Practice having your assistant hold your cat while you hold each of its paws and gently press each claw until your cat seems comfortable. Keep rewarding the cat with petting and treats; give the cat a new, special treat that will only be associated with cutting its claws. Probably not because your cat would wake up and freak out. Take hold of a paw and gently squeeze one toe from the top and bottom to extend the claw. Your cat could be walking around with a broken nail, and you can help it out by trimming it into shape. Imagine then, trying to hold a cat down and cut or brush matted hair out of a long-haired cat's fur. The small “nippers” tend to be better for those new to clipping nails or if you just need to snip the tips. Get The Right Cat Nail Clippers. It helps if paws are wet for long-haired cats. Many cats will try to use their hind legs to get free, but if you've already cut them, you won't get scratched as easily. Whenever you handle your cat’s paws, reward it with treats and praise to help build positive associations. Now clip another nail of the paw if your cat is comfortable and reward her with special treats at the end. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. But today I discovered a wonderful trick - do it while your cat's asleep!" The sooner they associate nail clipping with treats, the better. Not only will using dull clippers make the job longer and harder, but you may also end up squeezing the quick, which can be painful for the cat. ", "I was afraid trimming my cat's nails, but thanks to this, I know I can. Why You Should Trim Your Cat’s Nails. Makes the job look a lot less terrifying than first thought. Trimming a cat’s nails can be downright painful, with blood loss on both sides. She became so mad before, but now, with your instructions, I was successful. Make a note of it and wait for your cat to get relaxed before trying to cut it, or you could make it worse. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Read on for detailed instructions. Your cat may protest, meow, and try to scratch you, but don't yell at your cat or rush through the process, or you may end up hurting it and scaring it away having its nails trimmed again. Then gently trim one or two nails while she chews her treat, being careful not to cut the quick. An easy way to restrain a dog so you can clip nails or do other work. Put a thick towel on your lap and gently restrain your cat there. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. This was extremely helpful with how often and what tools to use but especially with how to approach my new cat. Reward your cat with more treats and praise. Don't try to trim your cat's nails right after play time, when it’s hungry, when it's restless and running around, or in an otherwise aggressive mood. Step 3 When you have a good view, position the clipper at least several millimeters away from the end of the quick. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. If you are unsure exactly where to cut, ask someone to show you how it's done. If you can remember to keep the clippers nearby, you may be able to accomplish this very necessary bit of cat care without disturbing the cat's important rest. % of people told us that this article helped them. ", "Very helpful, especially looking at the pics to show more detail. To learn about trimming your cat's nails when you have a helper with you, read on! Position the trimmers halfway between the quick and the claw, then squeeze the trimmers to clip off the nail. 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