Tips for choosing and instructions for the use of anti-scratch for cats

Cats and cats are some of the most beloved pets, so it is important to know how to care for them at any age and in any situation. The main problem of keeping cats and kittens is scratches on furniture, walls, as well as attacks on the owner in some cases. To avoid this, special protective caps for claws, called anti-scratches, were invented.

To keep the cat safe and to make mutual stay comfortable, you need to be able to choose the right pads and attach them.

Anti-scratches for cats on paws are needed if the pet is actively working with its claws, being and living indoors. Street cats do not need to wear anything, as they are constantly on the move and have the ability to grind the nail plate on trees or other improvised means. A domestic cat is often deprived of the same opportunities, especially if it is constantly in the room.

At a young age, cats are very playful and do not always understand when they are causing harm by their actions, therefore, it became necessary to create a tool that could protect the room from the paws of a fluffy pet.

Due to the different nature, training or various life situations, a cat can use its claws at the wrong time, causing damage to furniture or a person.Of course, it is unpleasant when a pet scratches a newly bought sofa or wallpaper pasted the day before, but even worse when it happens while talking with young children who can accidentally hurt the cat.

To protect objects and people from the cat, you can use several options: the first is considered more rude and painful, since it involves removing the nail plates from the animal. The second is much more humane and is a procedure for putting caps on the claws in order to neutralize their capabilities, making them completely harmless.

Pads for claws for cats are becoming more and more popular, as they are easy to use and fully cope with the task, in addition, the animal looks very interesting and stylish in them. At the moment, there are three types of materials from which such caps are made:

• silicone;
• plastic;
• rubber.

The first option is the most common due to its positive qualities. The tips are the thinnest, easily put on the nail and are well fixed, thanks to the ability to take the shape of the cat's nail plate. This material is non-toxic and does not interfere with the animal in everyday life, as it is practically not felt on the paws.

Plastic pads are thicker, they are less plastic, so it will be a little more difficult to put them on the claw. Rubber products have roughly the same characteristics.

The caps themselves must be worn as indicated in the instructions so as not to harm the pet or cause discomfort. To keep the pads firmly in place and not fall off, they are put on glue, which dries very quickly on the claw. The duration of wearing such protective equipment may be from one month to six months, depending on how quickly the stratum corneum of the cat's nail is renewed.

The procedure for putting on protective products does not seem too complicated, so this option has become quite popular, but each owner decides for himself the need for such overlays, having previously studied all the positive and negative aspects of wearing them.

To be sure that using the anti-scratch caps is safe for your pet, you should check if these caps are harmful. It is most correct to consider at once the positive and negative aspects of such an invention and evaluate their benefits or harms.

Among the positive factors, it is worth highlighting:

• the ability to protect furniture and walls from the paws of a playful pet;
• protection of small children, if any in the house;
• protection of the pet from itself, in case of some diseases in which the animal can scratch itself, only worsening its condition;
• protection from the paws of a cat that has a wild character that could not be re-educated.

As you can see from the above points, there are a number of reasons for which it is worth using caps, but in order to understand how long and how often they should be used, it is important to assess the harm that may be from them.

Among the negative factors of wearing pads are:

• the aggressive properties of the glue, which, in one way or another, will have a negative effect on the pet;
• if the pads are incorrectly glued, it will be difficult for the cat, if not impossible, to hide the claws, which can lead to injuries during movement or jumping of the animal;
• constant use of attachments can cause changes in the shape of the nail or its inflammation;
• in the case of walks on the street, the use of such accessories will be not only inappropriate, but also dangerous, since the cat simply will not be able to quickly climb a tree or attack an enemy if he meets one on a walk;
• the lack of the ability to carry out high-quality hygiene procedures, which may cause health problems for the pet;
• difficulties in order to scratch qualitatively, if the need arises.

There are a little more negative sides than positive ones, and this explains the lack of a boom in buying anti-scratches and using them on every pet. If you use the protective caps constantly, then soon the claws of the animal will begin to break, as the nail plate will begin to thin out. Another unpleasant consequence may be injury if the pet accidentally catches on something with a nozzle.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the use of attachments is necessary in certain cases, but it is better not to use them without the need. If the owner has some difficulties related to health, and he should not be allowed to scratch, then there is no choice, the need for protection is justified. The same can be said about cases of too violent behavior of an animal, especially in the case of new people or other pets visiting the home.

"Cases", which are put on the claws of domestic cats, can not only be made of different materials, but also have a large palette of colors and a variety of sizes. It is recommended to purchase silicone caps rather than rubber or plastic ones. The color of the products can be any: to match the color of the wool, eyes, sex of the animal, or even be varied, iridescent, to please the eyes of the household.

The most important criterion when choosing overlays is the size, on which the reliability of fixation, ease of use by the cat and the performance of the assignment with caps will depend. You can correctly determine what size is needed using the following gradation:

• XS - if the animal weighs from half a kilogram to two kilograms, this refers to the age of kittens up to six months;
• S - for pets weighing from 2 to 4 kg;
• M- for cats in the weight category from 4 to 6 kg;
• L - if the pet exceeds the weight of six kilograms.

