How Often To Trim Your Cats Nails
All cats wear their nails down differently depending on how much they use a scratching post, run or climb. Examine your cats nails at least every two weeks, and trim them when they grow too long.
Youll notice the rear nails are often much shorter than the claws in the front. Trim your cats nails about every two weeks. The nails on the front paws are often longer than the nails on the rear paws.
Some cats wear down their rear nails more as they run and climb. If the rear nails are short, simply snip the tips.;
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How To Trim A Cats Claws On An Aggressive Cat
Some cats do not mind claw clipping, and you can do it without getting scratched or bitten.
However, if youre reading this article, your cat is probably one of those who dont submit quietly to this necessary procedure.
First, keep something in mind. Do not call the cat or try to lure her with a treat when youre about to do something unpleasant.
Go and get her. Otherwise, Kitty will start associating your calling with bad things and will hide promptly.
The second thing is that you should try to get your cat used to nail clipping when she is young. In this way, youre going to avoid future problems.
Unfortunately, a cat that has had an unpleasant experience with claw clipping will probably continue to give you a hard time.
But these tips on how to trim a cats nails by yourself;will come in handy, so keep on reading.
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Know The Anatomy Of Cat Claws
The first step in knowing how to trim cat nails is knowing about cat paws. Most cats have 18 nails . However, a condition called polydactyly, in which cats have supernumerary digits, is quite common. Get to know your cats paws, and know where the nails are and how many there are. Also, remember that cats nails naturally retract while at rest. They can be extended for trimming by applying simultaneous gentle pressure on the top and bottom of each toe. Practice this and get good at it.
Finally, know the quick. The quick contains blood and nerves that feed and provide sensation to the nails. If you trim a nail too aggressively, you will cut into the quick. This causes pain and bleeding. The quick can be identified by its pink or red tinge at the base of the nail. The quick does not generally extend through the entire nail.
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Tips To Help With Clipping Your Cats Nails
- Dont introduce clippers for the first time at trimming time. Leave them in places your cat can see and investigate them. Remove the mystery and make a happy fuss about them. This way, your kitty learns the clippers arent an instrument brought out for their torture!
- Encourage your cat to embrace the handling of their paws with frequent paw massages. If cats are used to having their feet touched regularly, it will help the clipping cause for both you and them.
- Choose a quiet space away from other animals for your cat nail salon. Make sure your spot offers plenty of light. Those claws are small for the seeing!
- Try different positions if your cat is squirmy during their pedicure. Maybe kitty will like the process better laying on his side rather than being restrained in your arms.
- Try clicker training to reinforce positive association when it comes to cutting a cats nails.
- Start young. The earlier a cat experiences nail clipping, the easier of a time youll have as they age.
- Trimming time should coincide with a calmer period in your cats day. Choose a time when your cat is usually relaxed rather than a high energy playtime. To be sure your cat feels calm for his trim, you could first engage him in a good play session.
- Treats are a must!
- Catnip makes everything better!
Though delicate work, trimming cat nails is one of those simple but necessary tasks that will keep you and your kitty living the good life together!
Get The Cat Familiar With The Sound Of The Clipper
The other thing that freaks cats is the sound of the clipper. So, you want Kitty to get used to its sound before attempting to cut the nails.
You can do that by using a piece of uncooked spaghetti. Heres how to do it:
- Get the cat comfortable.
- Massage one of the toes and press to extend the nail.
- Do not clip the nail, instead cut the spaghetti with the clipper.
- Give the cat a treat and repeat.
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Approach Your Cat Slowly
Next up, youll need to actually get a hold of your cat. Just walking up to them, with a sharp object in your hand, is going to make them flee or gift you a swat on the face. Instead, you need to slowly approach your cat while acting normal. Cats can read body language and can understand the tone in your voice, so if your acting strange your cat may avoid you.
Cut The Nails Of A Kitten
Cutting;your;kittens nails;is an important part of cat grooming. When kittens grow, they discover al their fighting tools, so also their nails.
