A friend took in a new kitten several weeks ago. One problem – the kitten’s little claws are SHARP and my friend has been scratched several times. He mentioned declawing, but I strongly discouraged him from that.
Declawing a cat means amputating the first knuckle of the animal’s toes – the equivalent of having your human fingers cut off at the first knuckle. It can take weeks or months to recover, and in some cases the cat suffers ongoing pain, infection and even lameness. Many animal welfare organizations are opposed to declawing, considering it a barbaric way to deal with what is essentially a behavioral issue. In fact, declawing cats is illegal in at least two states, several U.S. cities and thirty countries.
So what’s the alternative? Claw clipping is what we do at our house. You can buy special cat nail trimmers but we use a little pocket nail clipper like the ones we use on our own nails.
Admittedly, the cat may not like the idea at first. In fact, we sometimes start by wrapping the cat in a towel (making sure it can still breathe) and then pull out one paw at a time. Often you can look at the side of the claw and see the white point and then the pink part near the paw. That’s the quick – very painful if you cut into that – so clip the tip of the nail just to take the point off, not too close to the quick. (It is easier if you have a helper, especially the first time.)
Another helpful tip is to do it the first few times in a small room, like a lighted closet or a bathroom, and close the door to avoid an escape.
Clipping a cat’s claws takes patience, and usually gets easier the more you do it. Before long, your cat will accept it as a routine. If it still wants to scratch on something, buy a sturdy scratching post. Safely trimming your cat’s claws will make life better for both of you, when you’re speaking of pets.
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