Senior cat getting claws stuck and vomiting
Elderly cats frequently get their claws stuck on fabric and furniture because they can no longer retract or maintain them properly. They also experience frequent vomiting after eating, which can happen multiple times a day as their digestive health declines.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1trimming the tips of the nailsDid this help you?
- 2using hypoallergenic cat grooming wipes instead of water bathsDid this help you?
- 3feeding small portions multiple times a dayDid this help you?
- 4brushing the cat frequentlyDid this help you?
- 5considering pet-safe wet wipes instead of full bathsDid this help you?
- 6Using mist/steamer brushes to remove grit and grimeDid this help you?
- 7Wiping the cat with a damp or wet washclothDid this help you?
- 8Shaving sensitive areas like the bellyDid this help you?
- 9Drying the cat with a hairdryer after getting wet to prevent mattingDid this help you?
- 10Watching professional pet groomer tutorials on YouTubeDid this help you?
- 11trying different litter box setupsDid this help you?
- 12adding Miralax for constipationDid this help you?
- 13consulting a veterinarianDid this help you?
- 14wetting the foodDid this help you?
- 15adding toppersDid this help you?
- 16switching back to normal food with vet permissionDid this help you?
- 17Counting breaths per minuteDid this help you?
- 18Calling local vets to explain symptoms over the phoneDid this help you?
- 19Trying to get the cat to eat and drinkDid this help you?
- 20Leaving the cat undisturbed to let nature take its courseDid this help you?
- 21getting a senior litter box with a low entryDid this help you?
- 22putting down pee-pads that need to be changed multiple times a dayDid this help you?
- 23trying to implement steps for the couchDid this help you?
- 24making an impromptu trip to the vet for euthanasiaDid this help you?
- 25Switching to wet food or prescription kidney dietsDid this help you?
- 26Using water fountains or multiple bowls to encourage drinkingDid this help you?
- 27Offering a variety of alternative foods to maintain interest in eatingDid this help you?
- 28Seeking a second veterinary opinion or checking thyroid levelsDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Help me process this disconnect between what the vet and internet tell me, and what I’m seeing in my sweet 15 year old Billy T Katt.”source ↗
“He essentially has zero body fat and his muscle is wasting.”source ↗
“The vet told us we can expect Billy to die soon and that there’s nothing to be done at this advanced stage. And it makes me so sad.”source ↗
“She’s not sure what to do because my parents don’t think it warrants an emergency vet visit and it could be just because she’s old. Also she’s worried that given her age and current state, that taking her to the vet right now would stress her out even more and cause her to die.”source ↗
“I keep calling her Raggedy Anne because she is no longer able to groom shelf well. She has bad arthritis and gets injections for it.”source ↗
“This is worsened by her being a water baby, she loves the walk in shower, gets super wet, and then doesn't groom, causing her fur to clump and get matted.”source ↗
“She wont let me brush her stomach, I thought maybe a damp wash cloth could help.”source ↗
“Litter box is clean. Nothing new in there”source ↗
“Thank you! I'll check”source ↗
“he is real sweet, huge cuddler but like when he gest on the couch he will catch his nails, cant get them unstuck.”source ↗
“he vomits after eating, some times 3 times a day ive seen.”source ↗
“I am desperately trying to ask for help on this. This is my cat Moony.”source ↗
“She is 11 (just turned this month) and is now super picky about her food.”source ↗
“Now she just won't eat the regular food unless something is added and even then is picking the stuff out of it.”source ↗
“This is what made me spiral. Am I worrying over nothing? Her blood work came back fine and I try really hard to pay attention all the cats and use the grimace scale. Can someone please ease my suffering? I just want them to live good lives but I'm killing myself financially over the damn food issue. And I'm constantly assessing her weight”source ↗
“The past few months she had started missing her litterbox so I got her a senior one with the really low entry but she'd still pee in-front of it so I put down pee-pads that I had to change about half-a-dozen times a day”source ↗
“More often than not, she'd be walking and suddenly her hind-legs would just give out and if she managed to get back on them, it'd be this funny waddle.”source ↗
“This morning she couldn't even get up, I tried to stand her up and she'd just flop over, put her near food and she didn't even want to smell it - I knew it was time and my wife and I made an impromptu trip to the vet.”source ↗
“My 18 yr old lady cat gets her claws stuck on things as well.”source ↗
“I have a 15 year old cat. She’s very sweet, and does very very well for her age. But I have noticed she’s become a little stinky over the past little bit.”source ↗
“if she’s smelly because she’s old and can’t bathe herself properly, is there something I can do to help her?”source ↗
“I’m afraid a bath would stress her out far too much.”source ↗
“At her age I dont even know if anything can be done.”source ↗
“Take them to the vet! You’re wasting valuable time seeking internet advice from Reddit of all places.”source ↗
“She's about 12 years old. I think she might have dementia. She has a litter box 10 ft away. Any advice? She also loves to pee on the little rugs in the kitchen.”source ↗