Cats use their claws to scratch both horizontal and vertical spaces. They do this to stretch their muscles, to sharpen their claws by removing the outer sheath and to mark objects with their scent. It’s a natural behavior that comes with the territory of sharing space with our feline friends. Sharp claws can be destructive to furniture and carpeting. They can be used to inflict moderate to severe damage on people and other pets. Because the claws are naturally curved, they can get caught in clothing, carpeting and upholstery fibers forcing the cat to twist and pull its way loose, potentially injuring itself.
I am a strong and vocal advocate for cats keeping their claws. Declawing is not a ‘routine’ procedure. It’s amputation of each digit of the cat’s paw. For more information about the actual surgery and the potential consequences, please visit www.declawing.com.
A compassionate alternative is the application of vinyl caps to the claws. Most people choose to cap only the front claws as these are typically the ones to cause the most amount of damage. For cats who share their homes with the elderly or small children, capping all the claws offers the greatest protection.
When applied correctly, claw caps are safe for cats. Problems arise when the claws are trimmed too short prior to application. When the cap rubs against the nail bed, in addition to being painful for the cat, it increases the risk of infection. Caps must be replaced every 4-6 weeks to keep the claws healthy. Most cats accept the caps without incident. If a cat removes the caps himself and appears to be bothered by them, consider clipping the claws more frequently instead of using caps.
Claw caps are available in a variety of colors. Some of my clients enjoy alternating colors for holidays mixing greens and reds or red, white and blue. Clear caps are an option, but it’s not always easy to notice when they’ve fallen off.
To help demonstrate proper application and removal of claw caps, I’ve created the following instructional videos.
The first is a brief overview of each step.
This offers detailed examples of the entire process.
Stick around to the end for the last couple of minutes of this video are exactly why I love working with cats. They’re always interesting and absolutely precious.
Although I narrate, the real stars of the video are, of course, the cats. Piper is the featured feline who patiently tolerates the extra time I take to explain to the camera everything I’m doing. Her eye-blinks at the end let me know we’re still friends. Sassy shows off her clear caps while soaking up some cheek loving and gives my fingers a couple of licks. She’s a cutie. Ernie proudly models his yellow and black claw caps. Red tabbies are a favorite of mine. And last, but certainly not least, is Jai. He is a remarkably handsome Maine Coon who always draws a crowd around the grooming room when he visits. He is as sweet as he is gorgeous and always makes me laugh.
I hope you enjoy these videos along with learning new things about cat care. Your comments, questions and suggestions for future video topics are welcome and encouraged.
Cats Rule!!
Purrs,
