Any tricks for clipping kitty claws?

[Mizmoon]

I have one kitty that is as good as gold when I trim her claws, but the other one hisses and gets very upset. This has led to her claws getting so long she gets snagged on everything and hisses and fusses even more. I'm also afraid that they'll grow into her toepads.

Hubby refuses to allow her to be taken to a groomer. He says that's where kitties get sick because of exposure to other animals.

Do any DUers have any tricks they use to trim the claws of a reluctant kittykat?

[Lindacooks]

1. One of you should hold the scruff of her neck

while the other gently clips her claws. Kittens are carried around by the scruff of their necks by their moms, and it's ingrained in them to relax when that area is firmly held.

Also be very quiet and talk softly to her when you clip the claws. I find that if I let my cats sniff the clipper before I start clipping that relaxes them too - they learn that the clipper won't hurt them and this has become routine.

[RubyDuby in GA]

2. Drug husband and take kitty to groomer, or

let hubby be the only one to do the clipping.
See how long it takes for him to give in and get the car keys.

[Philostopher]

3. We do it as a 'tag team,'

but not everybody wants to do that. I've done them myself -- one of our cats is pretty bad about it. I catch her asleep and just clip one or two claws at a time -- whatever I can get by with while she's still groggy. It might take a day or two to completely finish, but it can be done.

We've also got all the cats tuned up to expect a treat after they get clipped. Unfortunately, the twitchy one doesn't really like treats, so bribing her is pointless ... but it does make the others easier to do.

[Taverner]

4. Keep the bactine handy

Not for the cat - for YOU, afterwards...

[Bertha Venation]

5. Lindacooks has good advice.

Grab by the scruff and hold kitty's body firmly against a soft surface, like the couch, floor, or even on a towel on the counter top. Clipper takes one paw at a time.

If you have to do it by yourself, wrap kitty tightly in a towel and remove one paw at a time. Obviously it sounds easier than it is, but it can be done. Good luck.

Oh -- you could get a groomer's bag, this thing that you zip the cat into and its head sticks out and front paws stick out, but it holds the cat so that it can't move enough to hurt you or get away.

[liontamer]

6. tag teaming is the best option

somebody else should distract the cats mouth and other paws while you clip. Some cats might appreciate catnip but mine get to wild.

[yellowcanine]

7. Knock her out with chloral hydrate. Give her a dropper full. If that

doesn't work, give her another.

on edit: On second thought, start out with two dropper fulls and use two more if that doesn't work.

[calico1]

8. Have your hubby hold the kitty while you

trim. That is what I do. Otherwise, as someone else suggested, wrap the kitty in a towel--kind of like a burrito and take one paw out at a time. I find that when the claws are well trimmed they scratch less.

[Mizmoon]

11. We have tried the tag team approach

but not while holding her scruff. Will give it a try.

To the DUer who said knock her out - you're kidding, right? Sometimes I /want/ to knock her out, but it has nothing to do with trimming her claws.

Thank you all! I appreciate your suggestions!

[yellowcanine]

14. Yeah, I was kidding, but seriously - for some cats some kind of

sedation may be called for. Cat scratches and especially cat bites are no joke. It is antibiotic time immediately for a cat bite and if you wait it is IV drip antiobiotic time! No fun at all. Have the vet or a groomer do it if kitty won't cooperate.

[ET Awful]

9. Sorry, I'm no good with trimming the claws, Quinn goes insane

if you try.

[soothsayer]

10. believe it or not you can sometimes do it when they're asleep

gotta carry the clippers with you tho to catch 'em...!

[atreides1]

12. Wear a suit of Armor

With chainmail gloves.:D

[Mizmoon]

13. hmmmm ... now I need to find my local chainmail shop

Where's the phone book?

[giant_robot]

15. A friend of mine suggested

putting a dab of peanut butter near the cat's mouth. She said the cat will be so preoccupied with licking the peanut butter off its face that you can cut its claws.

I never tried that, though. I usually get someone to hold the cat wrapped up in a towel.

[jjmalonejr]

16. We have 3 cats and use different methods

Two of them my wife and I do as tag team. Seems to work OK.

For the feistiest one, my wife has to completely wrap the kitty's body in a towel with just the paw to be clipped sticking out. Not tightly, mind you, we don't want her to be hurt or smothered, but it does keep her calmed down for a bit. She struggles, but she doesn't go crazy like she would if she weren't wrapped.