How To Cut A Kitten's Nails At Home

How to Trim Your Cat'southward Nails at Habitation

Protect your cat'south health and the well-being of nearby humans—not to mention furniture—by keeping those claws neatly trimmed.

As anyone who lives with cats knows, cats like to scratch. They scratch to mark their territory, to stretch and flex their feet and bodies, and to wear down the expressionless outer layer of skin on their nails. Unfortunately, all the scratching behavior tin event in damaged article of furniture or defunction—and may even effect in damage to you!

You can satisfy their need to scratch by making sure they have enough of scratch-approved surfaces and by keeping your cat'due south nails in check with regular trimming. A cat'southward claws demand to exist trimmed every 10–14 days, so getting comfortable with at-dwelling trims is a must—no one tin run their cat to the groomer every time she needs a kitty mani pedi.

While it volition have you—and your true cat—some time to get used to the process, with a piffling patience it'south totally possible to tackle claw trims at home. Here are a few tips on how to cutting your true cat'due south nails painlessly.

Ready Your Cat for Blast Trims

If you're bringing abode a kitten, get her used to the smash trimming process as soon as possible. Establish those good habits early on and your life will be much easier.

Regardless of your cat'due south age, begin past getting her used to having her paws handled. Massage her feet and play with her paws regularly, speaking softy and rewarding her with treats to reinforce just how enjoyable the experience is.

You besides desire to get her used to the sight and sound of the nail clippers, earlier you e'er endeavour a trim. Take the clippers out of the drawer where you keep them and let her sniff and explore, rewarding with treats to create a positive association.

cat paw with claws extended

Massage your cat's paw and gently push downwards on his toes to extend the claws in order to trim.

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The biggest difference betwixt trimming a dog'due south nails and trimming a cat's is that cats possess retractable claws. When trimming a cat's nails, you'll need to gently squeeze the pinnacle and bottom of each pes to extend the claws for trimming. If she flinches or pulls away, don't fight her. But gently stroke and go along to soothe until she'southward relaxed enough for another try. Pros propose pressing downward to extend one nail each day in preparation for the eventual trimming. Extend the nail, and and so reward her with a treat. That way, she'll be gear up when the time to really cut the nails comes.

Get your cat used to the audio of the clippers by trimming something brittle like uncooked pasta. Clipping the uncooked noodles makes a similar audio equally the actual nail. Press your cat's paws to brand the claws extend before cutting the pasta, teaching her how it volition eventually work. Once again: treats, treats, treats!

How to Cut Overgrown Cat Claws

When you're ready for a trimming session, observe a position that's comfortable for you and safe for her. Many cats do bully if immune to lie on their side or in their possessor's lap. The American Club for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) tells cat owners the best time for blast clipping is when your cat is relaxed, possibly even sleepy after she's eaten. That way, y'all won't have to figure out how to trim a squirmy's cat's nails.

clipping cat smash

Avoid trimming the pink quick, the packet of nerves that you lot tin come across through a true cat's blast.

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Before doing whatever clipping, examine your cat's nails and find the quick, the pink, fleshy department that runs through the center of articulate or calorie-free-color nails. It's where all the fretfulness and blood vessels are so it's important to NOT cut into the quick to avoid causing pain and risking infection.

Clip ane blast (no more than 1/16th of an inch), give her a treat, and take a pause. If yous exercise accidentally prune through the quick. dab with some styptic powder to stop the haemorrhage.

As she gets more than comfortable with the process, you'll be able to trim more one nail at a time. Follow each snip with a tasty snack. If she gets restless, let her leave, and plan to finish the task another twenty-four hour period.

Choose the correct tools to cutting your kitty's claws. If her claws are long enough to roll into a circle, utilize a pair of scissors-type clippers for the job. Otherwise, you lot'll find it easier to use guillotine-type clippers. In a pinch, you tin tin can cutting true cat nails with man nail clippers, too.

If you can make nail trimming a calm and stress-complimentary experience, you lot should exist able to maintain an every-two-weeks grooming schedule that will proceed your kitty happy—and your home shred-free!