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Soft Claws

Soft Claws are rubber caps that are glued onto the pets nail to prevent damage from scratching. They are available for pets in various colours and sizes. They last 6-8 weeks and can be reapplied. They provide a painless, cost effective alternative to declawing for cats. They can be applied as early as 6 weeks of age. This is a great benefit to cat owners as declawing is often done at the time of spay and neuter when the kitten is 6 months old, allowing lots of time for scratching habits so set in.

What is declawing?

Declawing is a surgical procedure in which the toe is amputated from the first knuckle up, to remove the nail. It requires bandaging for 24-72 hours after surgery as well as appropriate pain control.

How do I apply the Soft Paws?

First, the nail is trimmed slightly to remove the sharp point. The nail is wiped clean if dirty with a cloth. Fill the cap 1/3 full of glue provided. By lightly pinching the foot with your thumb and index finger the nails will exposed. Apply the cap gently over the nail. Hold the animal for about 5 minutes to ensure the glue dries. Both front and back nails can be done, but the front nails are usually the ones that do the most damage.

What else can I do to prevent my pet from scratching?

For both cats and dogs, training is the key. For cats, scratching is a behaviour of both play and to mark territory. The best thing to do is offer them a scratching post that is solid, tall enough for the cat to stretch up on and made of material appealing to the cat (i.e. carpet, wood). Reward him when he uses it. For dogs, damage from their nails usually occurs from jumping up. Taking her to obedience classes will help you rid her of this unwanted behaviour. If digging is a problem for your dog, please ask the staff for further information on this behaviour.

Trimming your pets nails will help reduce the amount of damage they do. Cat should be done every 3-7 days, dogs can be anywhere from 2-6 weeks depending on the amount of wear.

January 29, 2009

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