How To Hold A Cat When Clipping Nails

Final Updated on 10 months by

Blast trims on wiggly cats are my stock-in-merchandise equally a housecall cat groomer. If you desire to trim your cat's nails alone it will be easiest if you start training him when he'due south a kitten. Only if y'all adopted an adult cat, y'all tin can withal learn to trim your wiggly true cat's claws yourself without resorting to restraints like true cat bags or scruffing.

Contents

1 Why Clip a Cat'southward Claws
2 How to Safely Trim the Claws on a Wiggly True cat
3 What Role of the Claw to Prune?
4 Tools and Tricks for Handling a Difficult True cat
5 Training Steps to Help Your Squirmy True cat Tolerate Nail Trims
6 Types of cat boom clippers
- 6.ane In that location are three options for clippers:
7 Summary
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Why Clip a Cat's Claws

Kitty's claws keep growing the same way your fingernails exercise. A cat that spends a lot of time exterior might non need help maintaining his claws. Indoor kitties will endeavor to practice the aforementioned on your furniture and carpeting.

Read our guide hither for more than data on scratching behavior and how to prevent damage to your stuff.

Regular claw clipping not only helps forbid destructive clawing, but also prevents Kitty'south nails from getting snagged and torn on anything. Information technology will save your arms and lap from an unexpected course of acupuncture when Kitty cuddles up and starts making biscuits.

Boom trimming gives you an opportunity to check over your furbaby's paws and claws for signs of any wellness problems.

How to Safely Trim the Claws on a Wiggly Cat

I have to get through all the claws when I do a client visit. When y'all trim your own wiggly cat'southward claws it is perfectly fine if yous only practise one or ii claws at a time. Information technology is better for Kitty to stay relaxed than to take a "go it done" mentality.

Showtime with a relaxed kitty. I like to get mine when they are snoozing after a meal. Playtime and catnip tin aid go Kitty relaxed besides.
Sit backside Kitty then if he backs up to become abroad from the clippers he is just bankroll farther into your lap.
Printing lightly on the pad so the claws appear and trim off the tip of the nail.
Requite Kitty his favorite care for. I like to accept something very high value to use as a treat that my cats only become as rewards for preparation.

Trim wiggly cat claws graphic showing a white cat paw with claws in a human hand

What Part of the Hook to Clip?

If you think of your finger every bit your true cat's hook, form a "C" with your thumb and forefinger. Your forefinger is your imaginary claw. The function you'd be clipping off is just past the first knuckle, the elevation part of the "C". The "quick" or live part would run betwixt your hand and the middle knuckle. If you look at your cat'south claw the quick is the pinkish part.

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Tools and Tricks for Handling a Difficult Cat

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In that location are some techniques and tools to endeavor if you have an aggressive cat that is likely to bite yous.

Some cats respond well to being "burrito'd" in a towel while others freak out when restrained that manner. Some people recommend "cat grooming bags." Personally, I have found that they really don't help. A lot of cats are more stressed past being stuck in the sack than just handled on your lap. The numberless can't prevent a true cat from biting you lot and that is my principal concern when doing a nail trim on a challenging true cat.

A lot of cats are visually overstimulated by hook clipping. If y'all cover his caput with a towel or the corner of your sweater, he may relax enough for yous to clip his nails alone.

An east-collar (cone of shame) or an inflatable donut style collar tin let that Kitty to run into and move but not attain around to bite you. A cat muzzle is some other option for biters that do better if they can't come across you.

I am not a fan of scruffing cats. It is not relaxing for them, they freeze in fear. Yes, mother cats carry their kittens that way, but developed cats are but handled in that fashion by predators or aggressors. Instead, take the time to train your cat to permit gentle handling and cooperate with grooming or other procedures. Your vet will cheers too.

A Clean Cat is a Happy True cat

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Grooming Steps to Help Your Squirmy Cat Tolerate Nail Trims

It is of import to teach your cat to relax and tolerate having his nailed trimmed.

Get her used to having her paws handled and massaged. Just play with them while she's hanging out with you.
A gentle press on her mitt pad and the top of the mitt volition extend her claws.
Permit her explore the clippers then she doesn't run into them as threatening.
Clip a piece of spaghetti or a harbinger so she gets used to the dissonance of the clipper.
Requite her a favorite treat.

Types of true cat nail clippers

There are iii options for clippers:

guillotine style
scissor style
human nail clippers

Personally, I like the scissor manner. I deport small cat smash trimmers in all my bags. My go-to blast trimmer, especially for wiggly cats and cats with lots of fur on their paws, is a scrap larger than the small ones. I similar not having to stick fingers through the finger holes.

Summary

With proper conditioning, information technology is easy to clip fifty-fifty the nearly wiggly cat'south claws alone. Only if yous can't do information technology yourself and don't accept a friend willing to assist, check with your vet's office or call a cat groomer. The most important thing is that Kitty'southward claws are kept in good shape.