I'd quickly clip the tips off of each claw with human nail clippers held in my right hand.
The secret it to get in over quickly as many cats don't like to be held against their will.
I would usually do 1 paw at a time then giver her praises, pets and some treats.

 

[xrobotlove]

I am not looking forward to cutting my kittens nails for the first time... I've been putting it off. My mom is the freakin cat whisperer, she can get her kitties to put up with any kind of grooming. Cleaning ears, brushing teeth, bathing, nail clipping, and belly shaving. (She has a Norwegian Forest Cat, he needs his belly shaved frequently because of the way his long thick kinky/curly belly hair gets matted.) Luckily my kitten LOVES being held and cuddled, even with my arm over her in a spooning position she never struggles or runs away. I'm really hoping that means it'll be somewhat easy to trim her nails...