how do i cut my cats nails?

Question

I am so scared to cut my cats nails but the vet wants way more than i can afford.
How do I cut them and what is the best thing to use.
Sorry but I just got him and his claws are long he is about 8 months old.
Don't mean to sound stupid just don't want to hurt him.

Answer 1

you can go to the pet store and buy special nail clippers for cats .

(for pictures, go to that site, ok? i hope i helped you!)

Cats have retractile claws so you need to gently squeeze the toe between thumb and forefinger to expose the claw.

leave about 2 mm of nail in front of the quick

Most cats have light colored toenails, making it easy to see the blood vessels and nerves that supply the toenail as a pink stripe at the base of the nail, which is called a quick. You want to cut the toenail to within approximately 2 millimeters of the quick.
If you cut into the quick, the toenail will bleed and the cat will experience pain.

Answer 2

There is never a stupid question when it comes to care of your cat. Ok, go to a pet store, any one should do, and go to the cat area, and you will find scissors made for cipping cats claws.
It's a lot easier if you can do this procedure with 2 people as it's not the easiest thing to do. Trust me, little kitty isn't going to be thrilled by this. Now the important thing you need to be careful about is that you need to look at the claw. You will see that the claw itself is basically white,but at some point it turns pink. you have to be careful, you don't want to go into the pink part, that part is where the nail turns from nail into what would be like our cuticle and will start bleeding, not what you want to happen. Very bad for the cat. I don't want to get you nervous. So start with the part that curves around at the beginning until you get more comfortable with what you are doing. It is more important that you do the front claws. You can pass on the back claws, not always all that important. Even in the days when I had my cats declawed they didn't do the rear claws. They need those to scratch themselves.
Good luck. I take my cat to be groomed, but I still have to cut the claws inbetween. It's not a lot of fun, but it has to be done or they get caught in everything, even though my cats don't scratch at anything.

Answer 3

If you cut them too short and close, you will hit the "quick". It would be very painful and the cat could bleed badly. If you don't know what you're doing, get someone to show you once how to do it. If you only cut the last 1/16 or 1/8 inch of the claw, you should be ok. That is not very much, so do be careful.

I do my cats all the time, and I use my people nail clippers. My wife holds the cat, and I clip. DO NOT CUT INTO THE QUICK. It is VERY painful.

Answer 4

Buy a pair of cat nail clippers. They're only a few bucks at the pet store. Then get into a position where the cat is comfortable but you have a secure hold on him, and squeeze his toe gently to get the claw to extend. Then clip it off! Make a quick cut. You don't want to cut too far up (just like on your own fingernails), but on a "normal" length claw you can take off like 1/4" or so no problem.

We have a pair of clippers kinda like these: http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=1998

If you're unsure how to do it, get your vet to show you how. They should be happy to give you a quick demo. This is totally something you can do at home, though, you don't need to pay someone else to do it!

Answer 5

you can buy special clippers at any pet store. But if you can't find one I used a regular nail clipper on my 5 cats since they were little there 16 and 17 now. Just be careful not to cut to low you only want to take the tip off. First few times cat will probably not like it but they get used to it after awhile.

Answer 6

Ask your vet or somone who is perfesional how much to cut or what that one person said about the messurements was good. Just so you know it will hurt for the cat if youcut the nails to short and they will bleed. If this happens you can use baby powder to stop the bleeding I use human toe nail clippers and finger nail clipper on my cat who I have had for seven years and never have I cut her nails where she bled. The scratching post idea dosent' keep there nails from getting sharp either. I have scrathing post and my cat has medical needles for claws if i don't cut them myself.

Answer 7

Don't worry! You may need someone to help hold your cat but cutting a cat's nails is simple and doesn't hurt them. They just don't enjoy doing it. They make special nail clippers for cats and dogs that you can get at a pet store. I gave you the link. They are very simple to use. I cut my cat's nails all the time! Good luck!

Answer 8

buy a cat nail clipper and make sure not to cut too close to the quick! the quick is the pink part where the nail starts to grow. just cut off the tip. make sure you keep your cat still so he will not get hurt as you try to trim his nails. if he feels scared, pet him. afterwards, you should reward him.

Answer 9

Having one person hold it and one person cut will work best. If it gets nasty, wrap it in a towel to protect yourself from its claws and pull out one foot at a time. I do it all the time. Doesn't hurt the cat and you don't get shredded. Don't cut the quick (pink part).

Answer 10

Do you see the redness inside the cats nails? Don't go any further than that because it's part of the inside body. Only the white part of the cat's nails.