Why clip cat claws

When using a guillotine type nail trimmer, the cutting blade outlined in yellow should be facing you, not the cat. The screws on the trimmer should be facing the cat. The nail should be cut from top to bottom, not side to side. The tip of the nail is placed in the hole in the trimmer and the handles are squeezed to advance the cutting blade through the nail. When the trimmer is held with the screws toward you, the cutting blade is cutting closer to the quick than if the trimmer is held with the cutting blade toward you.

You are less likely to cut into the quick if the cutting blade faces you. Cats have a nail on the inner side of each foot called the dew claw. Remember to trim these as they are not worn down when the cat scratches and can grow in a circle, growing into the foot. In this photograph the trimmer is being held in the reverse of previous photographs, with the handles pointing up instead of down. This is a matter of personal preference, what feels most comfortable to you. If the claw is cut too short, you can use a styptic pencil containing silver nitrate to stop blood flow, although many animal object to this the styptic pencil as much, or more, than claw cutting.

The black end of the stick is held to the bleeding nail and gently rotated. We use cookies to improve our website to make sure you have a better browsing experience. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy.

Click Yes to help us continue to make these improvements. Our Other Sites Close. Our Other Sites. Try resting the cat in the crook of one arm while holding one paw with the other hand.

Or, place the animal on a table and lift one paw at a time. You may even be able to convince a particularly sociable cat to lie back in your lap. Sign up to receive our exclusive e-book full of training techniques, problem-solving and important information about caring for your pet. Now that you're in position and the cat's in position, put the claw in the right position, too.

Take a paw in your hand and use your thumb and pointer finger to gently press down on the top and bottom of the paw on the joint just behind the claw. This will cause the claw to extend so you can quickly but carefully snip off the sharp tip and no more.

Don't get too close to the pink part of the nail called "the quick," where blood vessels and nerve endings lie. Find us. Give pets a fighting chance Pets who have been there for us during the pandemic deserve somewhere to turn when they need life-saving treatment.

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