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pamela81
13-04-2011, 11:08 AM
Taking Harris and Skye to get their nails done at p@h. Harris is going tonight and i have no worries about him going as he fine the last time as they allowed me to hold him. Im more worried about Skye though. She is going tomorrow night as we only have 1 carrier. She loves attention like getting petted and snuggling beside us but when it comes to get lifted or handled she is not a happy cat and we can only hold her for a matter of seconds before shes wriggling to get away, so my concern is, how do we handle her long enough for the groomer to clip her claws without her wriggling??

angieh
13-04-2011, 11:44 AM
Risky business - I've not been to the P@H clinic; presume it's in a separate enclosed room, so Skye won't actually be able to escape? You could try scruffing her, holding her firmly by the loose skin on the back of her neck. It doesn't hurt the cat and reminds them of how their mother would have held them, so they generally relax.

Mags
13-04-2011, 12:07 PM
I take Cassie to the vet to have her claws clipped. The vet usually tucks her under her arm, resting on the table and holds one paw at a time and snips away.

Cassie is 14 now and in all those years I've been unable to hold her in my arms for more than a few seconds as she will immediately turn her head away and push away from me with her feet ..........yet she'll come on to my lap for cuddles no problem!
Skye sounds very much like Cassie! :lol:

Vets know how to handle a cat and often the cat is as good as gold when someone else holds her! :D

pamela81
13-04-2011, 12:54 PM
Risky business - I've not been to the P@H clinic; presume it's in a separate enclosed room, so Skye won't actually be able to escape? You could try scruffing her, holding her firmly by the loose skin on the back of her neck. It doesn't hurt the cat and reminds them of how their mother would have held them, so they generally relax.

its in a completely different area angie. It is just the same as a normal grooming parlour. They were great with Harris the last time. I will try the holding her by the skin on her neck idea and see how she gets on. I am going to say to the groomer tonight that she isnt used to being handled so that they are prepared!!!! i have no worries about her lashing out out. I dont think she would although you can never be sure but she hasnever done it with us and i make a point of lifting her everyday to try get her used to it

dandysmom
13-04-2011, 04:14 PM
Hope it goes well for her and that the groomer is experienced with reluctant cats. The scruffing is a good idea......

pamela81
13-04-2011, 08:15 PM
Back form the groomers with Harris, he was a right wee ladies man!!! Purring away when the girl was running the furminator over him!!! Skye must be able to smell the other animals from him as she has been hissing at him when he walks by. Fingers crossed she is good tomorrow. I have said to them about her so they are prepared!!!

Velvet
13-04-2011, 08:18 PM
Good luck!

dandysmom
13-04-2011, 11:46 PM
Not exactly the dreaded vet smell, but he definitely smells strange to her, hence the hissing ....

angieh
14-04-2011, 09:33 AM
Glad all went OK with Harris - he does sound as if he plays the part very well! Good luck with Skye!

dandysmom
14-04-2011, 03:53 PM
How did it go? Was she a good girl?

paulinef2
14-04-2011, 07:23 PM
I'm dying to know how it went too :)

pamela81
14-04-2011, 07:53 PM
Got back a wee while ago, Skye was like a wee scared rabbit in the carrier before we went in. She did sit for the groomer until they went to clip her back paws. Then she got wriggly but OH held her whilst they did it. When we got home, she hid under the worktop in the kitchen and has been rather quiet since she came out. Think she has gone to her usual spot on top of the wardrobe to sulk!!! Harris has been such a good boy and had a sniff at her but hasnt been too fussed.

dandysmom
14-04-2011, 08:12 PM
Awww, poor baby, a traumatic experience for her! I hope you can coax her down from the wardrobe and out of her sulk with a little treat.....

I didn't know that groomers did the back claws also! I've always (with one very vocal exception!) clipped my cats claws myself, but just the front ones. Is that usual?

angieh
14-04-2011, 10:11 PM
Must admit to never having clipped any of my cats' claws except a dew claw of Smudge's that was curled round and about to dig into her leg. She let me snip that with no trouble at all. Before Merlin had an operation to remove a cyst on his face, I got the vet to clip the claws on his back paw on that side so he wouldn't have the whole cutlery drawer to scratch himself. I've looked at both Kizzy and Pip's claws lately and they seem remarkably short and well kept, but then they are both outdoor/indoor cats.

Very glad Skye was a good girl and now has elegantly trimmed claws. I will have to get used to doing puppy's when he arrives!!!

dandysmom
14-04-2011, 10:17 PM
Angie, all mine were semi-outdoor ... walks on concrete to wear down back claws? But Leia doesn't go out and her back ones are rather short and blunt; I often see her working on them with her teeth worrying off a claw sheath (if that is what you call the loose part that comes off?)