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Clipping a Cat's Claws (Toenails)
This information is not meant to be a substitute for veterinary care.
Always follow the instructions provided by your veterinarian.
In the photographs below, unless otherwise noted, the top if the paw is
facing up. Tigger, who was the feline model, has black pads on his toes. The
black pads on the bottom of his toes will help you orient yourself as you
view the photographs.
Variations on these instructions exist.
Most cats do not like having their claws trimmed. Start trimming claws in
young animals so that they get used to the process. Some cats will happily
sit in your lap or on a table while you trim their claws but many require
some form of restraint. See the section on
restraining a cat for some suggestions.
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To restrain a cat in your lap, use
your forearms draped over the cat's neck and hind-end to keep
the cat in your lap. The clipper is held in the right hand.
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To restrain a cat in your lap, use your forearms draped over
the cat's neck and hind-end to keep the cat in your lap. The
clipper is held in the right hand.
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There are several styles of nail trimmers, including a
guillotine type, a scissors cut, and a standard human fingernail
clipper. Either the guillotine type or a human fingernail
clipper are easiest to use in cats.
The scissors-type is used if a toe nail is so long that it is
curling in a circle. Long claws can grow into the toepad.
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Hold the trimmer in your right
hand if you are right handed.
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Close you hand around the clipper to squeeze the handle which
will move the cutting blade.
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Cats have retractile claws so you
need to gently squeeze the toe between thumb and forefinger to
expose the claw. |
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Most cats have light colored
claws, making it easy to see the blood vessels and nerves that
supply the claw as a pink stripe at the base of the nail, which
is called a quick. You want to cut the claw to within
approximately 2 millimeters of the quick.
If you cut into the quick, the claw will bleed and the cat
will experience pain.
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The clipper should be placed
perpendicular to the nail (cutting top to bottom). |
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Light colored claws can be trimmed
with one cut on each nail. (see trimming dog claws for
instructions on trimming dark colored claws) |
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If the trimmer is placed parallel
to the nail (cutting from side to side), the nail is crushed and
may splinter. |
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The sharper the trimmer, the
cleaner the cut. You can use a nail file to smooth the end of
the nail after clipping. |
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When using a guillotine type nail trimmer, the cutting blade
(outlined in yellow) should be facing you, not the cat. The
screws on the trimmer should be facing the cat. The nail should
be cut from top to bottom, not side to side. The tip of the nail
is placed in the hole in the trimmer and the handles are
squeezed to advance the cutting blade through the nail.
The handles of the trimmer can be held pointing toward the
floor...
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...or ceiling, which ever is more comfortable in your hands.
The cutting blade can be replaced when it is no longer sharp.
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When the trimmer is held with the screws toward you, the
cutting blade is cutting closer to the quick than if the trimmer
is held with the cutting blade toward you. You are less likely
to cut into the quick if the cutting blade faces you.
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The cutting blade is outlined in yellow.
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Cats have a nail on the inner side of each foot called the
dew claw. Remember to trim these as they are not worn down when
the cat scratches and can grow in a circle, growing into the
foot.
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In this photograph the trimmer is
being held in the reverse of previous photographs, with the
handles pointing up instead of down. This is a matter of
personal preference, what feels most comfortable to you.
Also cut the dew claw from top to bottom rather than side to
side.
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If the claw is cut too short, you can use a styptic pencil
containing silver nitrate to stop blood flow, although many
animal object to this the styptic pencil as much, or more, than
claw cutting. The black end of the stick is held to the bleeding
nail and gently rotated.
Even without any treatment the nail should stop bleeding in
about 5 minutes or less.
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Washington State University assumes no liability for injury to you or
your pet incurred by following these descriptions or procedures.
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