we all know how sharp kitten claws can be so I was wondering if anyone has used nail caps on their cats before. I don't want to declaw but thought it would be a better option than having scratched up hands and legs all the time. I try to distract him with toys and don't use my hands as a "toy" but he is one fast kitty and just attacks.

When I first got my two 4 month old kittens, I was covered in scratches. They were left at a shelter at 8 weeks old and transported to a local rescue center in my state. They were crazy kittens when I got them. I tried everything but it was like living with Edward Sissor hands times two. The last straw was when Blondie was playing Tarzan with my Hunter Douglass Luminette shades and tore them. I researched soft paws and found a local vet with a groomer experienced at applying them and decided to give it a try. They worked GREAT! The cats could knead me and not draw blood. They didn't bother Grace at all. Blondie tried to get them off for a couple of days before she gave up. They grow out and fall off after about 5 weeks. I forget what I paid, but $40 seems to ring a bell, but I think that was per cat. You have to find a vet with a groomer that is experienced at putting them on. It really saved the day for me. By the time the grew out, I had cat trees and I didn't want to inhibit their ability to climb so I took them to my vet and had their nails trimmed. They buff the ends so there are no sharp edges. It costs $20 for both cats and totally worth it. I have brought them back every month since. Grace has never allowed me to cut even one of her nails so I leave it to the professionals. They are a year and a half now and they are very careful not to scratch me. Kittens are crazy though. I had never experienced anything like that before.

Never declaw your kitty! If you want to know what it feels like, remove your entire fingernail from your finger -- all the way to the cuticle! That's what it feels like to the cat! And ... if your kitty EVER escapes (and I love the people who insist their cat never gets outside -- yet I see countless posts on a Lost Pet page on Facebook where their indoor declawed cat got out), your kitty is defenseless. It's possible you can train your kitty to enjoy nail trimming (being careful not to trim too deep). Note that your vet can also do this. Soft paws are only a temporary situation as the claws eventually wear through them. All kittens are playful and scratch. You need to substitute a toy for your hands. 99% of cat owners have gone through this with a kitten and survived! I do not trim Raiden's nails -- never have. He has the sharpest claws, but he never uses them on me or my husband. He loves the scratching posts around the house and uses them exclusively.

Thanks for all the advice! I agree on the declawing thing, we won't consider it. I guess kittens just need to learn when and when not to use their claws. Might try trimming so they're at least not as sharp for now but I'm not sure how well that will go over ha!

If you cat trim your cat’s nails without too much of a hassle – that’s great! If not, just make sure you provide her with LOTS of things to scratch to wear her nails down. I was trimming my boy’s nails every few weeks, but after a week they were just as sharp as before so I saw no point to it. He uses his scratching posts quite a lot, so that really helps.

I got both boys used to it very early
I use a cat-specific, scissor-like tool, as it keeps the nails from splitting now that they're older. There's no noise or loud "snick" so it doesn't startle them. The first few times we had to use a blanket to swaddle them with one leg out, and it was a joint procedure with me and the hubs. Now, they either sit in my lap or stand next to the sink and I clip them over the bowl. Treats sometimes follow, but not always. We just made it something they have to do with no option to get out of it. They don't play with claws, but both like to sit on laps or crawl over us and one startle or slip, and we're scarred. Plus, the door jambs are a hot mess.

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I know it is difficult to get cats to scratch on their own posts and not on furniture or door jambs. I'm guessing Raiden's previous owner whipped him pretty good if he scratched the wrong thing as he doesn't use anything but his scratching posts. I just think if trimming a cat's nails is traumatic to the cat, you really need to try something else. It's something they should get used to if it's done frequently enough.