How To Easily Trim Your Cat's Nails

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A cat may need its nails trimmed to proceed them from splitting or breaking, and you may find it productive to trim off the sharp points of your cat'south nails if the cat is decumbent to kneading, scratching, etc. Trimming a cat's nails is fairly easy one time you become your cat accepted to it. Read on for detailed instructions.

one
Pet your true cat's paws. Most cats are naturally a little skittish about having their paws handled, so begin by helping your true cat get accustomed to it.^[1]
- Look for a time when your cat is relaxed and lounging.
- Begin gently petting its paws while simultaneously petting the cat in its favorite spots (the back of the neck, nether the chin, where its back meets its tail, etc.).
- Do this for each hand you program to trim.
- The true cat might pull its paws away, or even get up and walk abroad. Let it go; don't forcefulness information technology to practise anything, but keep to gently pet its paws when you have the opportunity.
- Whenever you handle your cat's paws, advantage it with treats and praise to assistance build positive associations.
ii
Hold your cat's paws. Once your cat is comfy enough to allow you to remainder your manus on its paws without pulling away, start to gently hold its paws in your open up paw.
- Place your mitt over the cat's mitt, then flip your hand effectually and so the lesser of the true cat's paw is on the palm of your hand.
- Keep rewarding the cat with petting and treats; give the cat a new, special treat that will only be associated with cutting its claws.
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3
Massage your cat's paws. After your true cat grows accepted to you holding its paws, start property the paws and massaging them with your fingers.^[ii]
- Gently massage your fingers over the tops and bottoms of each mitt you plan to trim.
- Reward your cat with more treats and praise.
iv
Wait closely at your cat'due south nails. Eventually, y'all should be able to gently squeeze the paws (applying most of the pressure on the pads) to push individual claws out without upsetting your true cat.^[3]
- When your cat's claws are extended, y'all'll see the thick part of the blast, and, towards the cat's toe, a pink surface area inside the boom, called the quick.
- The quick is the living part of the nail and contains claret vessels and nerves, and so cutting a cat's nail to the quick is quite painful for the cat. Never cutting a true cat'southward boom close to or with flush with the toe; your aim is to clip off simply the sharp betoken.^[4]
- Await advisedly at where and how large each quick is--through a clear smash it volition look like a small pink triangle. Each of your cat's nails will be similar, so even if the cat has dark nails, await to detect ane articulate smash as a reference point for the others.
5
Get your cat comfy with the "smash-trimming position." If your cat is already comfy sitting in the right position to have its nails cut, it will put up less of a fight during the actual trimming.
- If you're going to be trimming the cat's nails by yourself, the cat will need to sit down on its rear on your lap, facing away from you, while y'all hold its hand with one hand (and, eventually, the clippers with the other).
- Exercise having your cat sit this manner and concord each of its paws. Gently press on each nail to extend it. Again, reward the true cat with treats and praise.^[5]
- If yous have someone to aid, they can concord the true cat facing you, or they can cradle it, while you concur the hand with one hand (and, eventually, clip with the other).
- Practice having your assistant hold your true cat while yous agree each of its paws and gently printing each claw until your cat seems comfortable. Reward it with treats and praise.

