Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 14, 1993 TAG: 9303120204
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Karen L. Davis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
PUT A CAP ON PET CLAW PROBLEMS
When Judy Pyska of Roanoke County adopted an adult cat, Pooky, she tried a new approach to an old problem."I didn't know how Pooky was going to react in her new surroundings," Pyska said. "Her owners had died, and she was really scared. I needed a way to protect us and the furniture from being scratched until she got settled."
The solution was to give Pooky a manicure with Soft Paws.
Soft Paws are vinyl nail caps that are glued to a cat or dog's newly trimmed claws. The soft, durable caps keep the nails blunt and help prevent the destruction of furniture, drapes, carpets, hardwood floors, and of course, human skin.
Pyska said after she read about the product in Cat Fancy magazine, she checked at several area veterinary hospitals and found Soft Paws available at The Pet Health Clinic in Daleville.
There, Dr. Cheryl Caputo applied Pooky's nail caps by first trimming her claws, then pouring a small amount of adhesive into each cap and sticking it on over the natural nail.
"The glue is the same as for human false nails," Caputo said. "It is non-allergenic."
When set and dried, the adhesive and vinyl caps are non-toxic, Caputo said. The materials are "inert," meaning they are not absorbed if chewed or accidently swallowed.
The glue dries within minutes, and the pet is ready to go home. The animal does not have to be sedated. The entire procedure takes about 10 or 15 minutes, depending on how cooperative the animal chooses to be.
Generally, only the 10 claws on the front feet are manicured at a total cost of about $15, Caputo said.
The back feet can be done also, if desired. However, "Most cats are not as destructive with their back feet," Caputo said.
Normally, a cat will shake or lick its paws at first and may even try to pull off a cap. But most animals quickly adjust to their new false nails, Caputo said.
The nail caps come in different sizes to fit kittens through adult cats and different dog breeds. For dogs, you even have a choice of colors.
The nail caps usually last from four to six weeks, depending on the nail's growth rate and on the animal's activity level.
"If there's any drawback at all," Caputo said, "it's that you have to keep re-applying them. But if the cat loses one here and there, you can reuse them, if you find the ones that fall off. They don't wear down that much."
The application is so simple, owners can learn to manicure their pets' nails themselves. And there's even a take-home kit available for that purpose.
For owners who do not wish to have their indoor pets declawed, Soft Paws can be an ideal alternative for dealing with the cat's natural instinct to sharpen its claws.
And because nail caps do not render a cat permanently defenseless, they offer an ideal solution for outdoor cats that must live indoors temporarily for whatever reason - moving, illness or bad weather.
"Older cats have more trouble adapting to being declawed," Caputo said. So when a pet owner is faced with a temporary lifestyle change, such as moving in with relatives who have expensive, leather upholstered furniture, Soft Paws can be a practical and painless way to keep the cat, protect the couch and maintain peace in the family.
Caputo said she does not recommend Soft Paws for outdoor animals because they inhibit a cat's ability to climb. Plus, the nail caps wear down more quickly outside. The caps also will not stop dogs from digging.
A new column
Twice a month, The Pet Podium will address issues of interest to owners and fanciers of all types of pets. Columnist Karen L. Davis, a pet owner and free-lance writer living in Roanoke, encourages reader responses. Although she cannot answer all letters personally or make specific recommendations on certain topics, she will deal with as many questions as possible in her column.
Write to The Pet Podium in care of the Roanoke Times & World-News, Features Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010. Be sure to include your name, address and telephone number for verification.