Off to the vet with Clapton shortly (ingrown claws)

[Mark]

I think he is OK now - when I came in tonihgt, he was sitting o  the stairs  - I can keep a close eye as after Friday, I get a short (4 month) break 

[Fire Fox]

I am trialling clipping Noah's claws whilst he is asleep, got four a couple of nights ago.  There is a video on YouTube and they are right that when cats are dreaming is a good time, otherwise they wake up right away. The only problem is Noah often sleeps with his paws tucked in! He was all laid out next to me a few minutes ago with dew claws on display, but has now curled up to sleep on the other side of the room, think he is getting wise. 

Is Clapton fully recovered now? 

[Mark]

Thanks Helen &FF 

I think we are all like that with our furries. My next step is getting him to use the garden again. I took him out there this morning while the others were sleeping but he ran straight back in. He is such a big girl's blouse; I am sure he is scared of Alice 

[Tiggy's Mum]

FWIW I am sure you do know best, I know you love your family to pieces and will always 'go the extra mile' for them.  Mental health is just as important as physical health with humans, why not our furballs too?

Couldn't agree more FF, I want to come back as a cat in the next life and live with Mark 

[Fire Fox]

FWIW I am sure you do know best, I know you love your family to pieces and will always 'go the extra mile' for them.  Mental health is just as important as physical health with humans, why not our furballs too? Wish I understood Noah as well as you do yours. 

[Mark]

I spoke to the senior VN and she said if I am happy then she is sure that will be fine. She said you know your own cats and would know if something wasn't right  - I am here today and OH is working from home tomorrow when I am at college. I am pleased that he doesn't have to go through another visit. I had planned on doing bloods but he seems so contented and has already had 2 breakfasts  (3 if you count the renal I put down first that was received with disdain  ) He can have the bloods done next month when his claws are clipped.

[Mark]

Over the last few days, Clapton has been getting more cheeky and has even started wandering in the kitchen to demand chicken in the evening. He even followed OH upstairs when he went upstairs to change after getting home from work 

Much to his annoyance, I have checked his paws which are nice & pink. No oozing, discolouring or swelling - also I can tell there is no pain when I give his toes a gentle squeeze, so I am going to ask the vet if I can take a rain check on his follow-up. It is so stressful for him and it will mean another day or so at least of him running behind the sofa when he sees me. If I thought there was any doubt about healing I would take him.

 (note to self: must buy pack of Elmwood cooked chicken pieces in co-op today - they are excellent. The first piece contains his meds and he knows now that the bowl doesn't go down until he has eaten the first piece  - he gets the rest of it dusted in Ipakitine)

[Rosella moggy]

Sam has no teeth and he only ever has to have the sharp tips clipped off about 3 claws, the rest of his are blunt and short, whereas I need to do all of the girls - I think it is more about outdoor access.

Our Freddie only has two canine teeth and, after reading about our poor baby Clapton, I checked him last night and it's as if he'd just been clipped  .  Freddie spends alot of time in and out and chasing kittens on cat tree    Sending a few  to Clapton 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Tried, but Molly hates it.

[Janeyk]

I clipped Byron's at the weekend too 

[Millys Mum]

Did you 'peel' them, love doing that!

[Desley (booktigger)]

i did all the cats claws this weekend, and Molly's were the worst - she is the only one who has never had a dental and doesn't currently have mouth issues, unlike the other two!! She doesnt seem to take the sheaths off, so hers are really thick and dirty.

[Fire Fox]

Poor Mark and poor Clapton, good to hear he is on the mend.  Noah's claws are getting stuck in everything already but he will NOT let me clip them, struggles and tries to nip me. I need an assistant but am also back on the clicker training (prawns never fail  ) and after only two sessions Noah is touching my hand with his paw.  I figure if I can do one claw a day that would be good - I have proper clippers.

[Mark]

I have some Virkon tablets. The big problem with him is that if he hears anything with a motor or sees anything on a stick, he hides behind the sofa for hours. Once his paws are healed, I am going to start getting him used to the garde again so I can clean.

With Alice, I turn the hoover on from a distance and she will scarper into the garden, but Clapton hides instead.

