Are you worried about having to trim your cat’s claws? If so, you might benefit from a coaching session.
Researchers at a California university are hoping to reduce cat owner stress through a project focused on kittens. The goal is to improve veterinarians’ protocols and provide methods to prevent pets from becoming aggressive during grooming.
Jennifer Link, a doctoral candidate in the Animal Welfare Epidemiology Lab at the University of California, Davis, said she and Carly Moody, a professor and lead researcher in the lab, are looking for more people to sign up for the virtual kitten size study.
Anyone can sign up, Moody said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s at a groomer, at home or at a vet clinic, we just want them to have a better experience.”
The goal is to help kittens be less fearful, reactive and aggressive during grooming and to teach people less stressful methods of trimming their nails.
Link developed guidelines for pet owners based on his previous research on cat behavior. Many participants in the study told Link that they needed help most with grooming.
A team from the Animal Welfare Epidemiology Lab at the University of California, Davis, is recruiting participants for a study on kitten nail trimming to reduce the stress associated with the practice for cats, pet owners, groomers and veterinarians.
“Some people found out that I studied cats and, without even being asked, just said, ‘Oh my God, help me trim their claws!'” Link said.
In the new study, Link will meet with participants over Zoom and show them how to touch kittens’ paws and gently squeeze them. She will demonstrate how to trim nails with manual clippers and document the interactions. If a kitten doesn’t respond immediately to having its nails trimmed, she will walk the owner through the steps to get it used to the procedure.
She hopes to give foster families resources to pass on to people who will adopt cats. Link learned during a pilot program at the San Diego Humane Society that many people who foster or adopt cats don’t have access to this information. Jordan Frey, marketing manager for the Humane Society, said some foster kittens are now participating in Link’s nail trimming study.
It’s not uncommon for cat groomers to take a slow, deliberate approach to nail trimming, said Tayler Babuscio, lead groomer at Zen Cat Grooming Spa in Michigan. But Babuscio said Link’s research would add scientific support to the practice.
Moody’s doctoral research, which involved observing the grooming appointments of Canadian veterinarians and staff, helped her develop ideas for gentler handling. Rather than combating cats’ reactions, some veterinarians have opted for sedation or full-body restraint.
But they know the gentle approach, and veterinarians may be willing to avoid sedation or physical restraints.
The American Veterinary Medical Association declined to comment on Moody’s techniques. However, an official told USA TODAY that the association’s American Association of Feline Practitioners offers some advice.
The practitioner website CatFriendly recommends that owners start nail clipping early, explaining, “If your cat doesn’t like having their nails clipped, start slowly, take breaks, and make it a familiar routine.” The association recommends that cat owners ask their veterinarian for advice or demonstrate clipping. The site reminds caregivers to “always clip in a calm environment and provide positive reinforcement.”
Some veterinarians avoid handling cats, Moody said. Some clinics employ only one person to care for cats.
She hopes to encourage more clinics to take a gentle approach, such as wrapping cats in towels before grooming them. She said owners will likely feel more comfortable taking their cats to the vet when they see staff treating them calmly.
Contact reporter Krystal Nurse at knurse@USATODAY.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter,@KrystalRNurse.
.jpg)
.webp)
0 Comments