# If I buy nail caps for my cat, how the f#\*@ do I get them on? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 18, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400 "2011-11-18T23:28:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![velvetjones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5f9b8f/32.png) [@velvetjones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvetjones)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/21 "2011-11-19T20:38:53Z")
I used to put [Soft Paws](http://www.softpaws.com) on my cat, he’s very docile and only protested a little by biting me (not hard). But even if I held him and petted him for 15 minutes to let the glue set he’d fuss with those things and bite at his nails until he had them off. It sometimes took a couple of days but he’d always manage it. He would literally spend hours biting at his paws to get rid of those things. Finally we gave up. Now I just trim his claws every couple of weeks or so. He still bites me while I’m doing it but if I’m gentle he submits and I always give him a treat after. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/22 "2011-11-19T22:11:40Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > It depends on what you’re capping them for. Lady’s biggest sin wasn’t scratching the furniture, it was using her claws while kneeding people. Yelling “ouch!” would make her purr her head off, so it was clear that she was doing it because she liked the reaction. Trimming her nails didn’t keep her from digging them into people when she really wanted to, so we capped them and she couldn’t leave people bloody any more. It was either that, or push an elderly cat away every time she climbed on your lap. Another reason it’s sometimes required (this is why we did it on our cat) is if the cat is allergic to something or stressed out and scratching themselves to the point that they draw blood. For awhile our older Singapura, Tenshi, was doing this, so we put him in SoftPaws so he couldn’t hurt himself. We never did figure out what his problem was, but he eventually just stopped doing it so we gave up on the SoftPaws. He hated them and tried hard to pull them off, but they did keep him from mutilating his own skin. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/23 "2011-11-19T22:29:02Z")
We have used those caps and they are kind of a pain. It seems like a nail trim now and then is easier and just as effective at preventing destruction of furniture? How far back can you or do you need to trim them back? Do they have a quick like a dog? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/24 "2011-11-19T23:39:19Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > We have used those caps and they are kind of a pain. It seems like a nail trim now and then is easier and just as effective at preventing destruction of furniture? > > How far back can you or do you need to trim them back? Do they have a quick like a dog? yes you can draw blood trimming a cat’s nails. I just looked at the product in question and I can’t imagine them being comfortable for a cat. The nail is designed to retract. I would still just trim their nails more often. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/25 "2011-11-19T23:49:50Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Kill the cat first. > Declaw the cat first. > Drug the cat first. > Tie the cat up. > Get a more tolerant cat. > Have someone else do it. > Have a friend with a prosthetic arm hold the cat down while you do it. > Have your arm amputated and get a prosthetic arm to hold the cat down. > Tie the cat to several posts in a spread eagle position and muzzle it. > Hide the nail caps in the upholstery of your favorite chair and wait until they slip on accidentally. > Hide the nail caps in the litterbox and hope they line up correctly next time kitty is due for a poo. > > Some of these ideas may be better than others. > > Enjoy, > Steven You make it all sound so easy! ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/26 "2011-11-20T00:35:03Z")
Whatever method you decide to use, make sure you record it and show the results on youtube. Bonus points if the cat jumps up and claws you in the crotch. ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/27 "2011-11-20T00:49:53Z")
I’m surprised vets don’t put the caps on the cats claws under anesthesia. My Chihuahua has been put under twice for teeth cleaning. Chihuahua’s get a lot of gum disease and often lose their teeth by 7 or 8 years. We’ve made sure that didn’t happen with my Chihuahua. He got his teeth cleaned at 2 and 5 years old. Due again next summer for a third cleaning. No gum disease at all. No loose teeth either. How long do those cat caps work? Don’t the claws grow longer and push the cap off? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/28 "2011-11-21T23:23:00Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > kitty will learn to be grateful that you do it yourself instead of doing the carrier/car thing. Ha ha ha. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400/29 "2011-11-22T02:27:03Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > This. (Three cat owner here.) Eventually they sit still for it (though it may take longer for some cats than others.) I wanted to go with the nail caps once for our cats and the store employee actively campaigned against them. If someone who has an interest in selling something discourages you from buying it, that is a red flag for me. (And for the record I did the same thing when I worked retail.) > > Like I said, some cats submit to the trimming right away…some take more time…some take a LOT of time. But that having been said even our feral adoption sits for having her nails trimmed now. I had fairly tolerant cats because I started trimming their nails when they were kittens. If they tried to bite or claw me they got thumped on the forehead and if they were good they were well rewarded. I would expect an older cat to put up much more resistance and require a longer training period. My experience with both cats is that they liked to sharpen their nails one at a time. Nails that weren’t sharp were in more of a half moon shape and not the highly curved needles of a sharpened nail. In that case, I would scrape the back of the nail to help promote the sides sluffing off. Cat nails are like rock shale in that they grow in layers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-buy-nail-caps-for-my-cat-how-the-f-do-i-get-them-on/603400.md?page=1)