[Christie]

For disinfectant, I found out about Virkon, which the CP branch I used to volunteer at uses to clean the cat cabins and litter boxes. I use it for litter boxes here. It's fairly safe, and very effective, you can get it as a powder or in tablets. The only thing is, you need to dilute, and don't splash it on fabrics as it turns stuff pink! But that may help you with keeping Clapton's box and the floor disinfected.

[Mark]

He is so much perkier today. I had to go to college but OH decided to stay home to keep an eye and also to catch the postman when the binders were delivered. He is wandering around in the hallway. I will keep a close eye on his claws. I am hoping I will be able to keep them trimmed myself rather than carting him on a 10 mile round trip or paying for a home visit. OH is happy to do that but if he will let me do it, it will be so much less stressful and a lot cheaper

I was telling my animal behaviour lecturer today. She said she would come round and do it if she lived closer 

[swampmaxmum]

so glad my little friend Clapton is doing better after his ordeal 

[Desley (booktigger)]

Glad that he is feeling better, but I really would check his claws more often than every 6 weeks, I check claws weekly after Snowy getting claws embedded in her pads, I am not sure it has that much to do with their teeth though, as Sam has no teeth and he only ever has to have the sharp tips clipped off about 3 claws, the rest of his are blunt and short, whereas I need to do all of the girls - I think it is more about outdoor access.

[Mark]

Its funny but already he is improving. Strange how you barely notice a slow decline. He was sprawled out in the hallway a while ago. I haven't seen him do that for ages 

[clarenmax]

Aww thats nice i think you are forgiven if he gave you a face wash.

I think so too 

[puggy1975 Zoe]

Aww thats nice i think you are forgiven if he gave you a face wash.

[Mark]

I just did his paws with the iodine. I'm sure it stings. Anyway, he forgave me and ate afterwards - and it was renal food. I'm not sure if he is ravenous due to the convenia, the metacam or the fact that he isn't hurting any more.

Also, an hour or so ago, I went into the dining room and he was behind the sofa. I didn't think he would come out but as soon as he saw me, he came out tail up and gave my face a wash 

[puggy1975 Zoe]

Hope Clapton is feeling better soon

Hugs from Ollie and Tyler

[Millys Mum]

Poor chap, hope hes feeling better soon.
Old cats with teeth get probs with claws, the lack of mobility doesnt help them 
Did he have metacam inj? Whenever my lot have had it by inj their follow up dose orally is 48 hrs so hopefully he will be comfy past the 24hr, its like convenia - the effect has different lengths in different cats

[Mark]

It's tomorrow I am more worried about TBH. The vet said the Metacam will last 24hrs but he expects the worst of the pain to last 48hrs. As I am at college (If I am up to it), hopefully he will sleep all day.

[Janeyk]

Poor Clapton  hopefully his little paws will feel much better soon, give him a hug from me 

[clarenmax]

Aw bless him, his pawsies will be much happier now.  Max was always a monster to cut his claws, it was always a 2 person job as he hated having his feet 'fiddled with'!

Poot is a bit easier, but again get him it he right mood and he can wriggle for Britain 

Give Clapton a cuddle from me xx

[Mark]

I know that wouldn't work with Clapton. He arrived damaged. We don't know what happened in the past but he is very wary of people - even us. He is the type of cat that needs to see two hands 

It was awful seeing all the blood and the smell was  - he seems so much more relaxed now. I will let him sleep it off and stuff revision, I need a nap too 

I needs to work out how to bathe his paws in iodine without him going ape. maybe I should try to find some clear iodine in case it ends up on me, the wall and the sofa 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Give Clapton a gentle from me and the boys.

If Clapton likes treats then I have a really good trick for claw cutting that only needs one person.  Even though I started trimming the boys' claws from an early age Riley grew to HATE it would take me 10 mins just to catch him to do it, he would then struggle and writhe like he was being murdered and he was so strong there is no way I could do it on my own.

I now pour a big pile of treats (must be irresistible ones like Dreamies/Temptations) on the settee, he will then stand there inhaling the treats and I can pick a paw up at a time and do each one without him even noticing or batting an eyelid. The rate Riley inhales them I need to pour at least 30 treats down which gives me time to do all four feet.

