# Free nail trimming!!



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Just saw an ad on Craigslist for a grooming place near me that does free nail trimming for cats and dogs. Called and made an appointment for Monday. They're all overdue. Well, not Gigi yet, I'll take the other three.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Wow! Awesome! I hope it is their 'schtick' and not a temporary thing to drum-up business. I *love* not having to drive the babies for hours-on-end to reach the vet.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

They have a good website, so it's not a start-up company, and I called to make sure it's not part of any other package. But even free, if they don't treat my girls well, I won't go back. I prefer to hold them and not have them in that contraption.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Contraption? 8O Some places use a _contraption_ to clip cats' claws? What is it, like a medieval squeeze box, or something? _You've got me panic-ing here!_ 8O


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Lots of groomers use a harness type of product, mostly for dogs, and difficult cats. Mine doesn't.

I've thought about getting this, but I'm not sure how I'd get my girls INTO it.


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## jusjim (Jun 30, 2009)

Heidi n Q said:


> Contraption? 8O Some places use a _contraption_ to clip cats' claws? What is it, like a medieval squeeze box, or something? _You've got me panic-ing here!_ 8O


Pet store near me has a 'contraption' they sell for bathing cats. It's like a hinged two sided cage. I didn't study it too closely, but I think you put it over the cat and fold it closed so that the cat can't move. Perhaps it's something like that.


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## whiteghost (Apr 24, 2005)

I trim their nails myself but Panther is HORRIBLE to do....she's one that I dread. :?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

With longhaired cats, it takes so long just to FIND the nail. It totally rules out the 'sneaking one in while they're sleeping' method. 

It took my vet quite some time to find where Gigi's nail was missing.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I'm with you ... I don't know how I'd get a cat INTO something like that. :? Well, without lots of bleeding on my part, anyway. :lol:


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## whiteghost (Apr 24, 2005)

Heidi n Q said:


> I'm with you ... I don't know how I'd get a cat INTO something like that. :? Well, without lots of bleeding on my part, anyway. :lol:


 LOL Same here. I would so love to watch someone try to put Panther in that. She'd tear them from limb to limb...She isn't named Panther JUST because she's big and has black fur.....she's got the claws and teeth to! :lol:


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

OMG! I didn't think they still made those cat bags?!?! Completely worthless IMO. Most cats if you have one person holding and one person clipping you can get them done. I can do all of mine myself except for Ninja...he's a BAD little kitten!


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## Mom of 4 (Jul 29, 2006)

My vet charges 18, Petsmart and the local groomer each charge 16. <sigh>


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

A free nail clip is wonderful! Even if they try to do a sales pitch it would still be worth it.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My girls' groomer charges $15 per cat, but when I bring three or four in, she sometimes only charges me for one or two cats. I hold them while she clips and it only takes about 2 minutes per cat, but I feel guilty paying less. Sometimes, she doesn't charge me anything. I'll still bring Cleo and Gigi in for baths, though. 

Petsmart only charges $9, which is really good, but you have to drop the cats off and pick them up, and they don't have a set schedule for cats. Some days they do cats, some days they don't. Too much of a hassle.


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## furryfriends251 (Jan 1, 2009)

marie73 said:


> Lots of groomers use a harness type of product, mostly for dogs, and difficult cats. Mine doesn't.
> 
> I've thought about getting this, but I'm not sure how I'd get my girls INTO it.


I have a bag that looks a lot like that. You have no idea how helpful it is when giving Milo his sub-q fluids! If I didn't have that I think I'd be missing a few fingers and an eye by now :lol: I have to give him his fluids by myself - my sisters can't stand the sight of needles and if either of my parents help it just gets Milo more worked up. 

Yes, Milo is a complete wuss. He doesn't feel the needle go in and the fluids are warm...but the whole time he is still hissing, growling, trying to escape, and if my wrist gets close enough he will attempt to bite me. Yet as soon as he is done he justs sits there purring and smirking at me :roll: 

Getting him in the bag is no problem. He knows he isn't going to get away with anything so if I put in open on the ground he just walks in and sits down so I can zip it up. Then the show begins...


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## Oriole (Jan 11, 2010)

Kobster said:


> OMG! I didn't think they still made those cat bags?!?! Completely worthless IMO. Most cats if you have one person holding and one person clipping you can get them done.



Hey, that's the only thing that helps me clip the nails on my Lizzie - I live alone so someone holding her is out of the question  I'd hate to have to ask my neighbours over once in a while for "some coffee and nail trimming"


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## OctoberinMaine (Sep 12, 2006)

Now that sounds like a good time!

I know I'm a wuss, but I'd hate the idea of any type of contraption where they'd be restricted like that. Poor babies, feeling panicky and out of control while confined in that thing.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

How come a perfect stranger can clip their nails in one minute, no muss, no fuss, and I can't? The groomer told me it's the fear factor. 

On the way there, Cali peed in her carrier for the first time EVER. So did Cleo (just a tiny bit). 

So the groomer gave Cali her first *bath* ever. I was so embarrassed. I think part of the problem was that I put her in a separate carrier. I usually put the twins in the same one, but it was too hard today and I gave up trying.


