The thought of clipping your cat’s nails is enough to raise your blood pressure. But the nail trimming is required to keep you, your family, and your furniture protective. Nail trimming is a difficult task and most of time it ends up with a scratched and bloody owner and a frightened cat.
A cat’s nails need to be trimmed on weekly basis. Train your cat to accept nail trimming at an early age. Make your cat comfortable before starting this process. Select a proper location that is away from windows and other busy places as it can distract your cat. Try to cut your cat’s nails when he is sleeping. Here is a proper procedure to trim cat nails easily.
Prepare your Cat for Trimming
If you rescue your cat from any center, try to investigate about his personality and habits. It can help you to groom him according to your requirements. Start trimming at an early age if your cat is younger.
Carefully hold your cat’s paw, rub it gently and then try to start the process. If your cat tries to move in a specific direction, gently follow his gesture. Then squeeze the paw and trim the nail immediately. Apply this process frequently until your cat gets used to it. Don’t try to force your cat for nail trimming when he is not comfortable.
Wait for the Right Opportunity
You can’t trim your cat’s nails without his permission. So, you should select a time when he is feeling happy and calm for example when he is taking a nap, feeling sleepy, calmly resting at his favorite place. Another good time for nail trimming is when your cat has eaten his food and is ready to sleep.
Don’t try to trim your cat’s nails when he is energetic, feeling hungry, or playing with his toys. It can cause a frustrating and restless session.
Rub his Paws Softly
Some cats consider it good to play with their paws. But if you do it for a long time and trim their nails they become aggressive. So, take a deep breath and make them comfortable before trimming their nails.
Make his paw your friend, simply hold it between your fingers and make her comfortable in this posture. Squeeze the paw and release the nail immediately. Give your cat a treat to make this session successful. If you manage to do this task 2 to 3 times, he’ll get used to it.
Use the Right Tools for Trimming
Before trimming your cat’s nails, make sure that you are using the right tools. There are different tools available for nail clipping. Make sure to select the sharp and snip straight tool to cut your cat’s nails.
If the clippers are sharp, cat nail clipping will not take extra time. Usually, clippers don’t stay sharp with the passage of time. Discard old and rusty clippers after some time. By taking the right tools, you can make nail trimming easy for you and your cat.
Never Cut Cat Nails in Hurry
If you are busy, don’t take the risk of your cat’s nail trimming. It can cause an injury and you’ll end up with an injured paw and frustrating behavior. Look at your cat’s paw to find a darker called quick. It’s where the blood vessels are found. Never cut the quick as it can become a cause of instant bleeding.
It’s always better to leave a part of the nail while trimming. You should have sticky strips and powder in your hand to deal with any serious injury. You can find these products easily.
Make a Trimming Schedule
If your cat is young, you can easily train him according to your requirements. Cats should have their nail trimmed every week. Getting into a routine can make this process easy. Schedule your cat’s nail trimming and then perform this task accordingly.
If you are having trouble with your cat’s nail trimming, hire a consultant to get his professional advice.
Give a Treat after Trimming
Give him a treat of his favorite meal after a successful trimming session. Also, deal with him with affection and love. Giving treats to the cats is less common than other pets but this method can work for you to teach him disciplines.
Nourishing your cat with his favorite food is good but it should not be frequent. Unhealthy and delicious foods have calories that can cause health issues in a long run. So, don’t try to be frequent in offering unhealthy treats.
Schedule a Consultation Time
Although it’s easy to trim your cat’s nails at home by following the proper steps. But sometimes you end up with a bloody paw because of cutting the dark area called quick. If you are facing this situation you can consult with a doctor about its proper treatment.
Otherwise, nail trimming requires few steps and a proper concentration. Follow the above-written steps to enjoy a healthy session of nail trimming. Understand the postures of your cat and apply the process according to his direction. A good understanding can make a strong bond between you and your cat.
Things to avoid while Nail Clipping
Nail trimming of your cat can be a hectic task. Most people end up doing nothing when try to trim their cat’s nails. Avoid the below given things.
- Never try to clip your cat’s nails when he is stressed and anxious. This makes the process difficult. Simply give him some space and leave him until he is again available.
- Don’t try to go too deep as it can cause a serious injury. Try to leave a part unclip to avoid instant bleeding.
- Don’t try to punish your cat if he is resisting this process. These unwanted punishments can destroy his discipline.
- Don’t try to clip your cat’s nails at once. If he is changing his posture after 1 or 2 tasks, leave him for a while and start the process again
The frequency of the nail cutting depends on the cat. Check your cat’s nails after a couple of days. Cats that act wildly (when they feel stressed) need daily nail trimming.
If you can make nail trimming a calm and stress-free experience, you’ll win your cat’s trust. This bond can help you in a long run.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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