[Mark]

Clapton just asked for a 3rd pouch - he even ate some with Renalzin in 

He also gave me a lovely wash and purr. I also managed to remove his tray to sterilize and change. I'm not taking any chances. I cleaned it with strong bleach, then boiled the kettle for the final rinse. I also wiped the floor with anti-bac wipes (the mop scares him  )

[Mark]

It is more to do with him having no teeth than anything. I have never noticed it with other cats, but Alice really chews the sheaths off - it sets my teeth on edge watching her do it 

Anyway, he has polished off 2 pouches of Lidl food in gravy. I have to say, it smells meaty, unlike Whiskas that smells like an ashtray to me. Poor baby is hobbling. I want to change his litter but he will flip when I pick the tray up.

Unfortunately, I have run out of binders. I ordered on Monday. I purposely keep the order small so it would go 1st class - but no sign. I will order from Petmeds going forward as VetUK seem to send orders out 2 days after ordering thesedays and I can't rely on then any more.

[Dawn F]

well at least it is sorted and hopefully the pain is going now with the metacam - I have to say I've never clipped any of my cats nails but they are all pretty active and climb trees and stuff so assume its not an issue at the moment

[Mark]

Just got back. I am going to have to be very vigilant. He had 2 claws in each front paw embedded. One of them so badly. that when the claw came out, there was lots of blood and pus  - one of his pads was also snipped during the procedure. He has had his paws cleaned with iodine, a 2 week AB jab and metacam. I have to make up an iodine solution and bath or dip his paws 3 times a day and he has to go back next week to check that they are healing properly. Our poor boy has been through so much in his life  - If he moved more, I might have noticed earlier. I will keep a close eye going forward. We are going to have his claws clipped every 6 weeks going forward. The vet said at the moment, hygiene is a priority and we must keep everything as sterile as possible. I suggested putting clean towels on his dog mattress and changing them a couple of times a day. The vet thought that would be a good idea. I feel responsible as I should have noticed earlier, although he doesn't like being inspected. The vet also said cats walk through pain until it suddenly becomes too much. I remember posting abut him holding his paw up a while ago but I could see any embedding then, so eventually assumed he had snagged a claw as he seemed to get better.

Last night before I went to bed, I gave him a pouch of his favourite food ATM, Lidl beef pouches and he virtually cleared the plate. He must have been in so much pain.

Anyway, he is hiding behind the sofa so I need to sterilize the floor there. Not sure how to do it - just wondering if iodine will be best. I only have a small pill bottle full, although the vet said to water it down into a "tea" as & when it is needed. I suppose I can buy some more. I also think you can buy clear iodine now.

[Dawn F]

I can't really comment - I am the most pathetic holder of cats ever!  even when we are combing stars trousers I feel cruel if I have to hold her down!

[Mark]

poor clapton sounds paiinful, hopefully he'll forgive you quickly!

I hope so. I did manage to clip off a back claw sheath that was hanging at a right angle last night. OH is the most useless assistant. I just needed Clapton held firmly but OH was upset about his breathing. I was trying not to get annoyed but saying "hold him still and I can get it over with!" 

[Dawn F]

poor clapton sounds paiinful, hopefully he'll forgive you quickly!

[Mark]

He has been having trouble walking over the last few days. Due to having no teeth, his claws overgrow. I bought clippers but he is so nervous I can't get near him. I made a home appointment yesterday for Friday. Last night, he seemed worse. I got OH to hold him and one of his front claws has gone right into a pad  - it smells so I assume it is infected. I rang the emergency vet at 11pm but he said it wasn't strictly an emergency (calpton is eating OK etc) but to take him this morning. I know he will be hiding from me for days once we get back. I have a lot of college work to do so a setback I could do without - but obviously a priority.

I wish I had noticed sooner but I rarely see Clapton walk these days. I hope the fact that he has been walking around less isn't due to his paws hurting. I will either have to learn how to do it without stressing him or arrange a home visit every couple of months in future.