How to Trim a Cat’s Nails

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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.

This article has been viewed 84,217 times.

Cats’ nails need to be trimmed to prevent cracking or damage, and clipping sharp nails also prevents them from scratching people, objects, or other pets. Trimming cats’ nails is quite easy if you get them used to this habit. Read the article below to find out more information.

Table of Contents

Preparing to cut nails

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Stroking the cat’s paws. Most cats have a tendency to roll up when someone touches their paws, so you should start by getting to know your cat. ^{[1] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Choose a time when the cat is lying still.
Begin stroking the paws gently while cuddling your cat’s favorite spots (the nape, under the chin, between the back and tail, etc.).
Do this step with each foot where you plan to cut the nail.
Cats may push their paws away, or even get up and walk away. You should let them go; Cats should not be forced to do anything, but continue to stroke their paws when given the opportunity.
Every time you touch your cat’s paws, reward them with praise to create a positive experience.

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Hold the cat’s paws. Once the cat is comfortable and allows touch, you can gently grasp the paws with your palms open.

Place your hand on the cat’s paws, then turn your hand over so that the sole of the cat’s paw is above your palm.
Continue to reward the cat with petting and feeding treats; Give your cat a special treat to bond with the act of clipping.

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Massage the cat’s paws. Once your cat gets used to grasping the paws, you can begin to hold and massage the paws with your fingers. ^{[2] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Gently massage the top and soles of the feet with your fingers where you plan to cut the nails.
Give your cat extra treats and praise.

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Check the cat’s claws. Over time, your pet will allow you to gently press the paws (pressing on the instep) to push the nails out without irritating them. ^{[3] X Jones Animal Care Research Source . Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.}

When the nail is exposed, you will see the thickest part of the nail, and towards the toenail is the pink part located inside the nail, called the meatus.
The carcass is the living part of the nail and includes blood vessels and nerves, so cutting it close to the pad will be painful for the cat. You should not cut too close or accidentally cut the toenail, but should only cut the sharp part of the nail. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Carefully check the position and size of the meat pad. When viewed through the transparent nail, the flesh pad is a small pink triangle. All cats’ claws are the same, so if your cat has black claws, you just need to find a lighter nail to use as a reference point for the others.

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Encourage your cat to create a “nail clipping pose”. If your cat is already sitting in the correct position to get her nails trimmed, she won’t protest while you clip her nails.

If you’re cutting your cat’s nails yourself, you’ll need to sit them on your lap, face out, and hold the cat’s paws with one hand (and a nail clipper in the other).
Train your cat to sit in this position and hold each of their paws. Gently press each toe to push the nail out. Continue to reward them with food and praise. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
If someone helps, you can ask them to hold the cat’s body facing you, or hold it while you hold the paws with one hand (and the other with the nail clipper).
Ask the other person to hold the cat in place while you hold their paws and gently press each nail until they feel comfortable. Reward the cat with food and praise.

Cut your cat’s nails yourself

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Choose the right time. You can’t cut your cat’s nails whenever you want. You should wait until the cat is in a good mood, such as just waking up, getting ready for bed, or resting in a favorite place for the afternoon. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

The ideal time to trim the nails is when the cat has finished eating and fell asleep.
Do not trim your cat’s nails immediately after playing, when hungry, active and running around, or in a bad mood. They won’t let you cut your nails.
You will notice damaged or cracked cat nails and want to cut them immediately, but don’t do that. Note this and wait until they are comfortable before attempting to cut their nails, or you will make things worse.

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Use the right tool. Before proceeding to cut the cat’s nails, you need to prepare professional tools. To trim your pet’s nails, you should prepare a cat nail clipper and a hemostatic pen. ^{[7] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Nail clippers come in many different varieties, most of which have a similar function. It is important that the nail clipper is sharp for easy nail trimming. Attaching a blunt blade is not only difficult to cut, but also can touch the meat pad, causing pain to the cat. There are two main types of nail clippers: with scissors and with clippers.
Clamping scissors work by moving the blade and are usually small and large sizes. Small “clips” are usually suitable for those who are just starting to cut their nails or just need to trim their claws. Large scissors included for cutting old and hard nails.
The clipper uses the slide blade to cut the nail when you press the two handles together. The part of the nail fits the middle groove and the blade cuts across the claw. This is a hard clip used to cut long and thick nails (not for nails that grow too long, but should be used large).
If the cut is sharp enough, the cat will not feel the meat cushion. Cutting attachments tend to dull easily, so you should throw them away (or re-sharpen them) if you find that the cutting edge is no longer sharp. The telltale sign is that you have to use a lot of force to cut the nail or the cut is uneven.
It’s also a good idea to have a bleeding stopper handy in case you accidentally cut a cat’s meat pad (although this is less common in cats than dogs, because a cat’s meat pad is shorter). Hemostatic pens are available at drugstores (in the personal supply section). This type hardens blood vessels when touching the nail and prevents blood from flowing out. If you cut the meat pad, you can gently press the hemostatic pen on the nail for 1 to 2 minutes and the bleeding will stop.

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Pinch the cat and place it in the “manicure position,” sitting on your lap with its back to you. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Hold the attachment with one hand and hold the cat’s paws with the other.
Gently press the instep and sole of the foot, onto the joint just behind the claw to push the nail out. ^{[9] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

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Find where the claw separates from the meat pad. You need to determine the position of the meat pad before proceeding to cut the nails. The flesh cushion has a small pink triangle located inside the claw.

