Many people who own cats wonder whether they should cut the pet's claws. Some people don't want to do this for the fear of hurting the cat. And in general, in nature, no one cuts the claws on animals. Yes, feral cats don't need nail trimming as they grind their claws off naturally. But when we talk about domestic cats, claw trimming is necessary.
Things you need for cutting a cat’s claws:
- claw cutter or trimmer;
- tonic;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- clean cloth;
- talc.
Instructions for trimming cat claws
Domestic cats are largely inactive and rarely spend time on the street. This leads to the fact that their claws do not grind down, become too long and can even twist and puncture the fingertip.
Where to cut?
You should never cut a cat’s claws at the root. Felines have a sensitive area of nerve endings and blood vessels inside each claw. If your pet has light claws, you will easily notice the pink ‘quick’ inside each nail. You should cut the cat’s claws no closer than 2 mm from the quick, otherwise, you will hurt the cat and can even cause bleeding.
You will need special tools for cutting cat claws, including a claw cutter or a guillotine trimmer. Using your nail clippers for this purpose is not worth it. In addition, they can slip and injure your pet's paw.
Since cats don’t generally like nail trimming, it is best to get your pet used to it from an early age. Place the animal on its knees with its back to you so that you are comfortable. Hold the cat with your elbow and wipe each claw of tonic. Hold the cat's paw and lightly press the top of the joint with your thumb to expose a claw. Look at the lumen to determine where the blood vessel ends. If the cat's claws are dark and it is difficult to see anything, it is better to cut small portions of the nail at once so as not to damage the sensitive area. Cut the nail from top to bottom. The tool should be perpendicular to the claw so it doesn't become split.
After cutting, trim the claws with a nail file and apply hydrogen peroxide. Treat your pet with some love afterward. If you touch the nail and the bleeding starts, apply a clean cloth and drizzle with talcum powder. Cutting your cat’s nails should be a regular procedure but don’t do it too often, once every two weeks is enough.