How to Trim Cat Nails
with
Janet Tobiassen-Crosby, DVM
Cutting your cat's nails can be a little intimidating at first, but with these tips you can do it safely and comfortably at home. Learn how to trim cat nails the right way.
Transcript: How to Trim Cat Nails
Hi, I'm Dr. Janet Tobiassen-Crosby, your Guide to veterinary medicine at About.com. Today we're going to talk about trimming your cat's nails.Why Cut Cat Nails?
Trimming your cat's nails is a way to both preserve your furniture and keep your cats nails in good health. Cats that are older or have extra toes, or sometimes if they're over weight, can sometimes have problems with nails that are deformed or grow into their pads.Trimmers to Cut Cat Nails
There are many kinds of tools you can use to trim nails. This is a common one, where the blade comes through this key-hole. It's called a guillotine clipper. These aren't my favorite - they can kind of tweak the nail, causing the cat to be uncomfortable and move or claw you or bite you. I'm just not a big fan of these. They're very common. They also get dull very quick. And they're hard to keep sharp.My favorite kind of clipper is a side-to-side clipper. I use this both for my dogs and my cats. And it just cuts a nice clean, through the blade, without torquing the nail.
The other thing you can use is the regular human fingernail clipper. Human toe-nail clippers are a little larger. So, it gives you a little more room to hold onto. This is what they actually use for Oliver. Like the side to side one it will cut straight on, and not twist that nail.
Cat Nail Caps
Another thing we can use when we trim nail is something called soft paws. And they are actually a plastic cap that goes over a trimmed nail - further protecting your couch and other furniture. They're glued on the trimmed nail. And they just provide another soft surface.Positively Reinforce Cat Nail Trimming
It's important to acclimate your cat to the whole idea of trimming your nails. Some are going to be fine with it and others are going to freak out. Just get them used to touching their feet, and, that's all. If they're fine with that, move to the next step, which is actually extending the nail. With one finger on the pad and one finger above, gently extend the claw. And just, this might be all you do at the beginning.If your cat's really uncomfortable with it just stop and give some positive reinforcement. Pet him, don't let him just run away and make him stay but let him know it's alright. And that will probably be the end of your session for that day. You may even need to practice this for a few days before you even work up to having a tool in hand.
Clip the Cat Nails
Cats have four claws on the front of the foot, and they have a fifth claw here called the dew claw. Don't forget the dew claw cause that could grow into the small pad that it's associated with, causing infection and pain. The pink part is the quick and that has blood vessels and a nerve. So, if you cut that, you can stop the bleeding with either styptic powder or you can use flour or cornstarch.Swaddle a Cat When Trimming Nails
Some cats prefer to be swaddled, they feel safer and it also protects you. As you can see Oliver isn't particularly bound up by this towel but he was a lot calmer. Some cats on the other hand hate towels. So, you know your cat best and can experiment with any level of restraint.Thanks for watching! To learn more check us out on the Web at About.com.