Brummie, A Question About My Cat's Feet

by Robdar 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  Robdar

  Brummie

  My cat is half Persian. This means that the hair between his toes gets very long and tufted. Because of his hairy little feet, he slides alot on my wooden and linoleum floors. When he is trying to run, he looks almost like a cartoon cat because his feet move several times and then he zooms off.

  He is getting older and I worry about him breaking one of his hips. So, I have taken to trimming the hair between his toes and around his paw pads. Doing this gives him greater gripping action on the floor.

  I feel that he appreciates me looking after him but he also highly resents me for holding his feet while I do this. He cat cusses me and makes little hissing noises. He also nibbles at my hand. No damage done and no blood drawn but still it stings a little when he does this.

  It seems to bother him more when I do his back paws. Also, he swishes his tail and it gets in the way of the scissors.

  Do you have similar problems with your kittens? Do you have any suggestions as to how I can better communicate to him what I am trying to do? I do mollify him by petting him and telling him what a good cat he is. Still, I get cussed and nipped at.

  I just got through trimming his feet and now he is all pissed off and not speaking to me. He is also whupping up on the other cats. Does he feel that the other cats (short haired domestics) are laughing at him?

  I hope that you and others will give me some advice.

  Thanks in advance.

  Love,

  Robyn
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  Nikita

  Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

  That is all.

  Nikita
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  Zanniesmom

  Can you trim them more often but only one or part of one paw at a time? He might not get as angry. And treat him every time. One of my kitties gets cheese for nail trims. He doesn't resent them at all. He likes his cheese. But my other kitty still gets mad so we only do one or two claws a day. Not Brummie, but I do love cats. Becky
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  Lady Lee

  Robdar

  My Miane Coons have this fur between the paws too. I leave it intact as a protection for his paws.

  Both my cats have theor claws which I trim regularly. They aren't thrilled with it but they do tolerate it.

  I "sit" them on my lap, belly up. The Coon looks like he thinks he is a 2-yr old sitting there. This way I have access to all four paws. Cradling him like he was a baby I can grab one paw at a time with one hand and trim with the other hand. In the beginning it helped to wrap them up just like a baby to cut down on the struggling to get free. It taught them that this would happen whether they liked it or not. Now they just sit there. If you wrap him up make sure you can access one paw at a time.

  I always give them a treat at the end. Yes I bribe them and they know it but heck they are cats and I would rather bribe them than wind up with red lines all over me.

  You may find that if this is a routine (whether you cut the fur or not) they will get to tolerate it.

  One thing I learned about cat behavior a long time ago was how to discipline them in a way they understand. A mother cat will take her paw and press the kitten to the floor. If you take the cat by the scruff of the neck and gently push her head down she will learn you are the mother cat and needs to obey you. Try this when she nips at you with a sharp NO. It seems to work very effectively for my two critters
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  Brummie

  he slides alot on my wooden and linoleum floors

  now THAT is too funny!

  I am not going to be a lot of help since I dont look after my kittens, I leave them up allyways and in gardens all over the place.

  One thing you could do is get the cyat used to you touching its paws before you attempt to cut them. Give him a treat (like a whopping big fish for instance) and stroke his paws regular, this will get him used to having his feet touched. Then sneak the cutters in a couple of weeks later.

  If all else fails, buy some of those slip resistance socks, you know the ones with the plastic strips on the bottom....lol

  I knew I wasnt going to be a lot of help.

  Brummie
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  Brummie

  oh, and LOL at Nikita
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  Robdar

  Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

  LOL Nakita

  If I had been worshipped as a god, I wouldn't forget it either.

  He likes his cheese

  Zanniesmom,

  That is a good idea. My cat likes cheese too. Thanks and welcome to the board.

  A mother cat will take her paw and press the kitten to the floor. If you take the cat by the scruff of the neck and gently push her head down she will learn you are the mother cat and needs to obey you. Try this when she nips at you with a sharp NO. It seems to work very effectively for my two critters

  Lady Lee

  I never knew that. Thank you for the lesson in cat discipline. Very good info there.

  I am not going to be a lot of help since I dont look after my kittens, I leave them up allyways and in gardens all over the place.

  LOL Brummie

  You are such a tom cat!

  Love yas,

  Robyn