I have a little female cat named Ella Bella. she has an ingrown dewclaw that circles around then is reentering in almost the same spot that the nail protrudes from. It has not been like this for very long as it is not inflamed or infected. she is just starting to favor the other paw when jumping up or down . I can clearly see what i need to do to fix this for her. I know enough about cat care and the basics of of vet nursing to apply the common sense followup once i free the ingrown nail. to prevent infection. My problem is that I found this precious creature 9 summers ago lying in an old empty catbox with a broken toy... in the bottom of a dumpster behind my apartment.I live in Phoenix Az and the weather is extremely hot in the spring and summer. it was an incredibly cruel thing to do to a helpess tiny kittie . I have no idea of her heritage and suspect that either the experience of abandonment is embedded in her memory somehow ...or she is feral. ...Or was .she is now almost 10 years old and still the vestiges of that nervous and untrusting auro linger on her. she has bonded with me but still if really displeased with something i am doing in and around her will " discipline mom". It took her 6 years to warm up to my husband. she now trusts him as much as me. I do not think that she will allow me to restrain her appropiately and cut the offending nail , then remove the portion like a splinter from where it is embedded in her ankle. I have fashiened a cat muzzle so that the procedure can entail concentrating on the flying wicked claws. ( she is FAST) and theyare slender and very very sharp. but both my husband and i are concerned that she might injure us in pain or panic or that may be in the tussle be injured.I would love to trot her off to the vet and let them deal with her for this problem but my husband has been unemployed for over a year now and I have only been back to work after a 5 month lay off for around 3 and a 1/2 months myself.We have 9 cats, and whoever scolded the last woman who asked for help with her 6 cats that had colds better not give me that , well you shouldn't have them if you cannot afford to take them to the vet....lecture . a year and a half a go we were both working full time and I had a side job and so did my husband. The economy and our financial status have changed dramaitically since then.I would like to know what i can give her that would sedate her enough to allow for us to treat this before it gets infected and out of hand. I use "bikini bare gel which is for numbing the sting and irritation after you shave close . it has "lidocaine" in it and might numb the site to make it less painful to pull out the nail. the only sedative i know for cats is " ace promazine and that is given usually pre surgical anesthesia or as an aid to help them relax when you have to move them ... especially in a car. The later can only be purchased with a prescription from the vet. any help is appreciated. thanks for listening.... mother of 9
