How to cut a cat's nails?

 In medical terms, it is called a declawing or onychectomy, the complete cutting of the nails of cats through a surgical procedure. This amputation for many families can be a common theme and they classify it as a functional act, for others it is quite the opposite, it awakens in them feelings of compassion and they maintain a firm thought that this action is not right, it is cruel and does not have any logical utility so it is completely unnecessary.

It is so much the rejection that this procedure is illegal in countries such as Europe, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia and also in Brazil, unfortunately there are still clandestine clinics or veterinarians that perform these surgeries regardless of this legal condition that has been implemented, in fact, the United States is one of the pioneers, and although there are some states that are in the process of banning it, there are still many cases.

But you will wonder why they do it, why there are families that choose to mutilate their cats' garrisons , the justification is simple, they do it in order to avoid damaging the furniture, clothes, curtains, or that during the game they do not scratch rabbit food in bd and hurt the human, completely unaware of the reason why they naturally use their claws and the problems that can generate it in the long, medium or short term.

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WHAT DO THEY USE THEM FOR?

Cat nails are fundamental and essential for the development of their daily life and although as they evolved and became more homemade they lost their original usefulness, it is still beneficial to keep them. These are some of its utilities:

To stretch: as you have observed many times, your cat digs his nails into a surface and then they stretch. Stretching and pulling the nails move the muscles of the upper body.

 

You use them to communicate , if they do not like something they will not hesitate to remove their nails, with this they can make us understand what is happening with them and when we should simply leave them still and not generate any other discomfort. You should be aware of any changes that have happened in their routine or in their habitat that may be explaining that behavior.

 

They use their nails as anchors , to climb and slip away; They love to climb and climb everywhere, you may have already noticed, when you least think they are up in the least expected place and their nails with which they make it easier to do so. In the wild they would normally climb with their nails to escape a predator, to search for food in high places, or simply to find a place to sleep.

 

To excavate and cover their stools: as you know, unlike the dog, cats seek to cover their droppings, either with dirt, sand or whatever their litter box contains

 

To defend themselves: in their natural and wild environment their nails are more than fundamental, with these they can defend themselves from their predators or from simple animals that may attack them, that is why it is so important to teach them that at home their use is not constant anymore. that mechanically it is something that is part of their genes.

 

To hunt, this goes back to the times when the cat was wild and required hunting to survive, today the house cat will be able to catch a fly or some insect that is nearby, however its instinct is still innate in your brain. In the case of the house cat, it is evident that they divert this instinct to a more interactive aspect such as play; That stuffed mouse or that rope with feathers are the perfect victims to which they can embed their nails and thus stimulate this instinct, in the case of street people we find more useful, their hunting instinct is more active so they will use their claws to catch their live prey and eat them later.

 

The claws of cats are related to the balance and mobility of the animal. They also use them to mark territory in the first months of life.

 

How to trim a cat's nails

NAILS AS A MARKING METHOD?

In cats, the use of nails as a marking method is a normal and very important behavior . According to ethologists, it is necessary and mandatory to allow the cat to scratch (on a suitable surface), otherwise its well-being will be affected with episodes of stress, frustration, and surely behaviors that we could associate as abnormal and of a very bad character. Nail marking is a very important form of communication between felines, and serves to leave essential messages in the organization of their territories, especially in households with several cats.

It is from three or four months of age when they begin to develop marking by claws, not so much to sharpen them, but to leave olfactory signals through the secretion of glands at the base of the fingers.

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IS THIS SURGERY ALLOWED OR NOT?

There are situations in which the amputation of their garritas or their fingers is necessary, but do not worry, it is only a medical question, there are veterinary emergencies in which this procedure must be carried out, however, the veterinarian in charge Your pet's case will determine if it is the best option or there are other alternatives to save its little fingers.

 

How to trim a cat's nails

 

CONSEQUENCES

Cutting a cat's nails completely involves at least 10 separate and very painful amputations. The veterinarian will cut his third phalanx of his legs, that is, the bone that supports the nail would have to be removed so that they never grow again. And the risk of pain is not the only one, since the cat to be able to undergo this procedure must be anesthetized, and like all surgery, it could have complications such as:

Adverse reaction to anesthesia

Gangrene, which can lead to limb amputation

Infection and destruction of foot tissue

Hemorrhage

Permanent neurological damage

Chronic pain

Reluctance to walk

Scar tissue formation

Splenic sequestration (bone chips), requiring additional surgery

Skin disorders

Nerve damage occurs, so bone spurs can appear days, weeks, or years after this surgery, leading to another surgery and more suffering.

 

In addition, the post-surgical procedure is not easy at all, since it is about its legs, essential limbs to do anything, no matter how minimal; There will be consequences even for walking, when the end of the claw is missing, the cat is forced to modify its body posture and its way of walking, which in the long run could cause injuries or lameness. Claw removal also results in a gradual weakening of the leg , shoulder and back muscles , and due to the impaired balance caused by the procedure, cats without claws have to relearn how to walk, just as much as they would. a person after losing their toes.

“A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) reported that of one observed group, 33 percent of clawless cats developed at least one behavior problem and 80 percent had more than one medical complication "

 

WHAT ALTERNATIVES ARE THERE?

There are different ways to avoid falling into the option of declawing your kitten and likewise avoid the discomfort caused by your pet scratching certain spaces. The main thing is education and informing you about how to cut a cat's nails, if you are lucky enough to have your best friend, there is no better option than teaching, this is the best stage of learning, being a puppy it will be easier for you .

Show him where he can scratch and where he can't, and provide him with vertical and horizontal scratchers and toys so that he can scratch freely; scratching posts or climbing frames are ideal for the cat to use its nails. In the case of structures, it offers them all the options: climb, hook and scratch.

 

Anticipate the marking. Cats mark their spaces by rubbing the neck or face in the chosen areas, also scratching with their nails. In both parts the feline secretes an oil with its scent. A good trick to anticipate this form of marking is to rub the furniture with a product that is unpleasant for the kitten.

 

Try spreading Nepeta cataria, (cat grass) This is the favorite grass of cats, you can spread it on the pole or whatever you want it to use to scratch. A weekly freshening app will keep the cat interested, and when you use this reward, the incentive will serve as a positive encouragement.

 

Cover the furniture with a protector, although it is not the best option thinking about aesthetics it can work.

 

Keep your nails well trimmed . This simple habit is very practical and easy to put into practice; in addition to being hygienic, it helps prevent damage to furniture. The ideal practice to cut a cat's nails is to get them used to cutting nails from puppies and doing it at least every 15 days

 

How to trim a cat's nails

 

HOW TO CUT THE NAILS OF A CAT?

Find a claw cutter that suits your needs

Gently press the pads to let the nails come out.

Using a round tip nail clipper

Cut the tips always avoiding the pink or bleeding area of ​​the nails

 

For all the aforementioned, it is clear that this intervention is not a medical issue and is strictly necessary, perhaps it is a simple whim of wanting to adapt them to our opinion and our comforts, leaving aside their nature and for what they were designed, there are various complications and disadvantages that make it clear that it will never be the best option.