How To Trim A Cat's Nails At Home

Download Commodity

Download Article

A cat may need its nails trimmed to proceed them from splitting or breaking, and you may find it productive to trim off the abrupt points of your cat's nails if the cat is prone to kneading, scratching, etc. Trimming a cat's nails is fairly easy once you get your true cat accustomed to it. Read on for detailed instructions.

i
Pet your true cat'south paws. Most cats are naturally a fiddling skittish about having their paws handled, and then begin by helping your true cat get accepted to it.^[i]
- Wait 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 mitt yous plan to trim.
- The cat might pull its paws away, or even get up and walk away. Permit it go; don't force it to do annihilation, merely go on to gently pet its paws when you have the opportunity.
- Whenever yous handle your cat's paws, reward information technology with treats and praise to assistance build positive associations.
2
Hold your true cat's paws. In one case your true cat is comfortable enough to let you to rest your hand on its paws without pulling abroad, start to gently hold its paws in your open paw.
- Identify your hand over the cat's mitt, and so flip your hand around so the bottom of the true cat's paw is on the palm of your mitt.
- Go on rewarding the cat with petting and treats; give the cat a new, special care for that will but be associated with cutting its claws.
Ad
3
Massage your true cat's paws. Later on your true cat grows accustomed to you holding its paws, start belongings the paws and massaging them with your fingers.^[ii]
- Gently massage your fingers over the tops and bottoms of each paw y'all program to trim.
- Reward your cat with more treats and praise.
4
Look closely at your cat's nails. Eventually, you should exist able to gently squeeze the paws (applying about of the pressure on the pads) to push individual claws out without upsetting your cat.^[iii]
- When your cat's claws are extended, yous'll see the thick part of the nail, and, towards the true cat's toe, a pink surface area inside the nail, called the quick.
- The quick is the living role of the blast and contains blood vessels and nerves, so cutting a true cat's nail to the quick is quite painful for the cat. Never cut a cat's nail close to or with flush with the toe; your aim is to clip off only the sharp point.^[four]
- Look carefully at where and how big each quick is--through a clear nail it will expect similar a small pink triangle. Each of your cat's nails will be similar, so even if the true cat has dark nails, await to find one clear boom as a reference point for the others.
v
Get your cat comfortable with the "boom-trimming position." If your true cat is already comfortable sitting in the right position to have its nails cutting, it will put up less of a fight during the bodily trimming.
- If you're going to be trimming the cat's nails by yourself, the cat will need to sit on its rear on your lap, facing away from you, while you hold its mitt with i mitt (and, eventually, the clippers with the other).
- Practice having your true cat sit down this way and concur each of its paws. Gently press on each smash to extend it. Again, reward the cat with treats and praise.^[five]
- If you have someone to help, they can concur the cat facing you, or they can cradle it, while you hold the paw with one hand (and, eventually, clip with the other).
- Practice having your assistant hold your cat while yous hold each of its paws and gently press each claw until your cat seems comfy. Reward it with treats and praise.
Advertisement

