Cats

A Gentle Guide: How to Safely Trim Your Cat's Nails at Home

admin • 29 May 2023

Do you know how to cut a cat's nails? Anyone who has a feline at home knows how rebellious this pet is in some hygiene procedures. They do not like these moments, as they feel a lot of discomfort, however, the tutor must overcome this barrier to prevent them from unintentionally hurting the people around them and even themselves when scratching.

The first skill that must be developed is the issue of interaction between the tutor and the cat, this will help a lot to solve this problem very quickly and with the least possible discomfort to the cat.

Below, learn a simple procedure on how to cut a cat's nail quickly and without hurting the feline!

Step by Step on how to cut a complete cat's nail!

The only material you will need is a “cat nail clipper”. Buy them at pet stores, they look like pliers and have an appropriate design to make the job easier. Never use common scissors, you could hurt the kitty.

1 – Choose a comfortable and well-lit corner of the house

Set aside time to do this, without rushing, as patience is required. Enjoy and interact with your kitten, create a moment of joy and relaxation, that way, he will be less tense.

 Evaluate which are the moments that the kitten most seeks you for affection, this is a good time to cut its nails. But, don't keep the cutter in your hands, be discreet to attract it.

It is very important to always maintain this habit, so your cat grows up knowing it, that is, this procedure will not be a surprise.

2 – Find a comfortable position

Most tutors prefer to hold the kitten in their lap to carry out this process. But, you can also take him in the tank, if you prefer and he doesn't get rebellious.

Take tests and evaluate which position is best for your pet and for you.

3 – Hold the paws firmly

At this point, the cat should be comfortable, meanwhile, you hold its paws very tight.

Press the center of the paw so that the nails are clearly visible. The pink part is where the blood vessels are located, so be careful not to hurt yourself, the part that should be trimmed is the one that is right at the tip.

To better understand the cutting limit, it is ideal that the first time the cat's nails are cut by a veterinarian, in this way, you can observe exactly how he did it and you will already have a more appropriate basis for not making mistakes.

4 – Bet on intervals of relaxation and caresses

Between one nail and another, make the caresses that your kitty likes the most. Let him feel very comfortable and happy at that moment, with that, he will always assimilate this time as happy and never as a lot of tension.

So, next time, cutting your cat's nails will be a less stressful task. Practice will make you understand this moment, but it is important that you act with care and affection, never shout at this time.

You can also offer some rewards between one nail and another, for example, a treat that he likes a lot. Make them very visible while you're doing this, he'll understand that it's a positive thing to cut his nails.

5 – Always have silver nitrate close by

This substance is able to stop the bleeding caused by the cut if that happens.

Of course, nobody wants to hurt their pet, but accidents can happen, to avoid something worse, take precautions to reduce the cat's suffering.

How often do you need to cut your cat's nails?

There is no fixed rule for this, each cat has its own different period of courtship because it will depend a lot on what the cat usually does in its day to day.

This assessment is made by your tutor, if he usually scratches people around, damaging furniture, the frequency will certainly be less. Because it is known that cats scrape their nails on furniture, walls, and floors to sharpen them.

Generally, front paws nails need cutting 1 time a month, while back paws, only when it's extremely necessary. There is no rule time, observe your kitten's needs. And remember that claws are important for cats, don't always keep them too short.

An excellent way to know the right time to cut your nails is to pay attention to the noise they make when walking. If the sound is very evident, it's because the nails are already too long.

Some people prefer to use scratching posts so they don't damage furniture indoors. They promote a nail wear process, so they can postpone or make cutting them unnecessary.

Understanding how to cut a cat's nail will only help your pet, as they don't scratch out of malice, it's their instinct.

As the feline is born with a certain independence, he sharpens his nails himself, this act serves to maintain the state of the nails and also to release his stress, through this, he can also delimit his territory.

It does not resolve to scold the cat for these actions, as it may even get sick. But, you can teach him to use a spider, that way, his instincts are not shaken and even the furniture in the house is not destroyed.

Generally, the cats most in need of a nail trim are the older ones. That's because these kittens are no longer as active, they play little, they don't explore the place where they live and consequently, their nails don't wear out naturally like before.

Now that you know how to cut a cat's nail, take care of your feline. This procedure is especially necessary for those who live indoors all the time, those who play a lot in backyards and outside, wear their nails more and sometimes they don't even need a cut.