When your kitten learns early that nail trimming can be a positive and rewarding experience, your kitten will find it okay later on its life. Its also important to give your kitten scratching posts or platforms so that it learns to sharpen the nails there, rather than on your furniture.
For the first time to train your kitten cutting the nails, you are focussing on making your kitten comfortable.
Start by holding the paw and touching the toes and nails while you talk to your kitten. It may seem like a slow start, but the goal is to familiarize your kitten with having the paws handled. When you are right coming with clippers, it could frighten your kitten or make it feel threatened.
It is important to reward your kitten after the training. Your kitten will then remember the positive.
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What Happens If You Dont Trim Your Cats Nails
Cats, as everyone knows, are a paradox of a pet. They need constant attention and care to live a healthy life. But at the same time, your cat is going to dart away the moment you pull out the brush or heaven forbid the nail clippers. Clipping your cats nail is something that should be done with care.
We all want to keep our cats happy, but are there underlining health risks if you dont trim their nails? And how exactly do you trim your cats nail without getting a scratch across your face?
Your Thoughts On Cat Nail Splits
Have you ever seen the outer layer of a cats nail start to come off, though not completely, and worried there may be something wrong?
Have you ever seen those crescent moon shaped outer layers near a scratch post and wondered what they were?
Ever had a cats nail splinter or basically do anything besides splitting to reveal a clean, new layer of nail beneath?
Did the issue resolve itself? Did you need to take your cat to the vet and if so, what did the vet advise?
Love to hear about your experiences related to nail splits in the comments below!
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Elises Favourite Tip
One of the most frustrating problems Ive had to deal with as a pet parent is staying on top of my cats desire to play. While this is typically hard to do, toys like these that allow cats to play by themselves make the job one heck of a lot easier.
The hits in my household are ridiculously affordable: cat springs, ball track toys, &kick sticks. I have a slew scattered around the house, so when my cats get bored, even if Im busy or not even home, my furries are able to actively play.
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Four: Love And Reward
After the nails are nice and tidy, reward your kitty with hugs, kind words, and a load of treats!
If you dont feel comfortable clipping your cats nails, schedule an appointment with the vet to have kittys talons trimmed. While youre there, ask the doctor or vet tech if theyll demonstrate how to trim a cats nails for you.
How Often Should You Trim A Cats Nails
A cat uses its nails for many different activities, including scratching, climbing and marking territory. Interestingly, cat nails are retractable, staying hidden until a cat needs to use them.
Cat nails also grow continually. Outdoor cats keep their nails short by climbing and scratching on trees, among other outdoor activities. Indoor cats often use cat scratching posts;to care for their nails, but these posts may not be enough to keep a cats nails short.
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Is It Necessary To Trim A Cats Claws
Its important to keep a cats nails trimmed short to avoid injuries to the claws and paws. Too-long nails can grow right into the paw pad, causing a painful injury that will need veterinary attention. Keeping the claws trimmed short also helps minimize scratches to your skin and damage to your furniture.;
Cut The Tips Of The Claws
The next thing you should do is to get your cats paws ready for the cutting. To do this, take it into your hand and press down gently on the joint. If you have long nails, make sure not to scratch the cats pads, so she doesnt feel threatened. Youll notice that the nails will extend once you put pressure on the pad.
Afterward, cut the thin tip off, and youre done. Dont get anywhere near to the pink base of the nail. This part is called the quick, and its the ending of many nerves and blood vessels. Itll hurt the cat immensely if you cut it, just like youd feel if you accidentally cut your cuticles.
If you happen to cut a cats quick by accident, dip the cats nail in cornstarch or a styptic solution. This will stop the bleeding.
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Trimming A Cats Nails By Yourself
How To Get Your Cat Used To Nail Trims
Its never too early to start trimming cat nails or getting your cat accustomed to having their paws touched.
