Cat nail clipping

Cat nail clipping is possible at home, as long as you have a little knowledge.

• First of all what type of nail clippers should you use ?

nail clipper

These nail clippers are the type that i use most commonly in practice, but there are smaller variations on this design that also work well. The type of clippers that i would avoid are the “guillotine” type.

• How do i clip the nails ?

This is ideally a two person task, and is easier performed on a table at about waist height.  While one person holds your cat still, you can the hold a paw and clip the tips of each nail.  If you look at the diagram below you will see an area of the claw marked with dotted lines called the ungual process. This is the sensitive part of the nail that contains sensory nerve endings and a blood supply (also called the quick), and should NOT be cut.

anatomy of cat claw

When you look at the claw from the side, often the tip of the nail is much finer, and it then thickens as you move towards the base. This thicker region contains the blood vessel and should be avoided.

So if you can see the fine tip of the nail this is the part to be clipped.

• How often should i clip my cats nails?

If your cat goes outside,  or uses a scratching post you may never need to clip your cat’s nails. However the nails can  grow quickly just like our own nails , and so can be clipped whenever the sharp points have regrown.  If in doubt clipping every 3 months should be fine.