Along with the delights of having a cat in the house, owners are faced with some pitfalls, which, if not addressed in a timely manner, turn into real cobblestones. One of these stones can be called the presence of sharp claws in pets, which can ruin everything in the interior that they can reach. The solution to this problem is to trim your cats' claws.
The debate about the “clawed” problem does not stop. Cat lovers are divided into two camps and argue about what is better: allowing the cat to grind its claws down on its own or forcefully trimming the scratches. There is no single solution to this problem. Both options have their pros and cons.
You can install a scratching post in your home, thereby allowing your pet to take care of its manicure on its own. The cat will use the sharpening device and will most likely leave the furniture and wallpaper alone.
And for those who do not want to fit a cat sports complex into their interior, there is nothing else left to do but trim the cat’s claws. This is not an easy task and requires some preparation and endurance on the part of both humans and animals.
It is worth noting that pets need this procedure the most: they do not have access to trees that can be climbed, thereby sharpening their claws. Also, trimming nails makes sense if your pet is about to have a love date soon. It is necessary to limit to a minimum the possibility of a gentleman or lady scratching his partner’s face.
Trimming cats' claws is a regular activity. In pets, the nail plate grows over the course of 2-3 weeks. Artificial manicure is not recommended for yard cats. Scratching serves as protection for them and helps them obtain food.
There are several tools available for trimming cat's claws. They all have scary names, but in fact they make the procedure much easier:
Guillotine shears will allow you to deal with claws in a matter of minutes. You must be extremely careful when using this tool. To avoid damage blood vessels and will not cause split nails.
You can buy special pruning shears at a pet store. Professional nail clippers help simplify the procedure and prevent the plate from delaminating. When purchasing pruners, you must carefully study the instructions and also become familiar with the nuances of cutting scratches.
It is not recommended to use ordinary wire cutters or scissors. They can damage the claw, making it difficult for it to grow back later. If there is no other choice, be sure to ensure that the wire cutters are sharp. Better yet, buy a special device.
It is also necessary to disinfect the cutting surface of any of the tools.
After the procedure, it will not be superfluous to trim the cut surface with a nail file.
In order not to harm your pet by taking care of his manicure, you need to know how to properly trim a cat’s claws. The owner should remember that the cat will not agree with the need for this procedure, so his task is to conduct a “beauty session” with the least losses on both sides. If the animal is endowed with a bright temperament, it is best to carry out the procedure with several people.
It is easiest to trim light-colored nails. Such a scratch is slightly transparent, so you can clearly see the blood vessel, which in no case should be touched. 
If you have to trim black claws, it is better to cut off only the very tip. The procedure will have to be performed more often, but the risk of touching the vessel is minimized.
Before starting, in addition to the tools, you need to prepare hydrogen peroxide and cotton wool. This is necessary in case the claw gets damaged during trimming and begins to bleed.
Before trimming your cat's claws correctly, read these tips:
If the cat reacts very violently, before the procedure you can wrap it in a towel, alternately releasing the desired paw. Nail trimming can be divided into stages and treated one paw per day.
Another feature of nail trimming is the hair. Before the procedure, it is necessary to cut the tufts of hair located between the pads. It is better not to use any buzzing machines. They can scare the pet and the idea will not succeed.
Some of the benefits of trimming cat claws include:
The disadvantages include the cat’s inability to defend itself when attacked by unfriendly animals. If the cat is used to walking outside, it is better not to trim its scratches. Also, inattentive nail care can expose your cat to infections and diseases of the limbs.
When jumping somewhere higher, the cat relies on its claws. If they are cut, it may fall without finding something to catch on.
It is worth remembering that after cutting their nails, many cats experience real stress. Therefore, the need for the procedure must outweigh the risk of possible complications.
When you take a small kitten into your home, you should decide on the problem of claws from the very first days. If you have decided to cut them, you need to start getting used to the procedure with early age. The pet's paws should be taught to touch: when the baby is in your arms, you need to stroke his paws and press on the pads.
Kittens' nails should be trimmed very carefully. You cannot start the procedure when the baby is playful and excited or hungry. It is best to start when the furry is calm or even sleeping. If the baby shows aggression, hisses and bites, there is no point in continuing - postpone the lesson until tomorrow.
The question of whether a cat’s claws need to be trimmed remains relevant for all owners. This procedure has its pros and cons. If the importance of the pros outweighs the cons, trimming the nails will become one of the stages in caring for your pet. The procedure should be carried out according to the rules and regularly. It is equally important to pay attention emotional state pet during a grooming, since most cats do not agree to manicure sessions voluntarily.
For cutting, some people use the usual scissors or nail clippers. But these tools, in the absence of experience, injure cats. It is better to purchase special nail clippers at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store.
