You know it’s time to clip your cat’s nails when you can no longer bare the pain of them sitting on you. If your wardrobe is full of loose threads from where your pet has walked all over you, do both yourself and your cat a favor….get those nails clipped ASAP! If your cat is still a kitten and has never had their nails trimmed before, make this something that is done on a regular basis so that by the time they are older they won’t fight you. If you have an older cat, you may want to think about paying to have a professional groomer take on the job. Trust me your pet and your bite free hands will appreciate it.

The best to time do the deed is when they are sleepy and have less fight in them. Either place the animal in your lap or rest them under our arm so that you are able to hold them and clip at the same time. The most important part about nail trimming is to avoid as much of the quick as possible. According to Catscratch.com, “Notice the pink tissue (the quick) on the inside of the claw. Avoid the quick when you trim the claw; cutting into it will cause pain and bleeding Remove the sharp tip below the quick (away from the toe), clipping about halfway between the end of the quick and the tip of claw.”  Begin by pressing down on the front of their paw and exposing the nail. Next using clippers especially made for pets (available at all pet stores) to cut the nail not at an angle, but vertically as to avoid splitting the cuticle. If you fear you’ve gone to far, don’t panic any bleeding caused will stop soon and should not cause your pet any problems.

Be aware that this will not be your pet’s favorite thing to do, so don’t be discouraged if you are forced to stop halfway through. Give the animal some time to get over the stressful situation, relax, and then continue. Remember to avoid the quick and to show patience. Once completed your favorite shirt and your furniture will thank you for it.