Brilliant Concept, Difficult Execution!

There are a few companies out there who have come out with protective rubber tips to place on your cat's claws in order to prevent them from doing damage to your furniture or accidentally scratching your puppy. Mind you Olly hasn't scratched Bertie as of yet but I have witnessed a few swats and the thought of him catching her in the eye is quite scary.

De-clawing is completely out of the question as Olly tends to venture out when he gets the chance to sneak out the front door. I've done some reading about these rubber nail tips and read an online tutorial. It looked so easy! Both the owner and cat looked like they were actually enjoying putting them on/having them put on.

So tonight I bought the rubber nail tips. According to the tutorial, it was gonna be "Easy Peasy!".

I secured Ollie in my lap and have to dig through his very, very furry paws to find the nail. Once I have located the nail, I discovered that I can't see. So I stop, put down the cat and hunt for my glasses. I locate the spare glasses because who knows where my regular reading glasses are.

Back to square one, I secure the cat in my lap, grab a rubber tip and then discover that the spout off the glue needs to be cut. Down goes the cat and I can't find any scissors (mind you, I sew and have scissors everywhere but can't find one) and I begin to scream out for someone to help me find a pair of scissors.

My daughter comes out and brings me a pair of hemostats (I use these for turning thin tubes of fabric). Five minutes later, I find the scissors and again I pick up the cat, pick up a rubber tip. Squirt the glue on his claw and he screams and hisses and bites and scratches! Oh.Hell.To.The.No.And.Ouch.Too!

My glasses fly off my head and I discover that I have successfully adhered the rubber tip and the glue tube to the top of his paw! Ollie looks now looks like he should be floating in a jar in some freak show circus.

At this point, I enlist the help of my husband and tell him to grab a sweatshirt (to wrap the cat) and come and help me. He walks into the living room whilst putting on his sweatshirt (!!) and I look at him with cockeyed glasses and rivulets of sweat dripping down my forehead and through clenched teeth inform him that the sweatshirt is to wrap the cat in.

Again we begin. The cat is hissing and meowing like crazy and his breath stinks like he's got a whole school of fish in his mouth. Finally after a moment, I get the first tip on. We were successful in adhering seven tips to this guy. I think we are all a little emotionally spent after this ordeal.

Next time, I'll gladly pay the $30 fee the cat place charges! Evidently, the cat they used in the tutorial must be strung out on some heavy tranquilizers.