As many of my readers know, I raise foster kittens. Having them is a delight, but also a responsibility. I enjoy every minute I can spend watching them cavort about in my spare room, but I know my job is to raise them to be good pets in their forever homes. I take having the kittens — right down to their toenails — very seriously. This blogpost details my approach to kitten toenail management.

Cat Scratch Behavior

Scratching is a normal behavior for cats. Scratching sharpens the claws and helps shed the outer layers of the claw. It also helps a cat mark their territory by leaving behind both a visual and olfactory mark for other cats.

 Promoting Proper Scratching

One of my early fosters, Lucy, a mother of six darling kittens, liked to scratch on my sofa. I purchased a sisal scratching mat for her at my local pet emporium and worked to redirect her scratching to the mat. I taped the mat to the floor with duct tape since cats like to feel resistance against their feet when they scratch and the mat wrinkled if it was not taped down. I also sprinkled the mat with cat nip and taught her to sit on the mat for a treat, making it a popular cat hangout. Lucy also liked to scratch cardboard boxes, so I kept one or two in the cats’ room for that purpose. Once they were old enough, the kittens followed their mother’s lead. My Facebook algorithm knows I like cats and suggested I use adhesive furniture protectors. A quick google search identified multiple types of adhesive furniture protectors.

Kitten Nail Care

The toenails of my foster kittens are like razors. To protect my skin and their littermates, I clip their nails frequently. On average, they need nail clipping weekly. With frequent clippings, my hope is the kittens will be used to having their nails clipped, and their new families will be able to clip with ease.

Claw Clipping

When clipping cat nails, I prefer to use a human nail clipper or a special nail clipper for cats that looks like a small scissor with curved cutouts in the blade. Ask your veterinarian for additional tips on how to clip your cat’s nails, or have your veterinarian or groomer do it for your cat.

Controlling Cat Claws

The American Veterinary Medical Association Policy on Declawing recommends non-surgical alternatives to declawing to controlling scratching behavior. Since 2019, cat declawing has been illegal in New York State. I realize not all cats get the right start in life with regard to scratching behavior and nail clipping. In addition to working to modify scratching behavior like I did with Lucy, one solution to protect your family and furniture is to use nail covers. Cat owners attach these colorful covers to their cat’s nails with special glue. Your family and furniture are protected while your cat can safely exercise his desire to scratch.