Dogs
By Julia Williams
Trimming a cat’s nails regularly is an important aspect of responsible pet ownership, because it can keep them from injuring themselves, other pets and you. Trimmed nails are also much kinder to your furniture, curtains and carpeting. Left untrimmed, a cat’s razor-sharp talons are capable of inflicting serious damage, both intended and accidental. Trimming your cat’s claws is not terribly difficult, but there are things I’ve learned that can make it easier, especially if your cat doesn’t like to be messed with.
Tools for Trimming a Cat’s Claws
There are several different styles of trimmers available, so check them out at your local pet store. Some people find that regular human nail clippers work too. I have a pair of small scissor-shaped trimmers with a sliding “guillotine” blade. I prefer them to nail clippers because they’re easier to hold and don’t slip out of my hand if my cat squirms.
You’ll also need a nail file for smoothing jagged edges, and styptic powder in case you accidentally cut into the quick (more on that later). An optional accessory that’s good for feisty cats is the Klaw Kontrol Bag. It’s basically a kitty straight jacket that keeps everything except the paw you’re working on tucked inside a zippered bag. You can also burrito-wrap your cat in a towel or blanket, leaving one leg out.
Tip #1: Condition Your Cat
The ideal time to start trimming your cat’s claws is when they’re young. Kittens become acclimated to the procedure and rarely put up a fuss as they get older. If that’s not possible, you might need to do a little “conditioning” before attempting to cut the nails. Conditioning helps your cat get used to having its paw held. When grooming or petting your cat, stroke their paw and hold it lightly in your hand. Once they’re comfortable with this, move on to massaging their paw and eventually, giving it a gentle squeeze to push out the claws. When you can get to this stage without a major freak-out, you’re ready to move on to the trimming.
Tip #2: Timing is Everything
The best time to trim a cat's claws is right after a nap, when they’re relaxed. In fact, I often sneak in with my trimmers while my cats are asleep on the bed, and usually get at least one paw done before they realize what I’m up to. Sometimes they let me do both paws and if not, I just come back later. Since cats sleep 14-18 hours a day on average, there are plenty of nail trimming opportunities.
Tip #3: Find the Right Position
The position that works best for nail trimming varies from cat to cat, and from human to human. If I’m trimming nails when they’re awake instead of half asleep as above, I usually have them on my lap facing away. Some people like to have the cat on the floor or a table, so experiment to discover what’s most comfortable for you and your cat. You can also have someone hold the cat facing you; just be sure that you hold the paw you’re trimming so you can sense if the cat is about to pull it away.
Once you’ve “assumed the position,” take your cat’s paw in your hand and use your thumb and index finger to apply gentle pressure to the joint just behind the claw. This causes the claw to extend so you can trim the sharp tip.
Tip #4: Don’t Cut the Quick
Take the time to become familiar with your cat’s claws so you can identify the quick, the pink area near the core where blood vessels and nerve endings are located. Trimming too far up the nail can cut into the quick, causing pain and bleeding. If you’re unsure where the quick starts or how to trim your cat’s nails, ask your vet or a professional groomer to show you.
Clip only about halfway between the quick and the tip of the claw, or take the safest route and just clip the very tips, what I call “taking the edge off.” You’ll need to trim more often that way, but you won’t cut the quick, unless your cat suddenly jerks its paw when you’re clipping. If you do accidentally clip the quick and it bleeds for more than a minute or two, touch a styptic pencil to the claw or apply styptic powder to help stop the bleeding.
Tip #5: Just the Front Claws, Ma’am
The back claws of most cats don’t become razor-sharp like their front claws do, so they rarely need to be trimmed. When you’re clipping their front claws, you can simply examine the rear claws to make sure they haven’t gotten too long or too sharp, and clip when necessary.
When trimming your cat’s claws, orient the clippers so that the nail is cut from top to bottom instead of across the nail, which will help prevent splitting. Using sharp clippers also helps. Lastly, be sure to give your kitty a tasty treat when you’re done!
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- How To Trim A Dog's Toenails
By Linda Cole Dogs aren't always cooperative when it's time to trim their toenails. I’ve had dogs that sat patiently while I trimmed away; however, most of my dogs look at me as if I'm going to take their nails off all the way up to their...
- What Is The Purpose Of A Dog's Dew Claw?
By Linda Cole Dogs have a toenail located on the inside part of their front leg that's called a dew claw. Most dog owners know where it's located and remember to clip it at the same time the rest of the dog's toenails are trimmed. If this...
- How To Give Your Pooch A Pedicure
By Suzanne Alicie One of the tasks that often gets overlooked by dog owners is the doggie pedicure. Unless you have a breed that gets groomed often you may not spare a thought to grooming your dog’s feet. But this is actually very important for their...
- How To Clip Your Cat’s Toenails
Did you know you can trim your cat’s toenails yourself? It is really very simple and it doesn’t take much time or effort once you get the hang of it. Not only that, you can save any fees the vet would charge you for this service if you had to have...
- Dog Nail Grinder
Every family seems incomplete without a pet, even single people feel the need of a pet as a companion, and more often than not these ideal friends are dogs. A lot of time and patience is needed for dog care, it may get taxing for the owners at times...
