Cats are super adorable, but let’s face it, they can grow some pretty sharp claws! This post is all about how to keep your cat from scratching you without declawing.
Remember Puss in Boots, the adorable kitty cat with the boo boo eyes? He was so sweet and innocent one minute, and the next pointed spears slipped out of his precious pink pads, through the soft fur, and right onto his unsuspecting target. Puss and Boots isn’t the only one with who has the potential to scratch, your average house cat can put a hurting on you without even realizing he is a walking Edward Scissorhands. Even kittens, as adorable as they are, grow prickly bean toes that feel like tiny jabs when they walk all over you.
Is it inhumane to declaw an indoor cat?
Although unkempt claws can be very challenging to manage, declawing a domestic cat is very painful and in many states even banned. The process of having your cat’s claws completely removed can be very dangerous and might even create more behavior problems down the road.
More and more veterinarians are refusing to do the procedure. Declawing is not an option for a feline who has normal instincts to stretch and scratch; there are many other ways to manage these normal drives in your domestic feline. They will even make your cat happier!
Alternatives To Cat Declawing
Relevant Articles: Literally The Cheapest Cat Scratchers On Amazon Now
Thankfully, there are several ways to dull the daggers without hurting your cat or you. One of the easiest ways to keep kitty cat claws from scratching you is to have them professionally manicured by your veterinarian. Most vets offer the service or a minimum charge in their office. Taking your cat to the vet every couple months can be a great way to also have check ups regularly.
Some cats love to go the vet and having someone else do the trimming can be a lot less stressful then doing it at home on your own. The vet also knows how to do it without trimming to short, yet cutting them as short as possible. I have taken my cat to the vet to have his done a few times and I am always amazed how perfect they turn out. The sharp razor like shape stays at bay for at least 6 weeks and sometimes even 8 weeks.
Getting your cat into the carrier to go might be an entirely new challenge that might make you cringe to think about. If that is the case consider trimming your cat’s claws at home yourself.
Trim Cat Nails At Home
One of the reasons I took Finnegan, my black tuxedo kitty cat to the vet for his pawdicure was because I thought I wasn’t doing it correctly. Finn still had ragged edged nails after I trimmed them down. During a vet visit I finally realized what was wrong. I was using regular nail clippers to clip his cat nails. These regular nail clippers were leaving jags that would still scratch me and get caught in fabric. I inquired about what type of clippers I should use and my vet turned me onto Safari Professional Stainless Steel Nail Trimmers. Life in the cat claw department has been purrfect ever since!
These trimmers are great, they leave a dull edge so you cannot even tell it is a claw. They come in different sizes and even have a stop guard making it difficult to cut too far down the nail.
To successfully trim your pet’s nails hold the paw firmly and trim the tip of the nail with a single stroke, but be careful to stop short of the quick, the blood vessel inside the nail.
Use Nail Tips
Finnegan is not laid back enough (even at 7 years old, he is so high energy) to keep these on but I do love the idea of these. If your cat is calm enough to get them on and will allow them to be on, you might want to give them a try.
Simply slip the colorful gel on your cat’s paw after inserting a little bit of the glue that is included. They come in all different colors making the experience fun for you and your cat! This is such a wonderful option and completely omits the need for declawing your cat.
Use Cat Scratchers
Relevant Article: The Absolute Best Cat Scratchers Of 2020
To help dull your cat’s nails and to give your feline a place to release his natural instinct of scratching and stretching, invest in several cat scratchers. Finnegan and I both love Pet Fusion’s line of cat scratchers. This one specifically is ideal because I like how it looks, and it is big enough for Finnegan to stretch and even lay on it for a catnap.
There are many types of cat scratchers on the market, getting a couple different ones can be a good way to decide which is your cat’s favorite.
When your cat jumps onto your lap to knead your stomach and show her love and affection for you, these tips can help the experience be pleasurable instead of painful. A cat needs her claws to grab things. Even indoor cats use their nails to pick up toys and even catch their prey (like mice and bugs you want gone)!
Concluding Thoughts
Using a few of the above pointers will provide a more comfortable interaction with your feline, help protect you, your cat and your furniture and best of all, give you one more reason to spend quality time with your pets. This will improve the overall health of your feline.
This post was all about claw management without declawing your cat.
Lisa Illman
Lisa is the owner of Kritter Kommunity and the inventor of the @KritterKondo cat enclosure. She is owned by her mischievous and adorable kitty cat, Finnegan. He has his own Facebook too.