To choose the right size, you need to evaluate not only the weight of the cat, but also its breed, since the length of the claws can depend on it. In some breeds, kittens' nail plates are the same length as in adult animals, which is worth considering. If the pad is larger than the claw, then this is not a problem, it can be trimmed a little, and if it is smaller, then there is no point in using it, it will not last long anyway.

Colored claws look amusing and interesting, so lovers of shocking and spectacular appearance are happy to experiment with this kind of overlays. In order not to harm the pet, the main thing is to know when to stop, use the caps correctly and take good care of the pet's claws.

Anti-scratches can only be used for pets over six months of age, which is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the nail plates, their strength in adults and kittens.

The optimal time to start using the pads is considered to be the age when the cat has already grown up, got stronger and has become too active. If, while communicating with the pet, the owner begins to feel sharp claws, this is a signal that precautions may soon be needed and, just in case, it is worth buying a set of linings. For kittens, such caution is useless: they, with all their desire, will not be able to significantly damage either furniture or the skin of a person.

To put claws on a cat, you first need to measure the length of the pet's claws and check if the purchased attachments are suitable for him. It is important to take into account not only the length of the product, but also try it on the foot to be sure that the protection will not fly off. In the event that the cap is longer than the nail, but adheres well to it, the length can be reduced using small scissors.

Since pets are unlikely to like the new outfit on their paws, they will immediately try to take it off, because a set of nozzles usually comes with a specialized medical glue.

The procedure for putting on the protective caps is as follows:

• buy caps, check if they are suitable for your pet;
• pick the right moment when the cat is in a good mood, nothing bothers him, he easily makes contact;
• take the pet in your arms, caress or give something tasty to appease the pet;
• make a "manicure" by trimming the tips of the claws and filing them to ensure better fixation of the protective caps;
• be sure to disinfect all claws with any alcohol-containing solution or use a nail polish remover;
• when the claws are ready, you need to take the cap, drop one drop of glue into it and you can glue the overlay;
• for the claws to fully appear, you need to gently press the pet's foot pad;
• for better fixation, press down the product on the sides.

This procedure is required for each claw. You should not rush, otherwise the cat may get nervous, and his calmness will be the key moment, allowing you to complete the procedure successfully. It is very important to show care and attention to your pet, to stroke and caress him so that he understands that nothing bad threatens him and remains in his arms all the time.

There is no need to remove such caps: they will fall off by themselves when the cat's nail plate begins to renew itself. The procedure for updating the "manicure" for the animal will need to be done about once a month. At the first attempts, the pet may be very unhappy with his new accessories and will try to take them off, but he is unlikely to succeed, and after a while he will get used to and stop paying attention to foreign bodies on his claws.

Protective caps that house cats put on to protect them from sharp claws have a different lifespan. The length of time you wear may depend on a number of circumstances:

• lining material;
• glue quality;
• cat activity;
• the nature of the animal.

The standard term for using claw attachments is the time during which the stratum corneum of the cat's nail cells is completely renewed, which causes the protective elements to fall off. This period ranges from three weeks to two months. In addition to biological components, you need to take into account the material from which the linings are made. Silicone is the thinnest and most elastic, and with intense behavior of the animal, it can wear off and become unusable a little earlier than it comes off the claw.

Plastic and rubber tips are coarser, and therefore have a much greater chance of wearing off, especially if the pet loves to frolic and play on uneven or rough surfaces.With the normal behavior of the cat and the observance of precautions, the linings withstand the life they are supposed to be used for, after which a new set is bought. It is best to purchase quality products at a pet store so that not only the caps themselves, but also the glue are made from harmless components and do their job properly.

Do not forget about the pet itself: if it is very active, then its metabolic process may be faster, which means that the claws will have time to renew itself after 2-3 weeks, and the gluing procedure will need to be carried out more often. In addition, there are animals who cannot accept new accessories on their paws and take all possible steps to remove them. As a result, the claws may be damaged or the attachments removed.

The procedure for gluing protective pads has replaced the inhumane removal of claws in domestic cats, therefore it has gained quite a lot of popularity, but not everyone approves of it. Veterinarians are seriously concerned about this innovation and have good reason to do so. It has been proven that there are cases when it is better for cats not to carry foreign objects on their paws, because this can lead to negative consequences.

Pets in pads feel inferior, as they cannot fully demonstrate their biological instincts. Due to the pads, the sensitivity of the legs decreases, it is more difficult for the cat to walk and jump, and it becomes almost impossible to climb high. Such restrictions will negatively affect the psyche of the animal and its certain habits, which is undoubtedly a disadvantage.

Of the positive aspects noted by veterinarians and pet owners, it is worth mentioning the possibility of using pads from time to time, if the situation forces it to do so. If the cat is afraid of guests, the baits can only be worn during their stay at home.

The reaction of professionals and ordinary people is different and it is connected with the fact that opponents pay attention to the possible risks that can be brought by claws; supporters, however, note the wide opportunities that this technology provides. The main advantage of claw pads is the ability to choose: wear them or not, continue to use or stop, as all the caps come off. Studying the reaction to baits, their effectiveness and assistance - each owner decides for himself what is best for him and his pet.

How to glue silicone anti-scratches to a cat, see below.