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Cat nails need to be trimmed to prevent them from breaking or becoming damaged, and trimming the sharp tips helps avoid scratching people, furniture, or other pets. Nail trimming is fairly simple once you get your cat accustomed to the habit. Read the following article for more details.
Steps
Preparing to Trim the Nails
Gently pet your cat’s paws. Many cats instinctively pull away when their paws are touched, so it's important to start by getting them used to the process.
- Choose a time when your cat is calm and relaxed.
- Begin by gently stroking their paws while also petting their favorite spots (like their neck, under the chin, or between their back and tail).
- Do this for each paw you plan to trim the nails of.
- Your cat may try to pull away or even get up and walk away. Let them go; don’t force them to do anything, but continue to gently pet their paws when you have the chance.
- Every time you touch your cat’s paws, reward them and praise them to make the experience positive.
Hold your cat's paw. Once your cat feels comfortable and allows you to touch their paws, you can gently hold their paw with an open palm.
- Place your hand on the cat's paw, then flip your hand over so their paw rests in the palm of your hand.
- Continue rewarding your cat by petting and offering treats; give them a special treat to associate the nail trimming with a positive experience.
Massage your cat's paws. After your cat gets used to having their paws held, you can begin gently massaging their paw with your fingers.
- Gently massage the top and underside of the paw that you intend to trim.
- Reward your cat with more treats and praise.
Check your cat's claws. Over time, your pet will allow you to gently press on their paw (pressing the top of the paw) to extend the claws without causing them discomfort.
- When the claws are visible, you will notice the thickest part of the claw, with the pinkish area inside called the quick.
- The quick is the living part of the nail and contains blood vessels and nerves, so cutting too close to it will cause pain. Avoid cutting too near or accidentally trimming the quick, only cut the sharp tip of the claw.
- Carefully inspect the location and size of the quick. Through the transparent part of the nail, the quick appears as a small pink triangular shape. All cat claws are the same, so if your cat has dark nails, simply look for a lighter area as a reference for the other claws.
Encourage your cat to adopt a “nail trimming position”. If your cat is seated in the proper position for trimming, they will be less likely to resist during the process.
- If trimming your cat’s nails by yourself, you should place them sitting on your lap, facing outward, and hold their paw with one hand (while using the other to hold the nail trimmer).
- Train your cat to sit in this position and hold each of their paws. Gently press on each toe to extend the claws. Continue rewarding them with treats and praise.
- If you have assistance, ask them to hold the cat’s body facing toward you, or hold them in your arms while you use one hand to hold their paw (and the other to trim their nails).
- Ask the helper to keep the cat still while you gently press each claw out until your cat is comfortable. Reward them with treats and praise.
Trimming Your Cat's Nails
Choose the right time. You cannot trim your cat's nails whenever you wish. It's important to wait until your cat is in a relaxed mood, such as after waking up, before bed, or when they’re resting in their favorite spot in the afternoon.
- The best time to trim nails is after your cat has finished eating and is in a restful sleep.
- Do not attempt to trim nails right after playtime, when they’re hungry, overly energetic, running around, or in a bad mood. They won’t allow you to trim their nails at that time.
- You may see your cat’s nails damaged or cracked and feel the urge to trim them immediately, but it's better to wait. Allow your cat to feel comfortable before attempting to trim their nails, as rushing can make the situation worse.
Use the right tools. Before trimming your cat's nails, you need to prepare the proper tools. You should use nail clippers designed for cats and a styptic pen.
- There are different types of clippers, but they all serve similar functions. The key is that the clippers should be sharp to make the process easier. Dull clippers are not only hard to use but may also accidentally touch the quick, causing pain. The main types of nail clippers are scissor-style and guillotine-style clippers.
- Scissor-type clippers work by moving the blades and come in small and large sizes. Small clippers are ideal for beginners or for trimming just the tips of the claws. Large ones are better for trimming old, thick claws.
- Guillotine clippers have a sliding blade that cuts when you press the handles together. This type is more rigid and is used for cutting thick, long nails (not for extremely long claws, which require larger clippers).
- If the clippers are sharp enough, your cat won't feel the blade touching the quick. If the clippers become dull, you should replace them or sharpen them. Signs of dull clippers include having to apply excessive force to cut or seeing jagged edges.
- It’s also recommended to keep a styptic pen on hand in case you accidentally cut the quick (which is rare in cats, as their quicks are shorter). This pen helps stop bleeding by clotting the blood vessels in the quick. If you accidentally cut it, press the styptic pen onto the nail for 1-2 minutes to stop the bleeding.
Pick up your cat and place them in the “nail trimming position,” sitting on your lap with their back facing you.
- Hold the clippers in one hand and use the other hand to hold your cat’s paw.
- Gently press the top and bottom of the paw near the joint behind the claw to extend the nail.
Locate the quick of the claw. You need to identify the quick before trimming. The quick is the small pink triangular area inside the claw.
