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, under the chin, where its back meets its tail, etc. ). Do this for each paw you plan to trim. The cat might pull its paws away, or even get up and walk away. Let it go; don’t force it to do anything, but continue to gently pet its paws when you have the opportunity. Whenever you handle your cat’s paws, reward it with treats and praise to help build positive associations.
Place your hand over the cat’s paw, then flip your hand around so the bottom of the 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.
Gently massage your fingers over the tops and bottoms of each paw you plan to trim. Reward your cat with more treats and praise.
When your cat’s claws are extended, you’ll see the thick part of the nail, and, towards the cat’s toe, a pinkish area inside the nail, called the quick. The quick is the living part of the nail and contains blood vessels and nerves, so cutting a 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. [4] X Research source Look carefully at where and how large each quick is–through a clear nail it will look like a small pink triangle. Each of your cat’s nails will be similar, so even if the cat has dark nails, look to find one clear nail as a reference point for the others.
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 paw with one hand (and, eventually, the clippers with the other). Practice having your cat sit this way and hold each of its paws. Gently press on each nail to extend it. Again, reward the cat with treats and praise. [5] X Research source If you have someone to help, they can hold 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 you hold each of its paws and gently press each claw until your cat seems comfortable. Reward it with treats and praise.
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’s hungry, when it’s restless and running around, or in an otherwise aggressive mood. The cat will be far from receptive to you trimming its nails. You may see that your cat has a broken or splitting nail and will want to cut it instantly, but don’t. Make a note of it and wait for your cat to get relaxed before trying to cut it, or you could make it worse.
There are several different styles of nail clippers, all of which largely do the same job. The most important thing is that the clippers are sharp, so they snip straight through the claw. Not only will using dull clippers make the job longer and harder, but you may also end up squeezing the quick, which can be painful for the cat. There are two primary styles of clipper: scissor and guillotine clippers. Scissor clippers cut a cat’s nails using a scissor motion and usually come in small and large sizes. The small “nippers” tend to be better 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 blade that cuts the nail when you squeeze the handles together. The claw fits into a slot and the blade slides across to clip the nail. These are strong clippers that are good for cutting long, thick nails (but not overgrown nails–large clippers are better suited to that). If the clippers are sharp the cat won’t feel the quick clip. Clippers don’t stay sharp forever, so discard them (or send them for sharpening) if you suspect the blades have gone dull. Signs of this include having to apply a lot of pressure to cut the nail or the nail being “chewed” by the clippers rather than making a clean cut. Also have a styptic pencil on hand in case you cut the cat’s quick (which is less likely with a cat than a dog, as the cat’s quick is much shorter). Styptic pencils are readily available from pharmacies (typically in the shaving section). They cauterize blood vessels when touched to the nail and help prevent bleeding. If you cut the quick, you can hold the styptic pencil to the claw for 1 - 2 minutes and the bleeding should stop.
Hold the clippers in one hand and hold your cat’s paw in the other. Gently squeeze the top and bottom of your cat’s paw, on the joint just behind the claw to extend the claw. [9] X Trustworthy Source The Humane Society of the United States National organization devoted to the promotion of animal welfare Go to source
You should first cut just the tip of the nails, and as you get more comfortable, you can cut closer to the quick, but never cut all the way to the quick or you can hurt your cat and make its nails bleed.
Try to orient the clippers so that when the nail is cut, the blade cuts from bottom to top. This will help prevent splitting. Try to avoid getting frustrated. Your cat may protest, meow, and try to scratch you, but don’t yell at your cat or rush through the process, or you may end up hurting it and scaring it away having its nails trimmed again. You may only be able to trim one or two nails at a time at first.
Make the treat special: vacuum-packed salmon, or chicken. Some cats also like sour cream or butter. Using a special treat ensures that your cat begins to associate this treat with getting its nails trimmed. So though your cat may not love the nail-trimming part, it’ll want the treat afterwards, so it’ll be less resistant in the future.
Though your cat will be sharpening its claws and keeping them in good shape on its own, keep an eye on their nails nonetheless. Your cat could be walking around with a broken nail, and you can help it out by trimming it into shape. Older cats need special attention because their nails are thicker and can sometimes press around into the pads, cutting into them. Check your older cat’s nails every week and clip the tip off if necessary. This is much easier than letting the nails get overgrown, which can cause them to impact into the pads. If this happens, the cat will need to see a veterinarian because antibiotics may be necessary. [10] X Research source Jones Animal Nursing. Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.
Though it sounds good and fine to get your cat used to having its nails trimmed, the reality is, many cats will still protest every single time, and you may have to get some extra help to do it.
Both of you should talk calmly and reassuringly to the cat. Have your helper pet the cat and try to keep it in place by holding on to its body without hurting it or scaring it too much. If your cat enjoys being brushed, the other person can brush the cat to distract it from the fact that it’s getting its nails trimmed. Have your helper brush the cat’s head, under its neck, or in other places where it enjoys being brushed.
If your cat is being rowdy, wait for it to settle down so that you can isolate the paw.
Just follow the directions in the previous section to make sure you give your cat a smooth, painless nail trim. When you’re done, reward your cat with a nice treat.
Though your cat will likely sharpen its claws and keep them in good shape on its own, keep an eye on its nails nonetheless. Your cat could be walking around with a broken nail, and you can help it out by trimming it into shape. Older cats need special attention because their nails are thicker and can sometimes press around into the pads and cut into them. Check your older cat’s nails every week, and clip the tip off if necessary. This is much easier than letting the nails get overgrown, which can cause them to impact into the pads. If this happens then the cat will need to see a veterinarian because antibiotics may be necessary. [11] X Research source Jones Animal Nursing. Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.
