When most people think of grooming their cats, they think of brushing, baths, or even clipping their fur. But, they often overlook one of the most important parts of a cats grooming: paw and nail care.
All cats need to have their claws clipped periodically, and it is something a responsible pet owner should do.
However, there is a right way and a wrong way to do this. The most important thing to remember when clipping a cats claws is to only clip the tip. They need this part for balance, and cutting it off is extremely painful to them.
Trimming a cat’s claws can be a tricky and uncomfortable task. However, it’s also an important part of owning a cat. If you have a kitten, you will need to start trimming her claws as soon as her nails start to grow.
Even if you don’t mind your kitten scratching your furniture and other personal belongings, you probably don’t want her to sharpen her claws on your skin when she playfully swipes at you or pounces on you in a game of “catch.”
How often should you trim your cat’s claws?
Cats are natural predators and will scratch and bite to defend themselves. However, if your cat’s claws are too long, it can hurt you when it uses its claws to climb onto your lap or into your arms.
Trimming your cat’s claws isn’t always a pleasant experience, since cats don’t like to have their feet handled. If your cat is a kitten or very young, you can use a product called Soft Paws.
This is a product that you apply to the cat’s claws that makes them less dangerous but doesn’t limit their ability to walk, scratch or defend themselves.
The frequency with which you choose to trim your cat’s claws is a matter of personal preference, but there are some basic guidelines you can follow. For example, during the summer when the cats are outside more often and playing in the dirt, you may want to trim their claws more often than you do during the winter.
What happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails?
If you have a cat, you probably know that one of the most important (if not the most important) things you need to do for it is to trim its nails, or file them down.
While many people have the idea that it’s okay to let their cats’ nails grow to uncontrollable lengths, the truth is, the longer your cat’s nails are, the more likely it is that they will get injured.
Long nails make it harder for cats to walk normally, and can make it incredibly easy for them to get injured by running into something, like a wall or a piece of furniture.
The other problem is that long nails are actually not very healthy for a cat to have. Long nails can get caught on carpeting or the edge of furniture, which can cause a cat to get a painful ingrown claw, or worse, to actually rip off their nail.
Nail Clippers for Dogs and Cats
When it comes to grooming, cats and dogs have very different needs. Cats are clean animals that don’t get dirty very easily, so they usually don’t need a bath. Dogs, on the other hand, love to roll around in the mud, so they need regular baths to keep them clean.
It’s important to groom your dog regularly to keep their fur from getting matted and tangled, as well as to make sure their coat looks good. You should start grooming your dog as soon as you bring it home, so that it’s used to being handled.
Nail clippers are a must-have grooming tool for every dog or cat owner. But choosing the right clippers can be a challenge. You might be tempted to grab any old pair from the dollar store, but that’s not necessarily the best move.
Cheap nail clippers are harder to use, and they usually don’t do a very good job—plus they’re flimsy and a waste of money. Consider that most dog and cat nail clippers have an “offset” blade, so that the cutting edge is perpendicular to the handle. Vertical clippers are designed to make cutting nails easier and more comfortable for both you and your pet. They’re also ideal for use on older pets.
Scissor-Type Trimmers
Some dogs and cats have nails so hard that regular nail clippers won’t work, and you need to take them to the vet. An alternative is to buy scissor-type nail clippers for dogs and cats. Add in a nail file and you will have everything you need to remove your pet’s nails at home, without the expense of a vet visit.
Nail trimming is often difficult to do at home with regular nail clippers because the clipper tends to slip and cause the dog pain, it can be difficult to see if the nails are all the way clear of the quick, and it takes more time than clipping with scissors.
Many people choose to have their pet professionally groomed for nail trimming, but this can be very expensive.
Scissor-type nail clippers are designed for dogs or cats that need to be trimmed. They have a handle and a blade that opens and closes like a pair of scissors.
Ask Your Veterinarian for Help
That’s right: You can trim your kitty’s nails at home (with your veterinarian’s help, of course). When you take your pet to the vet for their yearly check up, discuss the issue and ask your vet to demonstrate the proper way to trim your cat nails.
Your vet can recommend a specific length for your cat’s nails, which will vary depending on whether your kitty has long or short fur, and if she likes to scratch or not.
Although many people are able to trim their cat’s nails at home, sometimes it may be necessary to bring your cat to the vet for nail trimming. Cat’s nails can easily become overgrown and the pain of overgrown nails can cause cat to have difficulty walking and even cause problems with the normal function of their feet.
The nail is the part of your cat’s paw that you see (the part between the paw pads). The quick is a sensitive area inside the nail that contains the blood vessels and nerves. When you cut the nails too short, you can cut the quick. This will cause the nail to bleed and be painful to your cat. If you can, it is best to leave a small amount of the nail.