Any cat owner can tell you that cats love to scratch. They do this for several reasons: to wear down or remove the dead part of their nails, to express excitement or scared emotions, to mark objects with their scent, or just to get in a good stretch. However, cat owners also know that scratching can damage their furniture, curtains, walls and, in some instances, scratching can even harm you. The good news is that there are ways you can help manage your cat’s urge to scratch! How? By giving them good surfaces they can use for scratching, as well as cat nail clipping often.
Most cats do not like to be professionally groomed, or even groomed at home by their owner, unless they were introduced to it early and often as a kitten. Even if your cat is used to going to the groomer for a nail clipping, this can be expensive as you may need to go with a fairly high level of frequency (approx. every 10-14 days). Knowing how to clip your cat’s nails yourself will not only save you time and money, but may help to eliminate the stress that some cats go through when needing to go to the groomer. With practice and patience, you can clip your cat’s claws at home. This article will discuss what you need to know about nail cutting for cats.
Should you trim your cat's nails?
Cat nail clipping is a good idea for several reasons; one being that your cat’s jagged edge nails need to be maintained. Keeping your cat’s nails trimmed will reduce the risk of them scratching you when they knead (extending and closing their retractable claws repeatedly for happiness/bonding, territory marking, and stretching). Cutting off the tips of your cat’s claws will turn the kneading gesture into something you can appreciate instead of something you may fear.
Another reason to keep your cat’s nails clipped and maintained is to avoid them getting stuck in carpets or blankets. This can cause a cat a great deal of pain and likely break the snagged nail. Lastly, if your cat has home decorating aspirations and decides to give the edge of your sofa a trendy new “distressed” look, you’ll be glad to know that maintaining your cat’s claws may reduce the damage to your furniture.
Steps on how to trim your cat's nails
Get everything you’ll need within easy reach before you get started. If your cat isn’t a fan of getting his or her nails trimmed, it’s very helpful to have everything you need right at your fingertips so you do not have to stop in the middle of your grooming session.
Next, let’s go over the steps for cat nail clipping.
1. Make sure the timing is right
Start grooming your kitten’s nails early so they become accustomed to it when it’s time to trim their adult claws. In the long run, this will make it much easier. When you’re ready to begin, take your cat to a quiet area where there won’t be any interruptions while you clip his/her nails. If you want your cat to be in the optimum mood while you trim their nails, wait until your cat is asleep or has had a good meal. Encourage your cat to sit on you by being friendly and offering tasty snacks.
2. Adjust the range of where to cut or trim
It is necessary to examine claw anatomy to ensure you know how to trim a cat’s nails properly. You should be able to recognize the sheath, quick (blood vessels inside the nail), and claw. Once you’re comfortable with the claw anatomy, you can begin to trim your cat’s nails. Carefully take up one of your cat’s paws after s/he is calmly sitting on your lap, taking care not to disturb your little friend too much. To more easily see your cat’s nails, gently but firmly pinch the toe pad between your fingers.
3. Start trimming
Clip the tip of one nail gently, then let your cat’s paw go. If your cat seems unfazed by having more of their nails trimmed, then continue on with the clipping. When it comes to grooming some feline friends, one nail a day might be all you can accomplish in terms of nail trimming. You shouldn’t try to cut your cat’s nails if they are irritated or if your cat isn’t cooperating. Be sure to have patience with your furry friend and do not be mad or punish them. Instead, try again at another time.
4. Reward them after every trim
After you’ve finished cutting, show your cat some love with a tasty treat, their beloved cat food, or plenty of pats and compliments. Your feline friend may eventually learn to become more comfortable with having his or her nails trimmed.
5. Repetition is key
You may need to do this daily until you’ve finished clipping their nails since most cats dislike trimming their nails. Keep your cool, give your cat treats when they behave well and do all you can to put your cat at ease.
The Best Cat Nail Clippers
We know that trimming your cat’s nails can be a challenging task. Having the right nail clippers can make the process much easier. Below are the top-ranked clippers that can help make the nail trimming task easier.
Fourth on this list is the WeinaBingo Dog Cat Nail Clippers. These clippers have blades made of high-quality stainless steel. They also have a sturdy spring that makes it easier to trim your cat’s thick nails with one cut. This ergonomic cat nail trimmer is lightweight and has a comfortable handle. The elaborate design helps in preventing accidental nicks or cuts to yourself and your cat.
These clippers have a safety ring-blade that helps to control the cutting and adjust cats toe’s length easier. Also comes with a nail file and are suitable for cat’s of all sizes.
Third on the list is the Pet Boussa Professional Cat Claw trimmer. These are ergonomically designed and are made with non-slip handles, making it easier to use with squirmier cats. They have high quality stainless steel sharp blades and impact resistant plastic which makes them last for a long time. These clippers are really good to use with smaller cats and kittens.
Second, on this list are the Tpotato Cat Nail Clippers. These clippers are made with high-quality stainless steel, ensuring the sharp edge stays put, making trimming your cat’s nails easy and comfortable for both of you. They are ergonomically designed featuring thick 3.5mm blades that cut through nails with ease and leave only a clean trim, reducing the chance of splitting, chipping or fraying. These clippers include a safety guard feature that helps make nail clipping safer for you and your cat. This safety stop helps prevent over-trimming and cutting of the quick. They also include a nail file so you can polish your cat’s newly trimmed nails to perfection.
First on this list is the JOFUYU Cat Nail Clippers and are considered to be among the best professional nail cutters for cats. Animal trainers, veterinarians and grooming professionals all give their stamp of approval.
These clippers have a scissors-like semicircular curved blade design, allowing you to more easily see where you are cutting. They have steel blades that are sharp and strong, and can withstand years of usage.
Conclusion
Having to clip your cat’s nails will always be a challenging task, especially if you are starting out by trimming them at an older age. However, with the right tips and tools at hand, you can greatly reduce the time it takes to complete the task with less harm done to both you and your fur baby. Routinely clipping your cat’s nails will avoid scratches on your home furnishings and yourself, giving you more bonding time with each other.
If you need more knowledge about the overall cat grooming process then visit our article about the Basics On Cat Grooming And Some Tips That Will Make The Process Easier.
