Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Nail Care 101



Keeping Your Little "Paddy Paws" Pretty

Being a dedicated staff member for many many years, I am familiar with the monthly or in some cases, bi-monthly ritual that most companions avoid like the plague. Often times, this ritual goes overlooked until a playful swipe at a straggling shoelace, or another dangling object results in a painful scratch from too long, sharpened, claws. Nothing surpasses this as motivation to clip your cat's claws.

I was schooled in the art of kitty-toenail trimming long before they had 'Pedi-cure' for pets. Now-a-days, we can lessen the trauma for some of our charges, with a revolutionary product that actually files their nails, instead of clipping. I haven't as yet tried this product, and am quite curious to see if my companions can be groomed as quietly and quickly as the commercials show.

For now, I will continue to use the tried and true method I learned when our first 'charge' was introduced to our hospitality all those years ago.

For the uninitiated, it isn't difficult (at least in theory) to clip your cat's claws. You need to insure you have a decent pair of cat nail clippers, which you can find in your neighbourhood grocery stores, and pet shops. There are several different styles, all of which do a decent job. Just pick the ones that feel best to you.

When trimming your cat's nails, be advised not to cut them too short. As you can see from the pictures above, their nails, although shaped differently, are similar to our own in one respect. I'm sure that you have clipped your own nails a tad close, by accident, and discovered just how uncomfortable, and sometimes painful that can be. Your cat's claws are no different. If you trim them too short, it can be very hurtful for the animal. Not something you would like to experience yourself, and I'm sure neither does your cat.

If you study the diagram on the left, you will see the two parts of your cat's claws, the quick, or nail bed, and the actual nail itself. This is the part that is continuously growing and being sharpened. In the illustration to the right, you will notice the correct way to unsheathe the claw. In this manner, you can clearly observe where to safely trim the nail.

Not all companions are enthusiastic about having a pedicure however. My Maine-coon is very placid when it comes to most beauty treatments, including her nails, however, both the Manx and Siamese have other ideas.

Normally, I can manage to hold the Manx steady and clip her claws, even though I am constantly, and very loudly reminded that she doesn't care for the procedure. The Siamese, on the other hand, is a two person job, with one person holding and the other clipping. At times I have resorted to wrapping her in a towel to maintain control and also keep from being used as a scratching post.

Not all cats show such a violent dislike to having their claws trimmed, or any other beauty/health treatment, so don't be alarmed by my experiences. If you begin familiarizing your kitten to the procedure early, you shouldn't have a problem.

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