- If you’re new to trimming your cat’s nails, only trim the tips of the claws. Once you become comfortable, you can trim closer to the quick, but avoid cutting too close, as it will cause pain and bleeding.
Use the nail clippers. Keep your cat in the position described above and trim each nail one by one. Place the clippers between the base of the quick and the tip of the claw.
- Adjust the direction of the clippers so the blades cut from the bottom up. This technique helps prevent the claws from splitting.
- Stay calm and avoid getting frustrated. Your cat may resist, hiss, or try to scratch you, but don’t shout or rush through the process. Doing so will only cause injury and make them reluctant to let you trim their nails in the future.
- On your first attempt, you may only be able to trim one or two claws.
Reward your cat with treats. Your cat has behaved well by allowing you to trim their nails, and they deserve a reward for their cooperation.
- Offer enticing treats: canned salmon or chicken. Some cats also enjoy a bit of ice cream or fermented butter.
- Using tempting treats helps create an association between the reward and the nail trimming action. Even if your cat doesn’t enjoy the process, the prospect of a tasty reward will make them less resistant in future sessions.
Regularly check your cat's claws. Cats' claws grow at different rates, but a good rule of thumb is to trim them every two weeks to a month to prevent them from becoming too long, cracked, or damaged.
- Even though cats naturally sharpen their claws, you should still keep an eye on their claws. Damaged claws can be trimmed neatly to help your pet.
- Older cats, in particular, require attention because their claws thicken and can sometimes press back into the pads, causing pain. Check your cat's nails weekly and trim as needed. It’s easier to maintain them than let them grow too long and affect the pads. If you encounter any issues, take your cat to the vet for any necessary antibiotics.
Trimming your cat's nails with assistance
Choose someone your cat trusts. Avoid asking strangers or people who are not familiar with your cat to help trim their nails, as this may increase their fear.
- Although any cat can be trained to get used to nail trimming, they will still resist, so extra help is often needed.
Ask someone to hold your cat steady. You and the helper can stand on opposite sides of a table or kitchen counter.
- Both of you should speak gently and calmly to your cat.
- Ask the helper to gently hold your cat’s body without causing harm or distress.
- If your cat enjoys being brushed, the helper can distract them by grooming their fur while you trim their nails. Direct them to brush their head, under the chin, or other areas your cat enjoys being groomed.
Hold one of your cat’s paws gently. While doing this, gently press the paw to extend the claws.
- If your cat is hissing, wait until they calm down before touching their paw.
Trim your cat's claws as usual. The helper will continue to distract the cat while you trim their claws.
- Follow the instructions provided earlier to ensure you are trimming the claws properly and without causing pain.
- Once you’re done, reward your cat with a tasty treat.
Regularly check your cat's claws. The rate at which cats' claws grow varies, but it’s good practice to inspect their claws every two weeks to a month to prevent them from growing too long, becoming brittle, or getting damaged.
- Although cats naturally file their claws, you should still monitor their condition. If the claws are damaged, you can help by trimming them neatly.
- Pay special attention to older cats, as their claws become thicker and can sometimes press back into their pads, causing pain. Check your cat’s nails weekly and trim them as necessary. It’s easier to maintain them than to let them grow too long, which can affect their paws. If issues arise, take your cat to the vet for any needed antibiotics.
Advice
- Start with the back paws. Many cats tend to use their rear legs to escape, but if you’ve already trimmed their claws, you won’t have to worry about scratches.
- You can trim your cat’s claws while they’re napping next to you. If you have the clippers ready, you can trim their nails without disturbing their sleep.
- If you're unsure about where to trim, ask for guidance. A veterinarian, animal shelter staff, or a cat grooming expert will be happy to walk you through the process.
- Covering your cat’s eyes or blocking their view can help them stay calmer, preventing them from being too stressed by the procedure.
- If your cat resists having their claws trimmed, you can wrap them in a towel or blanket, leaving one paw exposed at a time. This method may be necessary if you haven’t had time to train them, but be aware that the cat may associate the process with stress, making future nail care more difficult.
- For long-haired cats, you should moisten their paws slightly to make the nail trimming process easier.
- You can start training your cat at an early age, even as young as one month. At this age, you can use small clippers since the claws are still developing. Simply trim the tips and reward them. The sooner you help your cat form a positive association between nail trimming and rewards, the better.
- Trimming your cat's nails regularly is better than letting them grow too long and then cutting them all at once. If you trim too deeply, future sessions will be harder to manage.
- Don’t forget the dewclaws! Most cats have two dewclaws on their front legs. These are small, thumb-like claws located on the inner edge of the front legs, just below the ankle. These claws are rarely used and tend to grow long, so it’s important to check them monthly if your cat is healthy.
Warning
- Do not use human nail clippers or scissors. These tools can cause your cat's claws to crack.
- Never cut too deeply into the nail, as this can injure the sensitive pad underneath and cause your cat a lot of pain.
- Avoid trimming your cat's claws too short, as this can damage nerves and psychologically harm your cat. Instead, trim their claws every few weeks and provide a scratching post or pad for them to use.
