Serious question. Some people have a two person system, some do one nail a day, some pay the vet every single time, and plenty of people just let the cat win. All of those are real answers. What actually happens in your house?
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As a cat owner, I always try to make nail trims as stress free as possible. I let the cat get comfortable first and gently handle their paws before I start. If they are calm, I try to do all the nails, but if they start getting stressed I stop and try again later. Sometimes getting just a few nails done is a win. I think the most important thing is being patient and not forcing them.
Written by a veterinary technician, not a licensed veterinarian, and without examining your pet. It is general information to help you decide what to do next: not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a prescription, and not intended to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Do not start, stop, or change any medication based on it. Your own veterinarian has examined your pet and knows their history, so ask them before acting on anything here. PawsRx has not checked this credential against a state register.
Hello there. I understand that nail trims can be a very stressful experience for both the cat and the owner at times. Cats have natural scent glands on their paws and that makes them very protective of their feet. I have owned a few kitty cats and from my experiences, I will start with trimming the back nails first to see how well the cat will tolerate the nail trim and just go slow with the process because less force, usually ends up with better results. If the cat tolerates me trimming the back nails, I move to the front and if for some reason he/she starts to show signs of stress or just gets stressed, then I stop and will try again another time to eventually get it done. If the cat just hates the process from the beginning, I will try giving the cat a little bit of a Churu (a cat treat that comes in a tube and is in liquid form) or a treat of some sort to help take their mind off the nail trim and to teach them it is a rewarding experience rather than a bad experience. I will also just try and mess with my cats feet to kind of desensitize them if they allow it. Start out by rubbing on their legs and then move to their paw, but do not hold their paw for along time or anything and then reward them for letting you do that. A lot of the time when people take them to the vet it is because the cat just simply will not have it and the vet and vet techs have less stressful alternatives if needed, and will help the owner out on what to try out next time their cat is due for a nail trim and go from there. I hope these tips can help with trimming your cats nails and you both can have a good experience.
Written by a veterinary technician, not a licensed veterinarian, and without examining your pet. It is general information to help you decide what to do next: not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a prescription, and not intended to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Do not start, stop, or change any medication based on it. Your own veterinarian has examined your pet and knows their history, so ask them before acting on anything here. PawsRx has not checked this credential against a state register.
Community posts and replies are written by pet parents and independent veterinarians, not by PawsRx. We do not review, verify, or endorse them. Nothing here is a diagnosis or a substitute for examining your pet. For a medical concern, consult a licensed veterinarian. In an emergency, contact an emergency clinic immediately.
One thing for next time
This won’t cover what you asked about today. It would cover what happens next.
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