Main types:
When choosing a tool, pay attention to:
To ensure a smooth contour, the surface after trimming is polished with a nail file, a piece of sandpaper or a sharpening stone.
The animal does not understand verbal persuasion, but is capable of developing persistent habits. Experienced breeders begin trimming nails at an early age. The kitten gets used to it, is not afraid, does not get stressed.
If the pet is already an adult, the procedure will require effort.
The cats are prepared gradually:
Only then do they begin the procedure.
If the process is completed successfully, the cat is encouraged; if not, then they are not punished or scolded.
Cats' nails are like hooks, which defines them main function- tenacity. Half of the plate is hidden in the paw pad. When lightly pressed, the remaining part is shown. Due to the tendons, the animal, when necessary, releases its claws and pulls it back.
Cats only sharpen outer part plates. At the base there is a sensitive dermis that cannot be touched. Vessels and nerve endings are concentrated there.
Haircut rules:
After 3 weeks, the claws grow back and the correction is repeated. On hind legs because of slow growth, nails can be cut after 5 weeks. These are averages.
The growth rate depends on:
The hard way. Cats are nimble animals. Some immediately begin to break free, bite, and scratch. If there are no assistants, then
Suitable method. One person holds, distracts, the other cuts. The procedure is carried out as desired. The main thing is convenience for the participants in the action, including the cat.
Try to hold her:
The last method is optimal. Veterinarians often trim this way.
If you accidentally hit a vessel during a haircut, it will bleed.
Soak the cotton wool in the medicine and apply it to the injury for a short time. Until the surface becomes dry. If the wound is severe and the cat is limping, apply a bandage. Otherwise, an infection will get into the cut and suppuration will begin. In severe cases, when the bleeding cannot be stopped, we call a veterinarian.
A small fluffy kitten in the house is not only great joy, but also a huge responsibility, because the pet needs careful care. And, if most cats perceive such brushing favorably, then trimming claws turns not only into animals, but also into their owners. real problem. Let's try to figure out why you need to trim your cat's claws, whether it can be done at home, and what tools are needed for this.
Long claws on a cat
Cats' claws grow throughout their lives, and in order to regulate their length, animals are forced to constantly grind them down. Yard cats and pets that their owners let outside solve the problem of overgrown claws, grinding them off on asphalt or trees.
And domestic cats have no choice but to sharpen their claws on wooden surfaces, walls and door frames. The result of such “hooliganism” is known to all owners of furry pets: hopelessly damaged upholstered furniture and traces of scratches on the doors of cabinets and bedside tables.
If there is no scratching post in the house, then torn wallpaper and sofas will not take long to appear!
Another argument in favor of this procedure is that claws that are too long can grow into the pads of the paws, causing pain when walking.
To protect furniture, curtains and wallpaper from the sharp claws of a pet, owners have two options - either purchase a scratching post or regularly trim the cat’s claws.
A scratching post can only partially solve the problem of a pet’s overgrown claws, because there is no absolute guarantee that the cat will sharpen its claws exclusively on it.
As already mentioned, cats are very reluctant to allow their owners to even touch their claws. To make it easier for your pet to survive such an unpleasant procedure, he should be taught it from a young age.
When the owner takes the kitten in his arms, he should gently stroke the pet’s paws, lightly pressing on the pads, so that he gets used to these touches and does not resist while trimming the claws.
You should not try to trim a small pet's claws when he is playing, hungry or in an excited state. It is best to do this when the kitten is calm or sleeping.
If during nail trimming the kitten breaks out, it is better to postpone this procedure until next time.
Trimming a cat's claws at home
The basic rule that an owner should learn before trimming a cat’s claws is to never Do not use regular scissors or your own manicure accessories. The only exception to this rule is the sanding nail file.
In specialized pet stores or veterinary pharmacies today, there is a large selection of various accessories for caring for cats, including tools for trimming claws.
Blisters and nail clippers
Special accessories for trimming nails can be purchased at a veterinary store.
First of all, the owner needs to purchase special scissors. They are called blister pack and are a little like regular nail scissors, but they have sharper blades and their very shape is adjusted to a cat's claw.
The so-called nail clippers are also popular among owners of furry pets. They resemble small pliers or forceps and come in two types: sickle and guillotine.
After trimming the nails, you can polish them a little with a nail file.
Damage from nail trimming
The picture shows where the cat's claws need to be trimmed.
In addition to cutting tools, it is also advisable to have iodine, hydrogen peroxide and baby talc . After all, it is not always possible to carefully cut off the tip of the claw, and then its tip begins to bleed. You can treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide and then sprinkle it with talcum powder.