ane
Wait for the right opportunity. Y'all can't trim your cat'due south nails whenever you feel like it. You should pick a time when your cat is feeling prissy and relaxed, such every bit when information technology'south just coming out of a nap, getting prepare to nap, or calmly resting on its favorite surface during the twenty-four hours.^[6]
- Another good time for nail trimming is after your cat has eaten and is feeling sleepy and content.
- Don't try to trim your cat's nails right after play time, when it'due south hungry, when it'southward restless and running around, or in an otherwise aggressive mood. The cat will be far from receptive to yous trimming its nails.
- You may see that your true cat has a cleaved or splitting smash and will want to cut it instantly, but don't. Brand a note of information technology and look for your cat to get relaxed before trying to cut information technology, or you could make information technology worse.
ii
Use the right tools. Before sitting down to cut your cat's nails, exist sure you have the right equipment to do and so. To trim your cat's nails, you'll need a pair of nail clippers designed to clip true cat claws and a styptic pencil.^[seven]
- There are several different styles of nail clippers, all of which largely practise the same job. The most important affair is that the clippers are sharp, so they snip straight through the hook. Non only volition using dull clippers make the job longer and harder, but you lot may also end up squeezing the quick, which can be painful for the cat. There are two master styles of clipper: scissor and guillotine clippers.
- Scissor clippers cut a cat'due south nails using a scissor motility and usually come in small-scale and large sizes. The pocket-size "nippers" tend to be improve for those new to clipping nails or if you just need to snip the tips. Larger scissor clippers are suited to cutting older, tougher nails.
- Guillotine clippers use a sliding bract that cuts the nail when you clasp the handles together. The hook fits into a slot and the blade slides beyond to clip the nail. These are strong clippers that are good for cut long, thick nails (but not overgrown nails--large clippers are better suited to that).
- If the clippers are sharp the true cat won't feel the quick clip. Clippers don't stay sharp forever, and then discard them (or send them for sharpening) if y'all suspect the blades have gone dull. Signs of this include having to utilize a lot of pressure to cut the smash or the smash beingness "chewed" by the clippers rather than making a make clean cut.
- Also take a styptic pencil on hand in case you lot cut the cat'due south quick (which is less likely with a cat than a domestic dog, equally the cat's quick is much shorter). Styptic pencils are readily available from pharmacies (typically in the shaving section). They cauterize claret vessels when touched to the nail and assist prevent bleeding. If you cut the quick, y'all can concur the styptic pencil to the claw for 1 - 2 minutes and the bleeding should stop.
iii
Collect your cat and identify it in the "nail-trimming position," with its rear on your lap and its back towards y'all. ^[eight]
- Hold the clippers in one manus and hold your cat'south paw in the other.
- Gently squeeze the pinnacle and bottom of your true cat'southward manus, on the joint just behind the claw to extend the claw.^[9]
4
Notice the place where the blast separates from the quick. Be sure you know where the quick is earlier you attempt to cut the nail--the quick will look like a small, pinkish triangle inside the nail.
- You should get-go cut just the tip of the nails, and as y'all get more comfy, you can cut closer to the quick, only never cut all the way to the quick or you can hurt your cat and make its nails bleed.
5
Cutting the nails with the trimmers. Concord the true cat as described earlier and cut the nails one by ane. Position the trimmers halfway betwixt the end of the quick and the claw.
- Endeavor to orient the clippers so that when the smash is cutting, the bract cuts from bottom to top. This volition help prevent splitting.
- Endeavor to avoid getting frustrated. Your true cat may protest, meow, and try to scratch you, but don't yell at your cat or rush through the process, or you lot may end up hurting it and scaring information technology abroad having its nails trimmed again.
- You may only be able to trim one or 2 nails at a fourth dimension at first.
6
Requite your true cat a treat. It'due south been a good sport about letting yous cut its nails and should be rewarded for enduring it.
- Make the care for special: vacuum-packed salmon, or chicken. Some cats also like sour cream or butter.
- Using a special treat ensures that your true cat begins to associate this care for with getting its nails trimmed. And then though your cat may non love the boom-trimming part, it'll want the treat subsequently, then it'll exist less resistant in the future.
vii
Cheque your cat's nails regularly. Each true cat's nails grow at a dissimilar charge per unit, only it'due south a good rule of thumb to trim your cat's nails somewhere between every ii weeks and every month and so that its nails don't get too long, carve up, or break.
- Though your cat volition be sharpening its claws and keeping them in good shape on its ain, keep an eye on their nails however. Your cat could be walking around with a cleaved nail, and you can help information technology out by trimming it into shape.
- Older cats need special attention because their nails are thicker and can sometimes press effectually into the pads, cutting into them. Check your older cat's nails every calendar week and clip the tip off if necessary. This is much easier than letting the nails get overgrown, which tin can crusade them to impact into the pads. If this happens, the true cat will need to run into a veterinary because antibiotics may be necessary.^[10]

