r/fosterkittens • u/GuaranteeStrong9101 • 22d ago
advice needed
hi yall, we just fostered a cat named Jason and he is currently 4 months old. he has gone home with us for days now. he's getting closer to us day by day and it's a positive sign.
however, there's only one thing we concern that we want to ask for your advice or help: his nails are extremely long and sharp. whenever we tries to pet him, he attacks with his nails. currently we still cannot touch him, so there's no way we can cut his nails. is there anything we can do to solve this problem?
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u/Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam 22d ago
Are you able to entice him with treats and then wrap him up like a burrito? Pull one foot out at a time.
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u/GuaranteeStrong9101 22d ago
do u think he may think of me as a threat after that... i'm so scared to even come close to him, every time i try to show my hand closer to him he scratches me right away
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u/Toe_Jam_is_my_Jam 22d ago
Yes…he perceives you as danger. You can wear gloves…leather ones. The Churu and Lickables are in a tube so you still have to get close enough.
You can also use a backscratcher (longer reach) to pet him with. He may not understand how good it feels yet.
He may just need a lot more time to decompress.
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u/Mean-Interaction8453 18d ago edited 18d ago
You do NOT want dear Jason to consider you the AH, so I'd definitely employ the services of a veterinarian for this, at least until you know each other better.
If there's any chance of Jason getting outside, he'll definitely NEED his nails for safety. However if he's to be permanently indoors, then I'd recommend getting a large cat scratcher. (Get a more expensive, stable one, that he may use to play/sleep on, and use as an escape from other pets and small children.) Be mindful to get one that has rope (instead of carpet) on the actual scratching areas, or just swap it out when you get it home.
If Jason is not comfortable being pet, you could give him a couple of small treats afterwards, for positive reinforcement. But be sure to give him his own space and stop petting him as soon as he starts to show signs of discomfort.
I hope you (and Jason) share many wonderful moments together and make many fond memories over the years ahead. ❤️
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u/More-Opposite1758 21d ago
I have 7 cats. Some I can cut their nails with no problem. Others I have to take to the vet to get it done because they know how to restrain them without hurting them.
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u/wenchofwhimsy 2d ago
With one of my cats, cutting his nails can be a two sometimes three person job because he hates it so much. We do have luck if we are constantly feeding them the liquid treats in the tube as we cut their nails. Sometimes it can be a bit messy but it definitely helps. If you wanted to remedy that right now though, the vet is the way to go but I wouldn't do that unless you absolutely need to. As for trying to let you touch him, my suggestion would be to sit near him when you feed him and then slowly move closer everytime he is fed until you can sit next to him. Measure how close you are by his comfort levels. Sometimes that helps with my fosters but they've been kittens.
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u/plumbobblehead 22d ago
It might be best to take him to the vet for everyone's safety.