It might actually be a little late if you have an older cat who has never had their nails trimmed and will never understand why you want to start now.
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Accustom The Cat To This Procedure
Some cat owners say that they find it impossible to cut their pet’s claws because it doesn’t like it. This is because the process hasn’t become a habit that it has been used to since it was a kitten, so after some time the animal will resist.
The first three months of a cat’s life are considered to be their socialization stage, so everything you teach them during those months can be learned easily. It is during this period that it is ideal to incorporate the habit of cutting claws, because if you do it after then, it is very likely that the animal will resist.
Why Should You Trim Your Cats Claws
It goes without saying that sharp cat nails inflict more damage than trimmed ones. Your sofa, carpet and drapes will notice significant benefits. For the record, sharpening the claws is a normal expression of feline behavior, and it cannot be humanely suppressed. Thats why all cat owners should have scratching posts.
As a person for whom cat scratches are an occupational hazard, I can assure you that trimmed cat nails cause less damage to human skin than their sharper counterparts. Cat scratches arent merely painful. Scratches can become infected . And flea-infested cats may spread Bartonella henselae, also known as cat scratch disease .
Cats derive direct benefits when their people know how to trim cat nails properly, too. Cats nails grow in layers that are like shells. When cats sharpen their claws, they are removing the older shells to expose the sharper new ones. However, often cats do not successfully remove the shells. This can lead to ingrown nails that can become extremely painful and can lead to nasty infections. Regular nail trims prevent ingrown nails. Furthermore, a cat with trimmed nails is likely to enjoy a better relationship with her family, since she wont be ejected from laps merely for making kitty dough.
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Is It Bad To Not Cut Your Cats Nails
Maintaining your cats nails is an important part of your weekly grooming ritual with them. Most cats like getting their claws trimmed, as you might see your own cat chewing them or claiming your poor furniture to try wear the tips down when they get too long.
If not maintained, your cats nails can curl back towards their toe pad. This can cause discomfort when they walk or threaten to puncture their toe pad. Cats can sometimes even hook their nails on their lip while grooming their paws if they are too long.
Examining your cats claws periodically is a good thing. By following our tips above, more and more your cat can feel relaxed in this process.
Regular Nail Splitting In Cats & Why Its Not A Problem
Basically, imagine your cats nails are a bit like a snake skin. We all know that snakes shed their skin, a really cool process which helps them get rid of an old, used up outer layer of skin to reveal a shiny, new layer of snake skin beneath.
As time goes on, the new skin becomes old, and thats then shed to reveal another new layer of skin beneath it. Think of cat nails in a similar way.
To keep their claws sharp, cats shed the old, outer layer of nails that are used up and dulled down over time with use.
The old, outer layers come off in two one on each side of the nail, and these halves each look a lot like little crescent moons.
Beneath those little crescent moons, which are the old, used up outer layer of nail, is a brand new, sharp nail beneath it.
In time, this new sharp nail will become used up, old, and be replaced by another new inner layer. Pretty cool, huh?
Most of the time, when you see a cat nail split when trimming your cats nails, what youre seeing split is just this old, outer layer thats nearly ready to come off and be replaced by the new inner layer anyway.
If you can confirm visually thats what youre seeing, and that theres a clean, healthy looking brand new layer of nail underneath, chances are the nail splitting while youre trimming is completely a-okay, and in little to no time, the outer layer will be ready to fall off, which it likely will do while your cats scratching on a post over the next few days.
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How Often To Cut Your Cat’s Claws
If the cat uses the scratching posts it has at home that reduce the length of their claws while they play, then you will need to cut their claws approximately every 15 days. The cat will already play with the scratching posts, so it is not that necessary to cut its claws so often. However, it is important to trim them from time to time to stop them from being too long and causing inconvenience, which may cause the animal to decide to scratch other surfaces to file them down.
If your cat has been used to this process since it was a kitten, it won’t take more than a couple of minutes to do.