1
Cull a person your cat knows and trusts. Don't get a stranger or relative stranger to help you lot trim your cat's nails or your cat volition be fifty-fifty more scared.
- Though information technology sounds good and fine to become your cat used to having its nails trimmed, the reality is, many cats volition still protest every single time, and y'all may have to get some extra assist to do information technology.
2
Accept your helper concord the true cat in place. You can both attempt standing on opposite sides of a raised surface, similar a counter.
- Both of you should talk calmly and reassuringly to the true cat.
- Have your helper pet the true cat and effort to keep it in place by holding on to its body without hurting it or scaring it likewise much.
- If your cat enjoys existence brushed, the other person can brush the cat to distract information technology from the fact that it's getting its nails trimmed. Have your helper brush the true cat's caput, under its cervix, or in other places where it enjoys being brushed.
3
Hold one of your cat's paws in your paw. While holding the paw, push downwardly on the pad to extend the claws.
- If your cat is being rowdy, wait for information technology to settle down so that you tin can isolate the paw.
4
Trim your cat'south nails every bit you normally would. Your helper will go along to distract the cat while you trim its claws.
- Just follow the directions in the previous section to brand sure you give your cat a shine, painless smash trim.
- When yous're done, reward your true cat with a overnice care for.
5
Cheque your cat's nails on a regular basis. Every true cat's nails will abound at a unlike rate, merely it'south adept practise to trim your true cat'due south nails somewhere between every two weeks and every month and so that its nails don't get too long, separate, or break.
- Though your true cat will likely sharpen its claws and proceed them in good shape on its own, go along an eye on its nails however. Your cat could exist walking around with a broken nail, and you can help information technology out by trimming it into shape.
- Older cats need special attending because their nails are thicker and can sometimes press around into the pads and cut into them. Check your older true cat's nails every week, and clip the tip off if necessary. This is much easier than letting the nails get overgrown, which tin can cause them to affect into the pads. If this happens then the cat will need to see a veterinarian considering antibiotics may exist necessary.^[11]

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My cat'south nail peel, with newspaper thin pieces coming abroad. The is no bleeding, pain or swelling. Is this normal?

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinary with over xxx years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion brute do. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal dispensary in her hometown for over 20 years.

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Yep, this is normal. A true cat's claws are different from human fingernails or a dog'due south claws, in that the blast grows in layers a bit like the skins on an onion. Therefore it's mutual for the outer layer to peel away, peculiarly if it's slightly damaged during scratching. This is an accommodation that leaves the cat with a permanently sharp set of nails for climbing or fighting.
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Do yous need to trim the true cat's back mitt claws?

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over xxx years of experience in veterinarian surgery and companion brute practice. She graduated from the Academy of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animate being dispensary in her hometown for over xx years.

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Start with the dorsum claws beginning. Many cats volition effort to employ their hind legs to go free, but if y'all've already cut them, you won't get scratched as easily.
Many cats can be clipped when they are snoozing side by side to their human companions. If you tin remember to go along the clippers nearby, yous may exist able to achieve this very necessary flake of cat care without disturbing the cat's important rest.
Roofing the true cat's eyes or obscuring the true cat's vision of the trimming procedure may help for some cats.
If you are unsure exactly where to cut, ask someone to prove y'all how it'southward done. Near vets, animal shelters, and groomers are happy to provide a free sit-in.
If you need to trim your cat's nails but it's putting up a fight, you tin wrap the cat in a towel or blanket and extend one arm or leg out at a time. If you lot must do this, however, it'south probably because you haven't had fourth dimension to prepare the cat, and it will be harder to do so over again once the true cat associates boom trimming with trauma.
It helps if paws are moisture for long-haired cats.
You tin condition your cat as a kitten--even every bit young as a month old. At that age, small fingernail clippers piece of work well as the claws are tiny. But prune off the ends. Then exist sure to provide a treat. The sooner they associate nail clipping with treats, the ameliorate.
Trimming off less of the nail more frequently is better than taking the chance of cutting also deep. If you lot cutting too deep, information technology's going to exist harder to trim the nails after on.
Don't forget the dew claws! Most cats have two dewclaws, 1 on each front leg. These are like a pocket-size pollex, located on the side of the forepart legs, simply below the wrist. Considering these claws don't get used much, they tend to overgrow and should be checked monthly in a salubrious young cat.^[12]

Do not use nail clippers or scissors made for humans. It splits the cat's nails.
Be very conscientious not to cutting too far dorsum and hit the quick. It is very painful for the cat.^[xiii]
The ASPCA strongly discourages "declawing" a cat, which can cause nerve impairment as well as emotional distress in a true cat. Instead, trim a cat'southward claws every few weeks and provide scratching posts or surfaces.^[14]

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Article Summary X

To trim your cat'south nails, sit the cat on its rear in your lap, facing away from you, and pick upwardly one of its paws. Massage the mitt, then press down gently to betrayal the claws. Position the trimmers halfway between the quick and the claw, then squeeze the trimmers to prune off the nail. Work on i blast at a fourth dimension, then switch to the next paw. Ever follow up your trimming sessions by giving your cat a tasty treat! To learn virtually trimming your true cat's nails when you have a helper with you, read on!

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