I have a kitten, aged 6 months, that loves to claw. I try to get the cat to provide its claws for clipping, i.e. pressing on the paw, but it does not get the claws to show.
Do young cats simply do not do this, or do I have a weird cat?
You can clip a cat's nail as early 1 month old. So for your cat the age is not an issue.
If your cat is calm about this but your problem is not being able to get to the claw, try to press from to the upper part till its end, just like you do with a toothpaste, this will expand the claw out so you can see it.
If the cat is not accepting it when you try to do so, you have to get it used to it first, get her used to you holding and pushing its claws, pressing its pad(consider it like foot massage) then get it used to the clipper (as suggested by ASPCA you can get an uncooked spaghetti and use the clipper on it while the cat is in your lap)
Don't cut to the Quick(the pink part of the claw) this is a sensitive area that contains nerve and vessels, only do the sharp part
give your cat a treat after clipping each paw, make it comfortable with the operation.
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This answer could be improved with a reliable reference supporting the cutting of nails at one month old. – James Jenkins♦ Nov 29 '14 at 13:32
You nneed to gently press on the top and bottom of each individual claw and just clip the smallest amount off. This usually prevents the hook on the claw being so sharp but will not stop claw "stropping" on furniture, carpets etc. This would require a much more in depth reply about modifying cat behaviour. Probably best asked as a seperate question.
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Re the second part: My cats, who were declawed before I got them (grumble, but it's certainly not THEIR fault!), still strop their paws on various surfaces. It's a pretty deep-seated instinct combining stretching with marking territory. – keshlam Dec 2 '14 at 5:54