Owners of fluffy cat breeds, such as Persians or Persians, need to prepare and hair clipper. After all, cats with long, luxurious fur grow thick tufts of hair on their paw pads, which prevent free access to their claws. If the animal is frightened by the noise of the clipper, you can trim the tufts of fur with scissors.
Before each use of scissors or tweezers, they should be treated with an alcohol solution.
Accessories
Required accessories:
- Special cat scissors.
- Crescent or guillotine tweezers.
- Nail file.
Accessories:
- Cotton wool or cotton swabs.
- Alcohol solution.
- Antiseptics (hydrogen peroxide, iodine).
- Children's talc;
Jar of hydrogen peroxide
Nail trimming should be approached with all responsibility and be sure to keep all manicure accessories clean so as not to introduce an infection to your pet.
Basic rules
Of course, you can entrust such a responsible and scrupulous procedure as trimming a cat’s claws qualified specialists working in a pet salon. But there is not always time or opportunity to take a pet to a salon, so the owner needs to learn how to trim a cat’s claws correctly.
A cat's claw consists not only of the cornea; inside the keratinized part there are nerve endings and blood vessels, which together make up the so-called pulp. If you catch the pulp during circumcision, it will begin to bleed, and the cat will experience severe pain and may even limp for several days. Therefore, only one or two millimeters of the cornea is cut off.
Apply slight pressure on the pad until claws appear
This should only be done during the day, preferably near a window, so that the owner can clearly see the claw itself. You should take the pet on your lap and, while talking to it affectionately, lightly press on the pad of its paw so that its claws appear. Then carefully cut off the upper keratinized part of the claw with tweezers.
This procedure must be done not only on the front legs, but also on the hind legs.
After cutting the claws is completed, the ends of the cut can be sanded with a nail file and treated with an antiseptic.
Upon completion of the procedure, You can treat your pet to his favorite treat, not forgetting to praise him for exemplary behavior.
If the cat is not given?
Cats, like people, have different types of character. There are particularly nervous and aggressive animals that do not even allow the owner to touch their paws. Alternatively, nail trimming for these pets should be done by two family members, one holding the cat and the other trimming the nails. You can also swaddle your pet soft towel or sheets.
Aggressive cat
If the cat still behaves aggressively and stubbornly breaks out, you should not use force, since trimming the claws can lead to paw injuries. It is better to interrupt the procedure and do it when the pet is in a calmer state.
How often should a cat's claws be trimmed?
Claws should be trimmed as they grow, approximately once every two to three weeks. This procedure should not be skipped, otherwise cats will quickly wean themselves off it and the owner will have to re-accustom the cat to trimming its claws.
An exception may be in cases where if the pet is sick or under stress.
Owners whose cats participate in exhibitions or competitions before such an important event must trim their pet’s claws, otherwise it may be disqualified.
All cat lovers sooner or later face the need to trim their pet's claws. This painstaking procedure does not have to be carried out very often, especially if the animal walks outside every day and has the opportunity to climb trees and “ sharpen » nails as much as you want and anywhere.
Those animals that for some reason do not go out for walks and cannot naturally shorten their claws, try to sharpen them at home on your favorite sofa, new wallpaper or carpet. Therefore, in order to avoid such troubles and make life easier for their cat, every owner of a furry cat should know how to properly trim a cat’s nails and what tool to do it with.
Trimming the claws of domestic cats and female cats is necessary procedure. It allows you to maintain normal health and well-being of the animal. For those who are still unsure about the need to trim their nails, below is a list good reasons, for which it is necessary to mandatory carry out this procedure.
It includes the following items:
It is necessary to accustom an animal to the fact that its nails will be trimmed periodically from a very early age. Conscious breeders who are seriously involved in breeding animals monitor this and always, when transferring an animal to new owners, give recommendations and explain how the cat’s nails should be trimmed and after what period of time.
In order for the nail trimming procedure to go smoothly, without unexpected surprises or failures, it is necessary to carefully prepare for it.
To carry it out you will need:
Very often, future owners are interested in whether it is possible to trim a cat’s nails with ordinary scissors? On this issue, veterinarians and experienced breeders are unanimous - no, you shouldn’t do this, because... An instrument not intended for such procedures can injure the cat and lead to impaired claw growth and delamination.
There are few cats who enjoy nail trimming. Most pets begin to fuss and get nervous before the first procedure, wondering what their owners are up to.
All subsequent procedures are no less hectic, because... Now your pet already knows what the owner is going to do with him. Therefore, it is necessary for two people to trim nails: one secures the cat on his lap with a towel, and the second trims the nails.
It is important to take care of good lighting, in which you can clearly see where the pink pulp passes through the claw, which is very easy to damage during the trimming process and cause pain to the animal. The tool must be disinfected and sharp, which will allow you to make the most accurate cut.
