Selection Tips and Instructions for Using Anti-Scratches for Cats

Cats and cats are one 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 on claws, called anti-scratches, were invented.

To protect the cat and make the mutual stay comfortable, you need to be able to choose these pads correctly and attach them.

Anti-scratches for cats on the paws are needed if the pet is actively working with its claws, while living and living indoors. Street cats do not need to wear anything, as they are constantly in motion and have the ability to grind nail platinum 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 harmful by their actions, which is why it became necessary to create a tool that can protect the room from the paws of a fluffy pet.

Due to the different nature, training, or various life situations, a cat can put its claws in motion at the wrong time, causing damage to furniture or people.Of course, it’s unpleasant when a pet scratches a newly purchased sofa or wallpaper pasted on the eve, but even worse when it happens during communication with small children, which can accidentally hurt a 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 the removal of nail plates in the animal. The second is much more humane and involves putting on caps on claws to neutralize their capabilities, making them completely harmless.

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

• silicone;
• plastic;
• rubber.

The first option is most common due to its positive qualities. Nozzles are the thinnest, easily put on the nail and are well fixed, thanks to the ability to take the form of a cat’s nail plate. This material is non-toxic and does not interfere with the animal at home, since it is practically not felt on the paws.

Plastic pads have a greater thickness, they are less plastic, so putting them on a claw will be a little more difficult. Rubber products have approximately the same characteristics.

The caps themselves must be worn as indicated in the instructions so as not to harm the pet or cause unpleasant sensations. In order for the pads to hold firmly 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 keratinized layer of the nail in the cat is updated.

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

To make sure that the use of anti-scratches will be harmless to your pet, you should check whether these caps are harmful. It is most correct to consider immediately the positive and negative sides of such an invention and evaluate their benefit or harm.

Among the positive factors it is worth highlighting:

• the ability to protect furniture and walls from the clutches of a playful pet;
• protection of young children, if any, in the house;
• protecting the pet from itself, in the case of some disease in which the animal can scratch itself, only worsening its condition;
• protection from the paws of a cat, having a wild nature, which could not be re-educated.

As can be seen from the above paragraphs, there are a number of reasons for which caps should be used, but in order to understand how long and often they should be used, it is important to evaluate the harm that can be caused by them.

Among the negative factors of wear socks can be distinguished:

• aggressive properties of glue, which, one way or another, will have a negative effect on the pet;
• if the pads are not glued correctly, it will be difficult, or even impossible, for the cat to hide its claws, which can lead to injuries during movement or jumping of the animal;
• the constant use of nozzles can cause a change 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 can not quickly climb a tree or attack the enemy if he encounters such a walk;
• the lack of the ability to conduct hygienic procedures in a quality manner, because of which problems with the health of the pet may begin;
• difficulties in order to scratch qualitatively, if such a need arises.

There are a few more negative sides than positive ones, and this explains the lack of a boom to buy anti-scratches and their use on each pet. If you use the protective caps constantly, then soon the claws will begin to break in the animal, since the nail plate will begin to thin out. Another unpleasant consequence may be injury if the pet accidentally hooks on the nozzle for something.

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the use of nozzles is necessary in certain cases, but without the need they are better not to use. If the owner has some difficulties associated with 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 the animal, especially in the case of visiting the home with new people or other pets.

“Cases” that are put on the claws of domestic cats can not only be made from different materials, but also have a large palette of colors, and a variety of sizes. It is recommended to purchase silicone caps, they are preferable to rubber or plastic. The color of the products can be any: for the color of the coat, eyes, floor of the animal, or even be varied, iridescent, to please the eyes of households.

The most important criterion when choosing pads is the size on which the reliability of fixation, the ease of use by the cat and the performance of the assignment with caps will depend. It is possible to correctly determine what size is needed using this gradation:

• XS - if the animal weighs from half a kilo to two kilograms, this refers to the age of the 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 a 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, the nail plates of kittens 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 cut a little, and if it is smaller, then there is no point in using it, for a long time it still will not last.

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 the measure in everything, use the caps correctly and take good care of the pet's claws.

Anti-scratches can be used only for pets who are older than six months of age, which is associated with the structural features of the nail plates, their strength in adults and kittens.

The optimal time to start using the pads is considered the age when the cat has already grown, matured and has become too active. If the owner begins to feel sharp claws during communication with the pet, this is a signal that precaution may soon be needed and just in case you should buy a set of pads. For kittens, such caution is useless: they, with all their desire, will not be able to significantly damage either the furniture or the skin of a person.

In order to put a cat on the claws, it is first necessary to measure the length of the claws of the pet and check whether the purchased nozzles 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 holds well on 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, that's why Special medical glue usually comes with nozzles.

The procedure for putting on protective nozzles is as follows:

• purchase caps, check whether they are suitable for the pet;
• pick a good 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 cutting the tips of the claws and sawing them to provide better fixation of the protective caps;
• be sure to disinfect all claws with any alcohol-containing solution or use nail polish remover;
• when the claws are ready, you need to take a cap, drop one drop of glue into it and you can glue the pad;
• so that the claws fully show, you need to gently press on the pad of the pet's paws;
• for better fixation, press the product on the sides.

This procedure is necessary for each claw. You should not hurry, otherwise the cat may get nervous, and his calmness will be the key moment, allowing to complete the procedure successfully. It is very important to take care and attention to the pet, pet and caress him, so that he understands that he does not face anything bad, and remains in his hands all the time.

It is not necessary to remove such caps: they themselves will fall off when the cat’s nail plate starts to be updated. 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 dissatisfied with its new accessories and will try to remove them, but it is unlikely to succeed, and after some time it will get used to it and stop paying attention to foreign bodies on its claws.

The protective caps worn by domestic cats to protect them from sharp claws have different lifespan. Duration of socks may depend on several circumstances:

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

The standard term for using the claw tips is the time during which the keratinized layer 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, it is necessary to take into account the material from which the pads are made. Silicone is the thinnest and most elastic and with the intensive behavior of the animal can wear off and become unusable a little earlier than it gets off the claw.

Plastic and rubber tips are rougher, and therefore they have much more chances to wear out, especially if the pet likes to frolic and play on an uneven or rough surface. In the normal behavior of the cat and the observance of precautionary measures, the pads can withstand the life they have set, after which a new kit is bought.It is best to purchase quality products at the pet store so that not only the caps themselves, but also the glue are made from harmless components and fully carry out their work.

Do not forget about the pet itself: if it is very active, then the metabolic process can be faster, which means that the claws will have time to update after 2-3 weeks, and the gluing procedure will need to be carried out more often. In addition, there are such animals that can’t put up with new accessories on their paws and take all possible actions to remove them. As a result, claws can be damaged or nozzles removed.

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

Pets that are in the lining, feel inferior, because they can not fully display their biological instincts. Due to the pads, the sensitivity of the legs decreases, the cat is more difficult to walk and jump, and it becomes almost impossible to climb high. Such restrictions will adversely affect the psyche of the animal and its certain habits, which, of course, is a minus.

Of the positive aspects that veterinarians and pet owners note, it is worth mentioning the possibility of using overlays from time to time if the situation forces this to happen. If the cat is afraid of guests, nozzles can be worn only for the duration of their stay at home.

The reaction of professionals and ordinary people is different and it is associated with the fact that opponents pay attention to possible risks that claw pads can bring; supporters, however, note the wide opportunities that such technology provides. The main advantage of claw pads is the choice: whether to wear them or not, continue to use or stop when all caps come off. Studying the reaction to nozzles, their effectiveness and help - each owner decides what is best for him and his pet.

On how to glue silicone anti-scratches to a cat, see further.