Nail clipping

[Per Lausund]

I would hate to see the kitty win w/ claws intact, it will not get better. You really should try the scruff grip again, grab a handful just in front of (and including the area above) the shoulder blades and lift, this should pacify a cat regardless of age. Giving in reinforces behavioural problems.
Good luck!

 

[Samber]

I don't have a Savannah yet but i do have 2 Bengals. At first we needed to hold the back of their neck like the close pin method in that pic and then afterwards we would give them a treat. kept doing this every 2-3 weeks (i don't cut them too short in fear of getting the part with nerves and hurting them). now we don't really need the back of the neck method cause they know whats up and stay still until its over cause they know there going to get a treat after its over. i usually can get 3 paws without any fuss but by the time i get to the 4th one there like cmon get it over with already.

 

[admin]

Thanks Samber...great advice!

 

[valsloop]

we had problems with this also...but now our "little" man is 6 months old and we can get his cut in about 30min when he is sleeping on us. what we did was every time he came to sit with us we would play with his nails until he started to bite at us then we would stop, when we got to the point he wasn't biting us we then got the clippers out and touched them to his nail while he was sleeping making sure to put pressure (bc we quickly found out the pressure got him a little perturbed also) then we cut them... all of this took a total of about a month off and on, now I just play with his nails every time i hold him. He even has started stretching his foot out to me for me to give him his little "message"

 

[valsloop]

haha massage just realized my awesome spelling

 

[Napoleon]

It depends on the kitten, some really object to being picked up and it does take some time for them to trust you enough to at least tolerate the idea... and you need to slowly work up to holding... start with just picking up (with as little fuss as possible) and immediately put back down. Repeat that many times a day until it means nothing to the kitten, then try holding for a second or two and putting down...they learn that yes you are restraining them but not for long and it doesn't worry them as much.

For clipping claws though, you really want them still so you don't accidentally cut too close and hurt them... so see if your kitten still has the "scruff reflex", this is when you take a scruff of fur behind their neck... this is how mama cat picks them up so they often have the reflex of going limp and relaxing. This can help you hold them still for their nail clipping...

 

[Napoleon]

It depends on the kitten, some really object to being picked up and it does take some time for them to trust you enough to at least tolerate the idea... and you need to slowly work up to holding... start with just picking up (with as little fuss as possible) and immediately put back down. Repeat that many times a day until it means nothing to the kitten, then try holding for a second or two and putting down...they learn that yes you are restraining them but not for long and it doesn't worry them as much.

For clipping claws though, you really want them still so you don't accidentally cut too close and hurt them... so see if your kitten still has the "scruff reflex", this is when you take a scruff of fur behind their neck... this is how mama cat picks them up so they often have the reflex of going limp and relaxing. This can help you hold them still for their nail clipping...

Thanks for the tips... I think I made a mistake when we first got Napoleon - I rushed to pick him up and he freaked out, hissed and scratched. He won't let anyone pick him up but he does come sit in our laps a lot. If we try to pick him up he tries to scratch us. Do you think this is something that can be rectified by following your advice above? (And just putting up with a couple of scratched here and there?)

 

[Patti]

From my experience it all depends on the personality of the kitten. I have had some respond positively to gentle but persistent reinforcement and others never come around. I think you just need to continue to work on it and hope for the best.