Pet First Aid for Pet Professionals Level 3 (VTQ)

175 videos, 8 hours and 31 minutes

Course Content

Paws and Claws

Video 176 of 175
3 min 56 sec
English
English
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Now we are going to have a lookout with cats and kittens, the foot, and also the claws. So, what is different about a cat's claws and feet compared with a dog's?

You need to clip their claws if they are going to be indoors. An indoor cat, you need to clip their claws, because you do not want them scratching on your furniture, and also supply them with a scratching post, and you can train them to go use a scratching post by putting a little bit of catnip on it which they are attracted to, and if you keep their claws, just nip the ends of the claws off, then it saves them scratching young children unintentionally.

You need to take the kitten where the mother would hold the kitten when they are babies, and just hold her there and turn her on her back. Now, this sort of immobilises her because this is how her mother would pick her up when you see them moving them if they want to move them around, so she becomes immobilised and floppy. And I've only gently got her on the back of her neck, and then support her back end so she is all lovely and floppy.

Definitely for two people. So, if you want to take her as I have just shown you. You just take her back of the neck, and then I will just take a claw, and we have got the dewclaw at the top of the leg there, and it literally just snips the end off. And again, you just get hold of the claw and just push the claw out. And again, just snip the end off, and she's purring away as we are doing it. And that is one paw done. And if you do this from when they are little, they are always used to having it done, and then there is no need to take them to the vet to have it done. It does not need doing that often, it is just as and when you think their claws have got a little bit sharp. And so, when they grow up and they are bigger, they are used to having it done so they are not going to put up any resistance.

So, in clipping the claws there, we are using proper clippers. And these are not that expensive, are they, to actually buy in the shop? But what should you not be used?

Do not use scissors. If you use the proper equipment, then it is very easy to do and there is not going to be any accidents.

When you did that, obviously you just took the very end off. If you did go too far is there a chance, then of the claw bleeding?

Yes, because there is the wick of the nail, so it is very important, say to do it more often, but only take the very end off. So, you are actually just taking the very sharp end bit off, rather than think, "Oh, well I will do it, and then it will not need doing for a long time." You have to be very careful not to, obviously, take it down too far. And also, on certain cats it is very easy to see because she has light coloured claws, some cats have black claws, so it is more difficult to see. So, it is very important only to take the very end bit off.