1
Wait for the right opportunity. You tin can't trim your true cat's nails whenever you experience like it. You should choice a time when your cat is feeling overnice and relaxed, such as when information technology's just coming out of a nap, getting ready to nap, or calmly resting on its favorite surface during the twenty-four hour period.^[6]
- Some other good fourth dimension for nail trimming is later your cat has eaten and is feeling sleepy and content.
- Don't try to trim your cat'due south nails correct later on play fourth dimension, when it'due south hungry, when information technology'south restless and running around, or in an otherwise aggressive mood. The cat will be far from receptive to y'all trimming its nails.
- You may see that your cat has a broken or splitting nail and will want to cutting information technology instantly, but don't. Make a note of it and wait for your cat to get relaxed before trying to cutting it, or you could make it worse.
ii
Use the correct tools. Before sitting downwardly to cutting your true cat's nails, be sure you have the correct equipment to exercise so. To trim your cat's nails, yous'll need a pair of nail clippers designed to prune cat claws and a styptic pencil.^[7]
- There are several different styles of nail clippers, all of which largely practise the aforementioned job. The most important thing is that the clippers are precipitous, so they snip directly through the claw. Non only will using tedious clippers make the job longer and harder, but you may also finish upwards squeezing the quick, which tin can be painful for the cat. There are two primary styles of clipper: scissor and guillotine clippers.
- Scissor clippers cut a true cat's nails using a scissor motility and ordinarily come up in small and large sizes. The small "nippers" tend to be better for those new to clipping nails or if you lot 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 smash when y'all clasp the handles together. The hook fits into a slot and the blade slides beyond to clip the nail. These are stiff clippers that are good for cutting long, thick nails (but not overgrown nails--large clippers are meliorate suited to that).
- If the clippers are precipitous the cat won't feel the quick clip. Clippers don't stay sharp forever, so discard them (or send them for sharpening) if you doubtable the blades have gone ho-hum. Signs of this include having to employ a lot of pressure to cut the nail or the nail being "chewed" by the clippers rather than making a clean cut.
- Also accept a styptic pencil on hand in example yous cutting the cat's quick (which is less likely with a cat than a dog, equally the cat's quick is much shorter). Styptic pencils are readily available from pharmacies (typically in the shaving department). They cauterize blood vessels when touched to the nail and help prevent bleeding. If you cutting the quick, y'all can concur the styptic pencil to the claw for one - 2 minutes and the bleeding should end.
3
Collect your true cat and identify information technology in the "boom-trimming position," with its rear on your lap and its back towards you. ^[viii]
- Agree the clippers in i hand and hold your cat'due south mitt in the other.
- Gently squeeze the top and bottom of your cat's paw, on the articulation just behind the claw to extend the claw.^[9]
4
Discover the place where the nail separates from the quick. Be sure you know where the quick is before you endeavour to cutting the nail--the quick volition await similar a small, pink triangle inside the nail.
- Y'all should first cut simply the tip of the nails, and equally you go more comfortable, you can cutting closer to the quick, but never cut all the manner to the quick or yous can hurt your cat and make its nails bleed.
five
Cut the nails with the trimmers. Concur the cat every bit described earlier and cutting the nails one by one. Position the trimmers halfway between the terminate of the quick and the claw.
- Attempt to orient the clippers and then that when the nail is cutting, the bract cuts from lesser to summit. This will help prevent splitting.
- Try to avert getting frustrated. Your true cat may protest, meow, and endeavour to scratch you, but don't yell at your cat or rush through the process, or you may stop up hurting it and scaring it away having its nails trimmed again.
- Y'all may only exist able to trim ane or ii nails at a time at kickoff.
half dozen
Requite your cat a care for. It'due south been a skilful sport about letting you cut its nails and should be rewarded for indelible it.
- Make the treat special: vacuum-packed salmon, or chicken. Some cats also like sour cream or butter.
- Using a special care for ensures that your cat begins to associate this treat with getting its nails trimmed. And so though your true cat may not love the nail-trimming function, it'll want the treat afterwards, so information technology'll be less resistant in the future.
7
Bank check your cat's nails regularly. Each cat'due south nails grow at a different rate, but it's a good rule of thumb to trim your cat'due south nails somewhere betwixt every two weeks and every month and so that its nails don't get too long, split, or intermission.
- Though your cat will be sharpening its claws and keeping them in practiced shape on its own, go along an eye on their nails nonetheless. Your true 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 around into the pads, cut into them. Check your older cat'southward nails every calendar week and clip the tip off if necessary. This is much easier than letting the nails become overgrown, which can cause them to impact into the pads. If this happens, the true cat will demand to meet a veterinarian because antibiotics may be necessary.^[x]
Advertisement

