Friends Educational Information
About Your Cat – Keep Your Cat’s Nails Trimmed

The Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter encourages pet owners to trim their cat’s claws.  This will help prevent destructive scratching and can be a pleasurable experience for both owner and cat if handled correctly.

Cutting the nails regularly may help keep a cat from scratching the furniture, or at least reduce the damage done by its scratching. Get your kitten used to having its nails clipped while it is young. With an older cat, it may help to begin by handling the cat's feet under pleasurable circumstances. Then begin to introduce the clipping procedure by approaching the cat while its relaxed or even napping and clip only one nail per session. Praise your cat while you clip the nail and reward it with a treat.
 

The only equipment necessary is a good pair of cat nail clippers and a nail file or emery board to gently round off any rough edges. Never use scissors, since they can tear the nail.  The recommended cat nail clippers look like small scissors with the blades rounded on the inside:

They can be purchased for under $10 at any pet supply store including those on the Internet. 
 

Hold the clippers perpendicular to the nail you will be trimming.  The nail is extended by gently pressing on the toe right above the nail.  Before cutting, look for the pink "quick" close to the base of the nail. It is the same as the quick on your nails.  The clipper blade should be placed about an eight of an inch in front of the quick, and the nail clipped with one smooth squeezing action of the clippers. Be extremely careful not to cut into the quick. If this happens, the cat will experience pain, and bleeding is likely. The bleeding may stop without assistance, or you may need to hold a soft cloth on the nail or apply a little styptic powder. If you trim a small amount of nail on a regular basis, the quick will actually tend to recede.   A monthly trimming is recommended and can be done in conjunction with a grooming and health check procedure.

If you're in doubt about what the proper nail length looks like, have your veterinarian trim the nails once to show you how it is done.

Approved by:  Dr. Cheryl Good, Burns Animal Hospital

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Page Last modified April 11, 2008
Copyright ©  Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter  All rights reserved.   Adoptions, Donations, and Volunteers always appreciated.
2661 Greenfield, Dearborn, MI 49120, 313-943-2697, friends@dearborn-animals.com,  www.dearborn-animals.com