When it comes to grooming, cats like to do things on their own terms—and that can make trimming their nails a daunting prospect. But it doesn’t have to be! In fact, most cats can learn to tolerate nail clipping with a bit of practice and plenty of treats. So, are you ready to learn how to cut cat nails?
How to Trim Cat Nails: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Gather Your Supplies
Nail trimmer or grinder
Cat treats
Styptic powder (recommended), flour or cornstarch
Towel to wrap your cat in (optional)
A helper (optional, but handy)
Calm nerves and plenty of patience!
2. Find a Quiet Spot and a Comfortable Position
Trimming your cat’s nails in a quiet area of your home, away from kids, other pets or startling noises, will help keep your cat calm, making cutting their nails easier. Spraying the pheromone Feliway onto the area or blanket to be used for your kitty’s nail trim 15 minutes ahead of time can help keep your furry friend calm and at ease.
With practice, you will find the best way to hold your cat—one that’s comfortable for both of you. If you’re a beginner, try these positions:
Seated and holding your cat lengthwise across your lap
Standing and holding your cat on a flat surface that you don’t mind getting scratched, such as a padded ironing board
Reclining with the cat lying on your chest
Seated with the cat lying face up in the valley between your legs.
You can try several different positions until you find what works for you.
If your cat is especially squirmy, one way to keep a secure hold on them is to wrap them in a towel like a burrito, with only one paw outside the burrito at a time. This makes it harder for your kitty to escape or claw you. But for some cats, this tactic could stress them out even more, so do what feels best—it’s all about knowing your cat.
3. Isolate the Nail to Cut
When you’ve found a position that’s comfortable for you and your cat, pick up one of their paws. Do your best to hold the paw in a natural position for your cat, without folding it too far back or forward or bending their leg in an awkward way.
Choose a nail to start with—any of them will do! Because cats have retractable claws, you’ll have to apply slight pressure to the paw pad to extend their nail. Using your non-dominant hand, place your forefinger on your kitty’s paw pad and your thumb on the top of the toe. Squeeze gently to extend the nail, and take note of where the quick is so that you know where not to cut. (The quick is the pink part of your cat’s nail where blood vessels and nerves are.)
4. Cut at a 45-Degree Angle
Use your clippers to trim the tip of your cat’s nail. Rather than cutting straight across, aim for a 45-degree angle, which lets the nail rest comfortably on the ground when your cat walks. Use firm, decisive pressure to cut the nail; a softer, more tentative approach can accidentally crush the nail, rather than cut it cleanly.
5. Take Off a Little at a Time
Start by clipping the very tip of your cat’s nail, keeping an eye on the quick to ensure you don’t accidentally hit it. Take off just a little bit at a time, especially if you’re a beginner—it’s better to start slowly and work up to cutting more off in future trimming sessions than to stress your cat out by accidentally cutting the quick.
To help your cat enjoy the experience, you can try giving your cat a treat after every nail.
While trimming, look for warning signs such as tail twitching, growling, body stiffening or panting. These indicate an angry or stressed cat who may scratch or bite. If you see any of these signs, take a break.
6. Cut the Rest of Your Cat’s Claws
Repeat the above process to trim each of your cat’s nails. Don’t forget the dewclaws! They’re a little higher up your cat’s front paws, like thumbs. If you neglect them, they can grow long enough to curl around and poke into their paw pad—not ideal.
Remember: Some cats have “kitty minutes” and will only choose to participate in this exercise for a few minutes. If your cat gets agitated after you’ve cut a few of their nails, you can always end your session and cut the rest in a day or two. Breaking this task into smaller shifts is totally worth it to keep your cat happy.
7. Reward Your Cat
Once you have finished the nail trim, reward your cat with plenty of treats, cuddles, playtime or anything else that will end the experience on a positive note.
Once you know how to trim cat nails, it can become an easy process for you and your kitty that saves you the hassle of going to the groomer or vet. With a bit of patience and plenty of rewards, you and your cat can become pros in no time!
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