Aunt Stacey,

I put the nail caps on two of my cats. One, I’ve done before, the other was his first time. Normally, I used the glue that came with it, but it had dried out so I used regular super glue not really thinking about it. The cat that’s had them before isn’t as bad, but both their nails have lots of hair stuck to the nail. There is a nail or two on each that doesn’t look like it can retract properly and one is red and puffy and he’s very sensitive about it. I tried cutting off the tip but it hasn’t done much. I just put them on like 2 days ago. Should I just take them to a vet? Or soak it? Please any advice would help. I feel just awful. ~ Sam

Hi Sam,

What a terrible situation for all of you. You obviously love your cats and I’m glad you reached out to me. Please take your cats to the veterinarian as soon as possible. As you’ve realized, there is a significant difference between superglue (highly toxic) and the pet-safe adhesive included with the claw caps. The caps need to be removed, the claws and paws examined, and effectively treated. Due to the sensitive nature of cat paws, this may require sedation and really needs to be done under the supervision of a veterinarian.

For future reference, additional tubes of the pet-safe adhesive can be purchased here on the Soft Paws website for $2.50 each. I recommend keeping a couple of extra tubes on hand. Once opened, mark the lid with the date and discard after a couple of months or as needed. The glue should flow out of the application tip easily with just a slight squeeze of the tube.

Wishing you and your kitties all the best!

Purrs,

Click the link below to watch Aunt Stacey demonstrate the application and removal of claw caps while sharing expert advice on safety and gentle handling. If you enjoy the video, subscribe to her YouTube channel for updates.

• Claw Caps for Cats