First, you need to sit the cat on your lap, calm it down a little, and pet it. Then take one of its paws in your hand and lightly press on the pad of your finger. The emerging claw can be safely trimmed using tweezers, which must be positioned strictly perpendicular to the nail below the level of the pink pulp. It is not recommended to position the trimmer parallel to the nail when cutting, because this can lead to increased delamination.
Trim the claws sequentially, on all paws in turn, and do not forget to trim the claws on the fifth toes of the front legs. If the animal becomes very upset and protests and does not even save favorite treat, spread out the procedure over time and trim one paw per day. If you suddenly cut the nail too short and blood appears, treat the claw with a hemostatic agent. After all the nails are trimmed, be sure to praise your pet.
A little kitten brings a lot of joy to being around. At first, problems with its content are invisible. But, over time, as the kitten grows, they become obvious. The first problem is a place for the toilet or, to be more precise, getting the animal used to the litter box. Next question— As the kitten grows older, it begins to sharpen its claws on all soft objects in the house. This could be a sofa, carpet, bedspreads and, of course, wallpaper, the appearance of which ceases to please. The cover of the sofa has to be changed. What if it's made of leather? In general, cat claws cause a lot of inconvenience. Even the owner suffers from razor-sharp claws. What to do in such a situation? Some cat owners use the procedure of trimming or filing the sharp tip of the claw.
There is a lot of disagreement about this. Some are of the opinion that cats have claws for a reason. Their presence is provided by nature and there is no need to deprive the animal of them. Other owners, on the contrary, do not want to endure the inconvenience and go for a haircut with full confidence.
If a cat or kitten goes outside, then there is no need to trim your claws. Shedding of dead claws occurs naturally. How would cats live outside? After all, there is no person there to trim their claws. Nature provides everything. These animals often climb trees, clinging to the bark with their claws, and walk on hard asphalt and rocky soil. All this helps remove dead, unnecessary nails.
Subject to availability scratching post in the house and, the pet grinds them off on its own, so it does not require outside help. But the animal must be taught to sharpen its claws using a scratching post. Not all cats agree to this. They prefer our sofas and carpets. Missing time on training can give such unpleasant results.
Most owners use the procedure declawing to your pets. This would be quite appropriate, since the cat does not go outside and shed its nails naturally doesn't happen. There are simply no surfaces in the apartment on which nails could wear off.
The hind legs of cats have four toes with claws. The front ones are equipped with another side one, which is located slightly higher. They are not deleted, so they may be larger than all the others. Characteristic ingrown claw. Adult animals chew off their overgrown nails, but small kittens are unable to do this. A person is simply obliged to help with this.
Experts advise getting a haircut kittens once a month. Special attention deserve breeds whose claws grow quickly, compared to other cat breeds. Possible specific features animal body. Persians, sphinxes, lop-eared require more careful care of the claws on their paws. Horny plates they grow and exfoliate more intensely. Representatives of these breeds have to have their nails trimmed frequently..
Horny endings on a kitten require close attention from the owner. Their deteriorating condition indicates a lack of diet vitamins B and D. Fragility - lack of calcium. In this case, you should contact the YA-VET veterinary center. Here, you will be given advice and prescribed appropriate medication treatment. You should not buy medications on your own on the advice of the seller. He is not a specialist and what effect this or that medicine will have on the body is unknown.
Not every owner can do this procedure himself.. What if you do something wrong, hurt your pet, no one knows how he will feel, and what if you get some kind of infection? Help from an experienced specialist, this is what you need. He knows how to properly perform the haircut procedure and what tools to use. More adventurous owners can trim their nails themselves at home. Before you begin, you need to study the rules and tips for carrying out the procedure.
While the kitten is playing or when he is hungry, postpone the procedure. Catch an animal's moment of peace so that he is full or gets ready for bed. An animal needs an approach. Pet your pet, talk kindly, quietly, and calm him down. A creative approach to the procedure is not excluded. Train your pet a little. Perhaps he will even enjoy this process, which takes place in a playful way.
Prepare your favorite treats: pieces of meat, crunchy food, fish. Cut off the claw discreetly and immediately offer a tasty piece. This procedure will not cause negativity and next time your pet will be happy to play happily and at the same time get its paws in order.
Cats' nails should be trimmed in a calm environment. If the animal is nervous or not ready for the procedure, do not insist. Choose the right moment.
Cats of any age can have their nails trimmed at veterinary center. A complete set is at your service necessary tools for haircut. Arrange for a specialist to visit your home by calling the center’s contact phone number. The price of the procedure will be agreed upon in advance. Haircut is carried out with sterile instruments using antiseptic agents.
