How to trim a cat's claws is a question many people ask. After purchasing a furry pet, it is important to understand that you will have to care for it properly. Pet owners do not understand what to do when their pet damages furniture, things, and walls with its claws.
In order for the cat to stop damaging property, he needs to glue special pads or trim his nails regularly. The animal may resist and not give in. You need to calm him down and carry out the procedure very carefully.
Features of the operation
During this surgical operation, the claws are removed along with the entire terminal phalanx of the fingers. Veterinarians are mostly opposed to onychectomy. Considering the medical aspect, it should be noted that the removal of the phalanges of the fingers in cats is a very risky procedure: harm from general anesthesia, the risk of infection, and the risk of severe bleeding. If claws are removed incorrectly, the regeneration process may begin over time - the claws grow back, but very often they grow inside the foot, causing pain and suffering in the animal. There is a need for repeated declawing surgery to avoid extensive inflammation of the limbs.
Postoperative care
After surgery, the animal will require special care and attention. To alleviate the animal's suffering, repeated administration of painkillers will be required. To avoid infection of the wound, the sutures must be regularly treated with antiseptic agents. In addition, to prevent the cat from licking its wounds, it should wear a medical collar for two weeks. Three days after the operation, the doctor will examine the patient and give an opinion on the progress of the healing process.
Consequences of the operation
The consequences of the operation may include the following conditions:
- Severe blood loss with serious complications including death
- Loss of coordination due to the need to rely on the pads of the paws rather than on the toes
- Deterioration of gait and subsequent atrophy of the muscles of the limbs and back
- Regeneration of the claw and its ingrowth into the soft tissues of the foot, which leads to repeated surgery
- Long and painful healing process
Given the many risks and unintended consequences, Operation Soft Paws, as onychectomy is commonly called, is drawing protest from animal lovers. The European Convention protecting animal rights has banned onychectomy in many European countries. And even in those countries where this operation is permitted, such as in Russia, veterinarians are opposed to onychectomy.
After declawing, cats may develop arthritis due to the emphasis placed on the pads of their feet when walking. The muscles of the paws and back atrophy, coordination of movements is impaired. A cat that has experienced stress due to this inhumane operation feels completely defenseless, its character deteriorates, and it increasingly uses its last weapon of defense - its teeth.
Arguments of supporters of onychectomy
Despite protests from animal rights activists, declawing cats has become fashionable in many countries around the world at some point. Proponents of this operation believe that it is completely safe for the health of the animal. Because declawing occurs under general anesthesia, they say, the cat experiences no pain. Cats begin to walk normally after 5-7 days.
Private veterinary clinics advertise onychectomy, and it becomes one of their areas of activity. Often the operation is performed at home if the cat owner arranges a call to a veterinary surgeon, not wanting to take the animal to the clinic. In this case, the cost of declawing is slightly increased compared to the cost of surgery in a hospital.
Private veterinary services usually warn that declawing can only be performed on cats that are constantly kept at home. If the owners plan to take their pets to the dacha in the summer, where they can come into contact with other animals, then this operation cannot be carried out so that your cat does not remain defenseless against aggression from its own kind. For the same reason, onychectomy is not possible if your cat is outdoors.
Of course, after declawing, the cat will never again sharpen its claws on your furniture, sofas and armchairs will remain intact, and no one will scratch your hands. Therefore, declawing cats is the price for your peace of mind. If you decide to have this operation, then you need to take into account that it is best to carry it out at an early age, then the cat will quickly get used to walking without claws. You can remove claws either on the front paws only, or on all four. After the operation, it is necessary to put a special collar on the cat for two weeks so that it does not remove the bandages from its paws and does not lick the wounds.
And these days, such questions as pros and cons, opinions of specialists and owners and many others related to the onychectomy operation cause fierce debate between its supporters and opponents. Remember, this little creature that you brought into the house is completely in your power, and you simply must create all the conditions for its normal development and good health. After all, you are responsible for him.
If the cat is not given
Problems often arise with trimming a kitten's claws. Many pets resist during procedures. Trimming the nails of an aggressive cat is extremely difficult.
If it breaks out before the procedure begins, it requires two owners to carry it out. One will hold the animal, and the second will trim the nails.
How much does it cost to trim a cat's claws at a veterinary clinic?
If the pet owner for some reason cannot trim the claws, he can entrust the trimming to a veterinarian. At the veterinary clinic, your pet can undergo various procedures for a certain amount, including complete declawing. The owners are given a price list that lists the prices. Cutting nail plates costs approximately 300–500 rubles.
Knowing how to trim a cat's claws, you can protect things from damage and scratches to your household. You need to understand how to properly carry out this procedure so as not to damage the animal’s paw and soft tissues.
Where can they remove claws and how much does it cost?
Not all clinics provide onychectomy, and prices for declawing are quite high. However, everywhere they offer a less radical alternative - nail trimming, which costs from 200 to 500 rubles , depending on the clinic, the cost may vary. In addition, another alternative has recently become widespread - silicone pads. As you can see in the photo, they are put on the claws and last from 3 to 5 weeks.
You need to know that declawing surgery is carried out strictly only for domestic animals, because while walking on the street, the cat will not be able to protect itself in case of danger, or simply climb a tree if attacked by a dog. If you
After all, we definitely decided that the cost of declawing cats ranges from 1,500 to 4,000 rubles. But currently, many animal protection organizations are fighting to ban declawing in Russia, and many veterinary clinics refuse to do it. In any case, before deciding on such an intervention in the life of an animal, you should think carefully.
