What Can You Give A Cat So I Can Trip His Nails

Trimming cats nails

Regular nail trims are a requirement of cat ownership but are oftentimes dreaded by cats and humans alike. Too many times, nail trims end with a scratched and bloody possessor and a frightened true cat. In fact, veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, the writer of Low Stress Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats, estimates that fewer than one in five of her clients experience comfortable doing nail trims on their cats unless they've been trained to do and so.

But y'all tin can't skip the nail trim. If a cat'southward claws are not trimmed on a regular ground, they can scroll in on themselves and grow into the human foot pad, causing intense pain. Untrimmed nails can also pose a run a risk to people and furniture, both of which tin can be injured by also-long claws.

Don't requite up hope: According to Dr. Yin, information technology is possible to train both kittens and adult cats to tolerate — and even relish — having their nails clipped.

Teach Your Kitten to Relax

"Prepare your kitten for nail trims by educational activity her to lie on her dorsum," Dr. Yin recommends. "While your cat lies on her back, reward her continually with hands consumed treats like canned cat nutrient or small pieces of tuna on the end of a spoon. Deliver the treats right to the cat's face so she doesn't accept to move to eat the care for. As your cat gets more comfortable lying on her back, phase out the treats."

Once your true cat enjoys lying on her back, Dr. Yin recommends that you get her used to having her paws and claws handled. "Gently squeeze her paws, offering treats at the aforementioned fourth dimension," Dr. Yin says. "Time the treats right. When the paws are handled, treats should be given continuously at first then the cat is just thinking about nutrient. When paws are not being handled, terminate any rewards." This approach, Dr. Yin says, builds a clear positive clan between paws beingness handled and good things happening.

Progressively increment how vigorously you handle your cat'due south paws, just only as long as she stays relaxed. Work toward squeezing more vigorously and then tapping the claws with trimmers without trimming. Dr. Yin also recommends having two people participate in the grooming, "i rewarding with treats and the other treatment the paws and trimmer."

Teach Your Developed Cat to Relax

"If your developed cat is already afraid of nail trims, you will need to create a positive association with the nail trimmers," Dr. Yin says. She suggests placing the trimmers side by side to your cat's food basin during meals or positioning a saucer or basin of canned food effectually the clippers. The cat volition begin to acquire that proficient things happen when the trimmers are brought out.

Didactics an developed true cat to lie on her back is not easy. Dr. Yin suggests finding an alternative position where your cat is relaxed. "Reward your cat for lying down on the floor or for lying down on her side. You will as well need to work on getting the true cat comfy with having her paws and claws handled. Offer treats while you elevator and hold your cat's mitt," she says.

"Clip one smash and offer a care for at the same fourth dimension. If your true cat stays relaxed, then trim the 2nd smash while the cat is eating; if your true cat stays relaxed, build upward to trimming five nails in one session," Dr. Yin says. She also recommends doing the trimming with 2 people if possible, every bit it's much simpler for one to treat while the other trims. If you will be doing the trims without assistance, she recommends waiting until your cat can stay relaxed while having her paws handled and then you can care for her later on the clipping is done.

"The frequency of nail trims depends on the cat. Check nails every couple of weeks to see if it's needed. Cats that are outdoors more or use their scratching post regularly may need less frequent trims. Some other consideration is the furniture in the home. If you have delicate article of furniture that is easily scratched when the true cat walks over information technology, y'all may need to trim more often."

To find out more nearly lower-stress means to handle your cat, visit Dr. Yin'southward website.