Is your kitty using your sofa as a nail-care station? Has your cat shredded your carpet, or left scratch marks on your door jambs? Fluffy’s nail-care habits can be a bit frustrating! One way to keep your pet from scratching your belongings is to clip her claws. A local vet discusses trimming Fluffy’s claws in this article.

Pawsitive Vibes

To get started, settle down in a comfy chair with Fluffy on your lap. Pick a time when your pet is a bit sleepy. (Given that cats sleep up to 20 hours a day, this shouldn’t be difficult.) Pet your kitty until you have purr activation, and then pick up her foot and massage it gently. Some cats are a bit ticklish, so if your feline pal has a sensitive spot, you may need to experiment with how you hold her paw. Keep doing this until your furball is comfortable with getting her paws touched. Next, gently squeeze your furry buddy’s toe until her claw extends. Offer treats, praise, and cuddles to keep that little motor going and help your cat form positive associations with having her furry feet touched. For additional tips on grooming senior cats, see Grooming a Senior Cat.

Clipper

Once Fluffy is used to getting her paws handled, start running the clipper over her toes. You can also try cutting uncooked spaghetti, so she gets accustomed to the sound of the clippers. Remember to offer lots of treats and cuddles!

Clipping

You can now move on to cutting Fluffy’s nails. Be sure not to cut the quick, which is where your cat’s nerves and blood vessels end. Just cut the tip. If you aren’t sure where to cut, ask your vet to demonstrate. That said, we do recommend keeping styptic powder on hand. This will stop any bleeding if you do cut too far.

Tips

If possible, get your cat used to having her nails done while she is still a kitten. It’s much easier to get a baby feline to accept a peticure than to try and convince an adult cat to try something new. That said, we don’t recommend clipping Fluffy’s claws if she is allowed outdoors: cats that go outside need their claws for defense. Also, if your cat just won’t accept having her paws handled, call us to schedule a quick nail-trim.

Please contact us, your local vet clinic in Treasure Coast, FL, for all of your cat’s veterinary care needs. If your pet requires more intensive care or surgical intervention, consider our Veterinary Surgery services. We’re here to help!