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## CataholicsAnonymous (Dec 4, 2006)

marie73 said:


> How come a perfect stranger can clip their nails in one minute, no muss, no fuss, and I can't? The groomer told me it's the fear factor.


I'm always embarrassed (and somewhat miffed at the cats) when they behave SO much better for the vets than for me.


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## Oriole (Jan 11, 2010)

CataholicsAnonymous said:


> marie73 said:
> 
> 
> > How come a perfect stranger can clip their nails in one minute, no muss, no fuss, and I can't? The groomer told me it's the fear factor.
> ...



I guess that depends on the cat - my little guy will jam his tail between his legs as soon as we enter the vets office; however, Lizzie who is a spoiled and fussy princess, usually hisses ferociously at the vet :wink: I know, of course that this too is a fear response but it's safe to say that she does not feel good behavior is needed in honor of visiting the vet


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

I am a Feliway fanatic when it comes to putting Gracie in the carrier - maybe that helps, who knows...Her last two trips out of the house have been to emergency to throw up toys! I have no idea what she thinks of the experience...

That said, I can't imagine getting a special _nail-trimming carrier_ - we'd be able to use it just once, and then it would be game over...! :roll: 

As it is now, I have to wear long sleeves and sort of kidnap Gracie unawares when she needs a trim...I sit on the floor and put her in my lap facing away with a towel wrapped under her neck and around her shoulders, like an scarf that drapes at the back. The wrap is enough of a distraction for me to get her two back feet done quick before she starts to get mad. Those are the feet she hates the most (muffled "rrrr- meowww- rrr!"). Then it's a lot of wrestling and cajoling and nip avoidance to get the front paws done. I also have given up using a pet nail trimmer. I just use an ordinary human nail trimmer turned sideways, and then I sanitize it. 

It's all pretty fast and she forgives me promptly til I have to do it again...

Fran


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I have Feliway spray now and I sprayed all the carriers the day before, like the directions said. 

I guess you get what you pay for. Cali stood up last night and put her little front paws on my leg while I was on the computer and it hurt! I took a closer look, and just the bare tips of her claws were all that was clipped, not the back feet at all. The girls' regular groomer clips as close as she can to the quick, and does all four feet. I guess I'll be going back to Linda. Soon.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I never had a problem trimming Precious and Blueberry's nails, but Nina is like Gigi. It's hard to just find the nails! And by the time I do, Nina has wriggled upside down and off my lap. Sigh.....


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Actually, I think I can trim Gigi's nails, I haven't tried yet since they were trimmed right before she adopted me, but she doesn't have issues with her feet being touched. In fact, she wraps her little hands around my finger and holds on! Sometimes I think she used to be "shown" because when I'm brushing her tummy, she sticks her little arms straight up in the air so I can get her little underarm areas. It's adorable! 

But the others....takes furrever to find those nails!


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Ahhh....that's cute!


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Awwww, Marie, Gigi sounds so sweet! :luv 
You *have* to get pic of her doing the "Okay, you can brush me " stretch.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

We must have video of Gigi grooming time! That sounds ADORABLE!!!


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Oh you're lucky! Miu doesn't like her tummy touched. I haven't been able to brush her tummy or her underarms or the area under her legs. But I seem to have an okay time with her nail trimmings though. The last few times she's let me do it. She actually sits on my lap on her butt and as I clip, she struggles a bit but also stays still and watches me at times. Very cute!


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## SpaceyKP (May 8, 2010)

If you get sick of trimming, I found these at PetSmart last night: http://www.softpaws.com/colors.html

I can just picture coming home from work one day to a rainbow of vinyl bits all over the floor. lol... Glue would not be strong enough to keep them on my pets.  

I give in and just trim my cat's nails when they're getting a little long. Thankfully they are all short hair so I don't have to search much for their nails. They hate me for it until I bring out the treats. :roll: My vet office will also trim nails for free, but it's about 30 miles from home so I have to actually remember to ask them when we're there for a visit.


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## Bethany (Jul 19, 2006)

Re: nails. Weird that they only cut the very tips off. It's not like it takes any longer to cut farther down!

Re: bag. I have that problem with wrapping cats in towels myself. There must be some trick I'm missing because I find it harder to wrap the cat in the towel than I do to just do whatever it was I was going to do WITHOUT the towel.

Re: why cats behave better for strangers. I think that it may be, at least in part, a confidence issue. I had a lot more trouble trimming the ladies' nails when I first got them than I do now. Now, that could just be THEM learning, but I also know that I have a much easier time trimming my parents' cat than they do. I think that may be because I had several years of trimming the ladies' nails under my belt by then, but they'd never trimmed a cat's nails before. Maybe their cats senses I'm confident that I know what I'm doing and either that reassures him that nothing scary is happening (because I'M relaxed) or it lets him know that he's not getting away with anything. At least, that's my theory.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Bethany, kitties have live, sensitive "finger" tissue extending sometimes as much as half the length of rhe claw. That's why just the tips are cut. :wink:


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## Bethany (Jul 19, 2006)

I think only the quick is alive and sensitive... and it doesn't really take any longer to cut closer to the quick than farther from the quick.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Exactly, Bethany.


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