1
Choose a person your true cat knows and trusts. Don't become a stranger or relative stranger to help you trim your true cat'south nails or your cat will be even more scared.
- Though it sounds adept and fine to go your cat used to having its nails trimmed, the reality is, many cats will still protest every single fourth dimension, and you may accept to get some actress assist to do information technology.
2
Accept your helper hold the cat in place. Yous tin can both try standing on contrary sides of a raised surface, like a counter.
- Both of you lot should talk calmly and reassuringly to the cat.
- Take your helper pet the cat and try to continue it in place by holding on to its body without hurting it or scaring information technology as well much.
- If your cat enjoys being brushed, the other person can brush the cat to distract information technology from the fact that information technology's getting its nails trimmed. Take your helper brush the cat's caput, under its cervix, or in other places where it enjoys beingness brushed.
3
Concord one of your cat's paws in your mitt. While property the hand, push downwards on the pad to extend the claws.
- If your cat is being rowdy, wait for it to settle downwards so that yous can isolate the paw.
4
Trim your cat's nails as you normally would. Your helper will go along to distract the true cat while you trim its claws.
- Just follow the directions in the previous section to make sure you give your true cat a polish, painless nail trim.
- When y'all're done, reward your cat with a nice treat.
5
Check your cat's nails on a regular footing. Every cat's nails volition grow at a dissimilar rate, merely information technology'south skilful practice to trim your true cat'southward nails somewhere between every two weeks and every month so that its nails don't get too long, split, or suspension.
- Though your cat will likely sharpen its claws and keep them in skilful shape on its own, go along an heart on its nails nonetheless. Your true cat could be walking around with a broken smash, and you can help information technology out by trimming it into shape.
- Older cats need special attention because their nails are thicker and tin can sometimes press around into the pads and cut 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 cause them to impact into the pads. If this happens and then the cat will need to run across a veterinarian because antibiotics may be necessary.^[eleven]
Advert

Add New Question

Question

My cat's nail peel, with newspaper sparse pieces coming away. The is no bleeding, pain or swelling. Is this normal?

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinarian surgery and companion beast exercise. 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.

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes, this is normal. A cat's claws are unlike from human fingernails or a dog's claws, in that the nail grows in layers a bit like the skins on an onion. Therefore it'due south mutual for the outer layer to skin away, peculiarly if information technology'southward slightly damaged during scratching. This is an adaptation that leaves the true cat with a permanently sharp set of nails for climbing or fighting.
Question

Do yous need to trim the cat's back paw claws?

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over xxx years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the Academy of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinarian medicine and surgery. She has worked at the aforementioned animal clinic in her hometown for over twenty years.

Veterinarian

Good Respond

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your electronic mail accost to become a bulletin when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertising

Start with the back claws first. Many cats volition try to utilise their hind legs to get free, but if you've already cut them, you won't get scratched as easily.
Many cats can be clipped when they are snoozing next to their human companions. If y'all can recollect to keep the clippers nearby, you may be able to accomplish this very necessary bit of cat care without disturbing the cat'due south of import rest.
Covering the cat's eyes or obscuring the true cat'due south vision of the trimming process may help for some cats.
If you are unsure exactly where to cut, enquire someone to show you how it's done. Most vets, beast shelters, and groomers are happy to provide a complimentary demonstration.
If yous need to trim your cat's nails but information technology's putting upwards a fight, you tin can wrap the cat in a towel or blanket and extend one arm or leg out at a time. If you must do this, still, it'southward probably because you haven't had fourth dimension to prepare the cat, and it will be harder to do so once more once the cat associates nail trimming with trauma.
It helps if paws are wet for long-haired cats.
You can status your true cat as a kitten--even as immature equally a month sometime. At that age, small fingernail clippers piece of work well as the claws are tiny. But clip off the ends. Then be certain to provide a treat. The sooner they associate boom clipping with treats, the improve.
Trimming off less of the nail more than often is better than taking the hazard of cut too deep. If y'all cutting also deep, it'southward going to be harder to trim the nails later on.
Don't forget the dew claws! Most cats have two dewclaws, one on each front end leg. These are like a small thumb, located on the side of the front legs, just below the wrist. Because these claws don't get used much, they tend to overgrow and should be checked monthly in a good for you young cat.^[12]

Do not use nail clippers or scissors fabricated for humans. It splits the cat's nails.
Be very careful not to cutting too far dorsum and hit the quick. It is very painful for the cat.^[13]
The ASPCA strongly discourages "declawing" a cat, which tin cause nerve impairment besides every bit emotional distress in a true cat. Instead, trim a cat's claws every few weeks and provide scratching posts or surfaces.^[14]

Most This Commodity

Commodity Summary Ten

To trim your cat'southward nails, sit the cat on its rear in your lap, facing away from you, and choice up one of its paws. Massage the paw, and so press down gently to expose the claws. Position the trimmers halfway between the quick and the claw, then squeeze the trimmers to clip off the smash. Work on ane blast at a fourth dimension, and then switch to the next paw. Always follow up your trimming sessions by giving your cat a tasty care for! To acquire nigh trimming your cat's nails when y'all take a helper with you, read on!

Did this summary aid you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read ane,119,565 times.