Dogs
How to Trim Your Cat’s Claws
Trimming a cat’s nails regularly is an important aspect of responsible pet ownership, because it can keep them from injuring themselves, other pets and you. Trimmed nails are also much kinder to your furniture, curtains and carpeting. Left untrimmed, a cat’s razor-sharp talons are capable of inflicting serious damage, both intended and accidental. Trimming your cat’s claws is not terribly difficult, but there are things I’ve learned that can make it easier, especially if your cat doesn’t like to be messed with.
Tools for Trimming a Cat’s Claws
There are several different styles of trimmers available, so check them out at your local pet store. Some people find that regular human nail clippers work too. I have a pair of small scissor-shaped trimmers with a sliding “guillotine” blade. I prefer them to nail clippers because they’re easier to hold and don’t slip out of my hand if my cat squirms.
You’ll also need a nail file for smoothing jagged edges, and styptic powder in case you accidentally cut into the quick (more on that later). An optional accessory that’s good for feisty cats is the Klaw Kontrol Bag. It’s basically a kitty straight jacket that keeps everything except the paw you’re working on tucked inside a zippered bag. You can also burrito-wrap your cat in a towel or blanket, leaving one leg out.
Tip #1: Condition Your Cat
The ideal time to start trimming your cat’s claws is when they’re young. Kittens become acclimated to the procedure and rarely put up a fuss as they get older. If that’s not possible, you might need to do a little “conditioning” before attempting to cut the nails. Conditioning helps your cat get used to having its paw held. When grooming or petting your cat, stroke their paw and hold it lightly in your hand. Once they’re comfortable with this, move on to massaging their paw and eventually, giving it a gentle squeeze to push out the claws. When you can get to this stage without a major freak-out, you’re ready to move on to the trimming.
Tip #2: Timing is Everything
The best time to trim a cat's claws is right after a nap, when they’re relaxed. In fact, I often sneak in with my trimmers while my cats are asleep on the bed, and usually get at least one paw done before they realize what I’m up to. Sometimes they let me do both paws and if not, I just come back later. Since cats sleep 14-18 hours a day on average, there are plenty of nail trimming opportunities.
Tip #3: Find the Right Position
The position that works best for nail trimming varies from cat to cat, and from human to human. If I’m trimming nails when they’re awake instead of half asleep as above, I usually have them on my lap facing away. Some people like to have the cat on the floor or a table, so experiment to discover what’s most comfortable for you and your cat. You can also have someone hold the cat facing you; just be sure that you hold the paw you’re trimming so you can sense if the cat is about to pull it away.
Once you’ve “assumed the position,” take your cat’s paw in your hand and use your thumb and index finger to apply gentle pressure to the joint just behind the claw. This causes the claw to extend so you can trim the sharp tip.
Tip #4: Don’t Cut the Quick
Take the time to become familiar with your cat’s claws so you can identify the quick, the pink area near the core where blood vessels and nerve endings are located. Trimming too far up the nail can cut into the quick, causing pain and bleeding. If you’re unsure where the quick starts or how to trim your cat’s nails, ask your vet or a professional groomer to show you.
Clip only about halfway between the quick and the tip of the claw, or take the safest route and just clip the very tips, what I call “taking the edge off.” You’ll need to trim more often that way, but you won’t cut the quick, unless your cat suddenly jerks its paw when you’re clipping. If you do accidentally clip the quick and it bleeds for more than a minute or two, touch a styptic pencil to the claw or apply styptic powder to help stop the bleeding.
Tip #5: Just the Front Claws, Ma’am
The back claws of most cats don’t become razor-sharp like their front claws do, so they rarely need to be trimmed. When you’re clipping their front claws, you can simply examine the rear claws to make sure they haven’t gotten too long or too sharp, and clip when necessary.
When trimming your cat’s claws, orient the clippers so that the nail is cut from top to bottom instead of across the nail, which will help prevent splitting. Using sharp clippers also helps. Lastly, be sure to give your kitty a tasty treat when you’re done!
Read more articles by Julia Williams
- How To Trim A Dog's Toenails
By Linda Cole Dogs aren't always cooperative when it's time to trim their toenails. I’ve had dogs that sat patiently while I trimmed away; however, most of my dogs look at me as if I'm going to take their nails off all the way up to their...
- What Is The Purpose Of A Dog's Dew Claw?
By Linda Cole Dogs have a toenail located on the inside part of their front leg that's called a dew claw. Most dog owners know where it's located and remember to clip it at the same time the rest of the dog's toenails are trimmed. If this...
- How To Give Your Pooch A Pedicure
By Suzanne Alicie One of the tasks that often gets overlooked by dog owners is the doggie pedicure. Unless you have a breed that gets groomed often you may not spare a thought to grooming your dog’s feet. But this is actually very important for their...
- How To Clip Your Cat’s Toenails
Did you know you can trim your cat’s toenails yourself? It is really very simple and it doesn’t take much time or effort once you get the hang of it. Not only that, you can save any fees the vet would charge you for this service if you had to have...
- Dog Nail Grinder
Every family seems incomplete without a pet, even single people feel the need of a pet as a companion, and more often than not these ideal friends are dogs. A lot of time and patience is needed for dog care, it may get taxing for the owners at times...