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2torial #0885:
Learn2 Groom a Cat
(continued)
Part 1: Clip the claws
Declawing a cat is roughly equivalent to cutting
off a human's fingers; it leaves cats defenseless
against anything they perceive as an enemy.
Grooming habits can also fall off--cats use their
claws to scratch away dead skin or old fur.
- Help your cat to relax. Begin by
petting your cat and speaking kind words in a
low, gentle voice.
- Handle your cat's paws carefully.
Cats can be very sensitive about what and where
their paws are touching, so gently stroke a paw
before working on the claw.
- Push the claws out. Once your cat is
relaxed, gently pick up a front paw. To push a
claw out of its sheath, gently press down on the
pad of the paw with your thumb, and press with
your index finger on the top of the paw below
the claw. There's sensitive skin around the claw
that cats are protective of, so take care not
handle the area roughly.
- Avoid the colored part of the claw. Cat's claws are clear,
so it's easy to see how far down to cut. It's very important,
however, not to cut the dark- or pink-colored part of the claw,
where the nerves and blood supply reside. You'll know if you've
made a mistake--your cat will meow in pain, possibly bite or scratch
you, and generally end the clipping session right then and there.
If you do cut too far down, hold a damp paper towel to the stub
to stop the bleeding. Of course, your cat will probably run away
to lick its wounds in private, which is fine too. Cat saliva cleanses
and disinfects.
- Clip away. It's best to go in order
from one end of the paw to the other. In case
you're interrupted, you won't have to search for
the last claw you last clipped (which could
unsettle the cat even more). Hold the claw still
and clip the tips of the claw. If you can do
this without clanging the clippers around,
(which will draw attention to them, and cause
the cat to focus on the shiny object), you and
your cat will have an easier time of it, and
will finish the task more quickly.
- Cleaning up: Clear away all claw
clippings from its fur. This'll prevent your cat
from licking up the sharp clippings.
- Optional paws. Back claws tend to be
much thicker and harder to cut, sometimes
shattering the claw when clipped. Since cats use
their front claws to do most of their scratching
damage, and since the back claws aren't
sharpened regularly, you can often skip these
altogether. So don't clip them unless you're
convinced it's necessary and the cat is in an
extraordinarily relaxed mood.
 Part
2
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