How to Trim a Cats Nails

Keep kitties nails trimmed to reduce damage to furniture and yourself, even if your feline friend is not willing to undergo the experience.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• a cat
• a pair of nail clippers, the sort you would use for a human.
• a towel.
• a pair of gardening gloves, preferably leather.

1. When cat is relaxed, pull out nail clippers, gently squeeze the "finger" on their paw between your thumb and fore finger with one hand. This will push the nail out.

2. If cat freaks out at this, please proceed to step four. If not, take the clippers and put them around the nail, below the "quick" or the blood vessel. On cats with white pigmentation by their nails this is usually a light pink colored segment below the top nail curve. On darker pigmented cats it might be hard to tell. Err on the side of caution. Cutting the quick will make the cat bleed and probably freak out.

3. Repeat on each paw, for each digit. Check front paws for the "thumbs" or dew claws. It is always nice to treat the cat to extra food, cat nip or other incentives, so they remember the nail clip procedure positively. Repeat once a week for best results.

4. OPTIONAL STEP:
   Cats who freak out, bite, his or try to get away can be difficult to clip. It is recommended that a second person help with these sorts of animals. Wrap the cat in a towel, in such a way that each paw can be pulled out one at a time. If necessary, have a cat holder who wears gardening gloves and is in charge of securing each paw for the clipper. See step two above.