Thread: It's been a while.

Happy 1st birthday Chiyo,are you proving the nortie tortie theory then....bless......
I always handle my cats paws & toes from day one, most MC's actually enjoy having the tootsies tickled & will even wrap their paw round your finger which I find rather endearing as it leads on to them just putting their paw out & holding you,Shimba is our best hand holder..... That is why I also say from when you first get them up end them onto your lap push out each claw & even if there is nothing to cut back go through the motion so they get used to it, I have always made a game of it,sorry to sound so pathetic but I start off playing this little piggy as I do each one & inbetween cutting I tell them how good they are & give them a blow behind the ear & kiss the top of their head so all in all it turns into a bonding match rather than a struggle which with 10kg + boys is an advantage.... don't show her that it is something that needs to be a power struggle becaus efor sure as heck they will win,try sitting her upended on your lap & just play with her feet for a while & at the same time make a fuss of her if she starts to struggle just give her paw another quick play & let her go when she seems to accept that better then clip a nail & straight away tell her she is a good girl & more kisses on top of the head,if she is happy do another one if not let her go & take it up again the next day....the thing with a cat is never to let them have the last word so however quick "your" last action is it must be just that,you saying she can go down not her....our first girl who was adult was a nightmare but it wasn't long before she would be at the chair before me if I got the nail clippers out,with the playing with claws out I have always found a gentle tap on the foot a no & remove the toy which has caused the problem helps if it is your hand she gets again a no claws in please & walk away,they soon learn that claw out gets nothing in the play stakes.....The strange thing is people tend to think if someone hangs onto the cat while another tries to do it they will eventually win but the opposite is actually true,they feel threatened so a one to one quiet with them can very often reap more rewards....{but of course not always}...!!!!! Xx