Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 6: Cat Grooming › Taking Care of Your Cat's Nails ›

Caring For Your Cat's Nails

The nails of indoor cats may occasionally grow too long, in which case clipping is required. (This procedure can also minimize danger to your household furnishings.) Here is the appropriate method.

    Trimming Cat's Nails
  1. Purchase a set of trimmers specifically designed for cats.
  2. Hold cat firmly on your lap, or enlist an assistant to hold it.
  3. Squeeze the front of the paw. The nails should automatically deploy.
  4. Nip off the sharp point. This is usually sufficient for most felines. Avoid the "quick"—the pinkish area farther down the nail that carries nerve endings and the blood supply. If you accidentally cut this area, stop the bleeding by applying styptic powder (a commercially available blood-clotting compound).

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Chapter 6: Cat Grooming

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The cat nail trimmers that are on the market are not very a requirment. Good old fashioned human nail clippers are fine. They are smaller and easier to use, especially with a difficult cat.

purred by Gemma Santiago on Jul 3, 2008 AT 5:28 pm PDT
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Quirk BooksThe Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!