Geriatric cats and their care - question

My 18 yr old (+, possibly even 19?) moggy has, I have just found, claws on one of her front paws which seem to have ?grown around and are ?growing in to the pads on that foot (two claws on the one foot). I'm a bit unsure because I have been away; when I got home I noticed blood on the bed where she had been sleeping, and blood on the carpet (old, dried blood but which wasn't there when I left for holiday). I did check her over when I noticed the blood, but couldn't find any injuries, and no joints were warm to touch or anything like that.

I have noticed she has been having trouble 'retracting' her claws - ie, they often become 'stuck' in (eg) my shirt when I go to put her down, or in the carpet when she is moving around.

I'm wondering if the claws/pads thing is because of an injury?

Whatever, I'm wondering if I ought to try to snip the ends off of all of her claws (and if I do this, can I just use a dog's nail clipper thingie?)? Should I try to do the sore foot, and then soak it (in what?) or should I leave it well alone and see the vet on Monday?

Of course if she becomes lame or sore over the weekend I'll call the vet, but at the moment I think she'll live to Monday []

Thanks for any advice

Trim them. Elderly cats are not as active as younger cats so their claws don't get worn down. What you are describing (the claw growing around into the foot pad) is really common in older cats. You will need to keep a close eye on this in future. Is the pad ulcerated or infected? She may need a wee shot of antibiotics but I'd avoid pain relief at her age due to her kidneys. You'll be relieving considerable pain just clipping the claws. Dog nail clippers are fine, that is what we use.

Thankyou DrVee.

So, do I take them as short as I can get them (ie, without them bleeding) or do I just snip a little off?

Actually, I'll probably just take a little off to ensure I don't hurt her (but I'm open to other suggestions). Can you see the 'vein' in a cat's claw? Hmmm, I'll have to go have a look

If they are really bad get the vet to do the first trim as ab's might be needed if the claws have been digging into the pads. you can see the vein if the claw is white or clear, if you are unlucky and they are black you won't see it.
I trust all else is well for the old dear. Well done you for getting a cat safely to that age.

If they are already digging into the paw pad then you would be best to take the cat to the Vet and get them to do it. If not, just snip the end off with fingernail clippers. I noticed a similar claw on my elderly dog the other week, freaked me out as it was curled right under & I cant believe I hadnt noticed it earlier. Hubby has some heavy-duty toe-nail clippers and I trimmed the claw up with them. Just watch you dont cut into the pink area, or you will have it bleeding! If there's a sore there, or similar, a dab of iodine wouldnt go astray...

Get her teeth checked -- cats usually nip their claws off if they get too long or rough.

I think I am going to get the vet, or the vet nurse/s, to show me exactly how to do it on Monday. The claws are in to the pads on that one foot and there is some discharge (clear) so whilst I am hoping no infection I don't want to hurt/aggravate it any more than what it is. She is a lovely little, quiet cat so I will hold her and watch very closely what they do! She does have clear claws, so I'm hoping the vein will be easy to see - I will check tomorrow and perhaps do her other feet ... I'll see how I go.

TKP, she's actually my cat's mother! I had to have my cat put down a couple of months ago; she was 18 this year. It was a real bother. She had an infection, we (vet) thinks a tooth abscess, which responded to antibiotics but which returned a couple of weeks later. I guess, because of her age, it wasn't suggested that he remove the tooth - and, to be honest, I would have been surprised if she had survived that - and, well, it really was her time. But we 'inherited' her mother a long number of years ago (hm, 12 or even more years ago) when BIL and wife moved back to Auckland for a bit. So, she's at least 18 years old, perhaps 18.5 or 19 or so. She's not able to groom herself much at all now, so I comb her. She tolerates it, but doesn't really enjoy it per se. We've also set up a feed station / water station / toilet station (!) for her in the laundry as she was toileting inside (which was driving me to distraction). I think since our geriatric dogs passed a couple of years ago, and then my cat earlier this year, the number of possums and stray/wild cats around the place have increased, and perhaps she was getting reluctant to go outside to toilet. And besides, it was cold and wet out during winter. Touch wood, it seems to have worked thus far. I am thinking there's something else going on with her, as she occasionally will vomit, but, well, she is happy and 18 or so years old, you know? I sometimes think that you live longer without knowing what's wrong so why muck with things? Hope I don't kill her with shock taking her in the car to the vet's on Monday!

I'm upset I didn't notice this when I checked her over when I got home! I did check her feet (kinda thinking that would be an obvious place to bleed) and I didn't notice this. So I feel very mean and incompetent to care for her at the moment. I'm still thinking that perhaps she did cut her foot (and I missed it), and perhaps that is infected and puffed up causing the claws to then meet up and puncture the pads. Whatever, it's happened and I'll get it sorted.

It's going to be very odd when it is her time to go. She is the last (and oldest) of our geriatric 4 (2 dogs, 2 cats) who have lived to ripe old ages. But having said that, I think I'd really like a Tonkenese (?sp) when she goes. Although I do like the pictures of Slinky and his first foray outside! Or perhaps just another moggy, but both my cats have been so little; I don't think I could do a big cat!

Blahblahblah. Must go!

Prim, yes get the Vet to do it if they are sucken into the pad already. Better to be safe than sorry! You can see the pink area very clearly on the under-side of the claws so you should be okay snipping off the others. Poor cat, she must be feeling uncomfortable! Dont beat yourself up about it coz, as I said, I freaked when I saw my dogs claw. I just cannot believe I missed it as it mustve been getting longer & longer as the weeks went by to get to the length it was (nearly into the pad). I felt stink about it as well