How I Have To Cut My Cat’s Nails Because He’s Terrifying
I’ve tried the soft and gentle route
Most cats let you cut their nails after a period of adjustment. When I say “adjustment,” I mean gradual nail clipping where the cat grows accustomed to its person trimming his or her nails.
Should be simple, right? Most of the time, it is. Here’s an article written by Cuong Tran with great instructions on cutting most cat’s nails.
See my cat Winston, below? I use the method outlined in Cuong’s article to cut his nails. Nail cutting sessions are a breeze with him. Here’s Winston’s portrait:
As you can probably tell by merely looking at his photo, Winston is pretty easy-going. Belly up (and quite chubby) is Winston’s usual, trusting stance.
But Chester — pictured in the top photo and was raised by the “same parent” (me) is quite high-strung. When he was a kitten, he would let me cut his nails with impunity. Now that he’s older and powerful and opinionated — no way. And he can hurt me, and he lets me know with these shrieks that sound like I’m trying to kill him.
I was watching a video from a cat rescue organization located in Canada called tinykittens.com. In the footage, Shelly, the founder of Tiny Kittens, demonstrated how to cut a feral cat’s nails. She was extremely loving, and her energy was very calm as she held “Grandpa,” a badass feral, in her lap.
Carefully, she placed a towel over his head so that he was essentially blind-folded. The cat did not freak out because he couldn’t see — instead, he got calmer and allowed her to cut his nails. She quickly went about the task, and in about 20 seconds, she finished with no fanfare, drama, or stress incurred by either party.
When I saw this, I thought — oh, wow! Maybe I don’t have to take Chester to the vet for a “pawdicure?” Perhaps I can cut his nails by treating him like he’s feral, so I don’t get hurt. Because if you get bitten by a cat, it can be a dangerous injury requiring medical care. I don’t take chances. Infections are serious business.
The “cover-the-eyes-with-a-towel-method” was a complete success. As soon as I finished the nail trimming, Chester went straight to his scratching post to sharpen up my work. Nonetheless, his razor-like claws that grow very fast are now under control.
Now, when he kneads me when I pet him, it doesn’t feel like he’s drawing blood. We all win. However, here’s Chester when he thinks I’m looking to cut his nails — he’s about eight feet from the floor on top of the tallest piece of furniture in the house:
So, even an experienced cat parent — as I am, can run into challenges with strong-willed cats. Chester is about to turn six — and he’s gotten more ornery as he’s aged. What scares me about him is also what I love about him — he’s a badass. He reminds me of the feral cat I had for seventeen years — who I rescued and tamed myself.
In closing, here’s Gabriel, the feral cat’s story.
Thank you so much for reading. If you stopped by because you have a challenging little feline, I wish you lots and lots of luck. They are beautiful creatures and provide so much love — especially when they know that they are appreciated and welcomed into your home with open arms.
Love, Jenny
Jennifer Friebely is a New York-based content writer covering stories from personal development, marketing, and productivity to politics and music to whatever idea strikes. She has a 30+ year background in marketing and advertising and holds a BA in Political Science. Email her at [email protected].