If you’ve never trimmed a cat’s nails, you should only trim the tip of the nail. Once you get used to it, you can cut close to the meat cushion, but do not cut too close to the meat cushion because it will hurt the cat and cause the nail to bleed.

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Used with nail clippers. Hold the cat in the above position and trim the claws one at a time. Attached between the base of the meat pad and the nail.

Adjust the attachment direction so that the blade cuts from bottom to top. This keeps the claws from cracking.
Shouldn’t be upset. Cats may protest, purr, and try to scratch you, but you shouldn’t yell or make a fuss. Otherwise they will get hurt and no longer want to let you cut their nails.
You can only trim one or two nails at a time the first time.

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Reward cat food. They have behaved well by allowing you to cut their nails and should be rewarded for this.

Enjoy delicious food: canned salmon, or chicken. Some cats prefer cream or fermented butter.
Using attractive treats helps cats form a link between the reward and the nail clipping behavior. They may not like clipping very much, but to get a reward, the cat will be less likely to protest next time.

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Regularly check your pet’s claws. Cat nails grow at different rates, but one rule of thumb is to trim them every two weeks or a month to prevent them from growing too long, cracking, or damaged.

Although cats have a habit of sharpening their claws, you should still pay attention to their claws. Claws can be damaged and you can help your pet with a neat trim.
Pay special attention to older cats because their nails are thicker and sometimes press against the soles of the paws to hurt the cat. Check your cat’s nails weekly and trim if necessary. This is easier to do instead of letting the nails grow too long affecting the cat’s paws. If something goes wrong, you need to take them to the vet for the necessary antibiotics. ^{[10] X Jones Animal Care Research Source . Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.}

Assisted cat clipping

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Choose someone close to the cat. You should not ask strangers or relatives with little contact with cats to help you cut their nails, otherwise the pet will be even more scared.

While any cat can be taught to get used to nail clipping, the reality is that they will always resist and you need extra help.

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Have the cat sitter hold the cat in place. You and the other person can stand on opposite sides of a table or counter.

Both need to talk to the cat gently and calmly.
Ask a helper to cuddle the cat and hold it in place by embracing the cat’s body without harming or scaring the cat.
If the cat likes to groom, the other person can groom them to distract attention while trimming the pet’s nails. Instruct the other person to comb the hair, under the neck, or other areas the cat likes to be brushed.

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Hold one of the cat’s paws with your hand. Meanwhile, gently press the foot to push the claw out.

If your cat is purring, wait until the cat has calmed down before touching the paws.

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Trim your cat’s nails as usual. The other person will continue to distract them while you trim their nails.

Follow the instructions above to make sure you’re doing the nail clipping in the right order and without pain.
When you’re done, you can reward the cat with a delicious treat.

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Regularly check the condition of the claws. Each cat’s claw growth rate is different, but it’s a good idea to check their claws every two weeks and once a month so they don’t grow too long, cracked, or damaged.

Although cats have a habit of sharpening their claws, you should still pay attention to their claws. Claws can be damaged and you can help your pet with a neat trim.
Pay special attention to older cats because their nails are thicker and sometimes press against the soles of the paws to hurt the cat. Check your cat’s nails weekly and trim if necessary. This is easier to do instead of letting the nails grow too long affecting the cat’s paws. If something goes wrong, you need to take them to the vet for the necessary antibiotics. ^{[11] X Jones Animal Care Research Source . Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.}

Advice

Start with the back toenail. Many cats use their hind legs to get out, but if you’ve clipped their nails, you won’t get scratched.
You can clip the cat’s nails while they are dozing next to the owner. If you have the clippers ready in the meantime, you can trim their nails without disturbing your pet’s sleep.
If you can’t figure out where to cut, you should ask someone for guidance. Veterinarians, animal shelter staff, and cat groomers will guide you every step of the way.
Cover your cat’s eyes or block her view so they don’t have to witness the process.
If you need to trim your cat’s nails but they resist, you can cover her body with a towel or blanket and expose one paw at a time. However, you need to do this step because you haven’t had time to train them, and if there is a next time, it will be very difficult for you to perform nail care because they have associated this process with sperm shock. God.
For long-haired cats, you should moisten their paws to make it easier to trim their nails.
You can train your cat at a young age, even as young as a month old. At this age, you can use small nail clippers because the cat’s nails are not fully developed. Just trim the edges, then reward the cat. You should train your pet to form a link between nail clipping and an attractive reward as soon as possible.
It is better to trim nails regularly than to lengthen them before cutting them. If you cut too deep, it will be difficult for you to do this job next time.
Don’t miss the black nail! Most cats have two talons on their front paws. They are shaped like a miniature thumb, located on the edge of the forelegs, just below the ankles. This nail is rarely used, so it grows long and should be checked monthly if the cat is healthy. ^{[12] X Jones Animal Care Research Source . Jones. Publisher: Pergamon.}

Warning

Do not use with nail clippers or human scissors. This type of tool can crack your cat’s nails.
Do not cut too deep and touch the meat cushion. Otherwise, the cat will be very hurt. ^{[13] X Research Source}
Do not cut off the cat’s nails because it will damage the nerves as well as cause the cat to suffer psychological damage. Instead, you should trim your pet’s nails every few weeks and prepare a post or mat for their claws. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Steps

Preparing to cut nails

Cut your cat’s nails yourself

Assisted cat clipping

Advice

Warning

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