Why do you need to trim your nails?
First of all, this is the cat's main weapon for protection and a hunting tool.
On the streets of the city, the animal has many enemies, from whom only teeth and sharp claws can help. Also, the cat’s natural arsenal allows him to win the lady of his heart or climb a tall tree in case of danger. Rodents are destined to become a hearty meal for lucky hunters with sharpened nails. However, pet owners ask the question: why trim a cat’s claws if it doesn’t go outside? And how to cut it correctly so as not to harm the animal? This treatment is needed, first of all, to prevent diseases and prevent abnormal growth of claws. Sharp, long claws can cause damage if they fall from a height. Another reason is to preserve the interior decor of the room (furniture, walls, interior items) and clothing. The process of scratching household utensils leads to scandals that negatively affect the mental state of both the cat and the residents of the apartment.
There are good reasons when to apply a haircut:
- Keeping a cat at home. The animal is kept indoors only and does not go outside on its own. Because it is impossible to sharpen its claws in nature, it is forced to scratch furniture and walls, ignoring the scratching post.
- Having small children in the apartment. Sharp claws pose a danger to infants and preschoolers. In the game, an animal can injure a child and cause an infection.
- In case of illness or low mobility. An unhealthy cat cannot carry out hygiene activities on its own. Also, when a pet has an infantile temperament, is old or is overweight, then human help is needed.
- For preventive purposes, for aesthetics. Removing the upper part of the claws is important to prevent the occurrence of purulent foci of inflammation. The procedure is mandatory when the cat participates in exhibitions, for safe bathing.
It should be remembered that trimming nails causes deep stress in the animal. Therefore, the owner must analyze all the pros and cons. The need for the procedure must outweigh the risk of problems.
Alternative
In order for everything in the house to remain in its original form, you should simply wean the cat from sharpening its claws on household objects. To do this, you can purchase a scratching post or make one yourself, building a whole play complex for your beloved pet. The main thing is not to put it off for a long time - it is very difficult to retrain an animal that is already accustomed to sharpening its claws on a soft sofa or a wooden chair leg. In addition, there are special silicone claw covers for animals that refuse to be trained.
The only thing to remember in this situation is that the pads need to be changed monthly.
The best way is to trim the tips of your nails. A more gentle method than surgery is to trim the tips of the claws with special tweezers. Pet owners who are inexperienced in this procedure should be extremely careful. It is preferable to contact a veterinarian so that he can show you how far the claws can be cut. After all, they contain blood vessels, which during the process of circumcision can be damaged and cause in the poor animal not only fear of such a procedure, but bleeding and inflammatory processes.
How to trim a cat's claws
To trim your cat's claws yourself, you should visit a pet store or veterinary pharmacy. There is a wide range of special tools available. These are ultra-modern devices and run on batteries or mains power.
Regular scissors.
Every home has a tool; it is allowed for trimming soft nails of young animals. The main condition is extreme caution so as not to cut off the excess part of the claw and not touch a blood vessel.
Claw clippers.
There is no need to experiment with ordinary nail clippers; here you need: a special pruner, reinforced nippers, nail clippers.
Guillotine trimmer.
A good device for removing the tips of thick, strong nails. Makes the cut as rounded as possible. The only drawback is the noise, which scares the cat.
Grinder.
The device is convenient and easy to use. The working element is a sharpening stone with an abrasive coating, which allows you to grind the surface painlessly. Polishing takes place gradually.
File.
It is better to purchase a tool with round ends; it will be needed to remove irregularities after working with nail clippers.
The devices must be well sharpened; it is recommended to give preference to stainless steel tools. The handles are made of non-slip material so as not to accidentally injure the animal.
Feedback from pet owners
Vita Trushechkina
But I no longer doubt it. I already decided, today, after the cats went crazy, ran around like crazy and scratched our 9 month old daughter who was sitting playing on the floor. I'm not even talking about how scared she was. And yesterday I saw how one of the cats wanted to hit my daughter, but saw me and ran away. So I won't wait for them to claw her eyes out. I love our cats, but the child and his safety are more important.
Svetlana Skibenko
I'm sorry, but why are we talking only about sofas? Let's talk about the hostess's health! My cat is very affectionate and peaceful, he has been in our family since two months and has seen only tenderness - he is our favorite. But sometimes he has attacks of aggression or fear (for example, he was afraid of a working food processor) - he attacks me, his mistress. He has already repeatedly torn my legs to pieces, a couple of times even the ambulance took me away. The doctors advised me to get rid of the cat, but, again, I love him very much and don’t want to part with him. But I am still constantly afraid of his attacks. My legs are covered in terrible scars and in the summer I can’t even go to the beach! Moreover, this threatens blood poisoning. So what should I do - sacrifice the cat or is it better to use his claws?!
Jennifer
We declawed our cat. And it was a damn good decision. While all the wallpaper in our house was torn, shreds of carpets flew in all directions, etc. I endured it, trimmed the cat’s claws, ran after him with a scratching post, and so on. He sneezed on me and all my efforts. But when he with his claws jumped onto the hanger where my expensive leather jacket from Italy and my husband’s equally expensive sheepskin coat were hanging…. and, clinging to the jacket with one paw and the sheepskin coat with the other, he slid down, tearing shreds out of our clothes - this was the last straw. He was given general anesthesia and only the claws on his front paws were carefully removed. A week later he was jumping around like a saiga.
