I got a new kitten a few months ago, and shes still fairly young. Shes awesome and i love her so so much, the cute lil muffin. Tho i noticed her claws got really long to the point where they stick out a bit when she draws them in? It caused a few accidents scratch wise, but i dont really mind that i just want her to be comfortable. Declawing her is definitely not an option, ever, ive heard that its really cruel, but should i go to a professional to get her claws shortened?
Declawing is really cruel, you’re right about that! Declawing is a surgical procedure to remove the last knuckle of the cat’s toes. Look at your finger and look at the knuckle just before the nail, then imagine a surgery to cut your finger off at that knuckle–that’s what declawing a cat is. It’s painful, psychologically damaging, and causes a myriad of problems for the cat later in life, because cats actually walk on their tip toes naturally. Declawing them means they can’t, so walking on the pads of their feet in a way their body wasn’t designed to do leads to joint and hip issues, and very painful arthritis later in life. I’m glad declawing isn’t an option!
The good news is, though, that you can trim the cat’s claws yourself! Cat claws, just like human fingernails, grow and need to be trimmed on occasion. You can get a pair of clippers at any pet store, or even in the pet supply area of places like Wal mart.
To trim the kitty’s claws, it’s best to make sure she’s calm. I tend to try to clip my cat’s claws when they’re sleepy, but you can also wrap them firmly in a towel and pull out one leg at a time (again–gently).
Extend the claw by holding the toe and pressing just behind the top knuckle. Then use the claw clippers to trim the tip! Watch out for the quick–the part of the claw that has a blood supply. You can see it through the claw itself:
Make sure you’re just clipping the clear part of the claw so you don’t hurt the animal.
Alternately, if trimming the claws is too difficult, you can place soft paw claw caps on them. They look like this:
They’re harmless, fall off naturally when the cat sheds their outer claw, and last about a month. They can usually be found in any pet stores, or you can order them online.
Also, make sure your kitten has at least 1 scratching post in the house so she can safely sharpen her claws without ruining your furniture. Claw maintenance is an important part of cat behavior, and scratching not only helps them shed their outer claw casings when needed, it also is a way of marking their territory with the scent glands on their paw pads. It’s a normal behavior, but you can make sure that you, your kitty, and your furniture can all happily co-exist by making sure the kitty knows where she’s supposed to scratch.
AlexTheGhost 