Trimming your cat’s claws is a necessary and important part of maintaining her health. You should trim your cat’s claws about once every ten to fourteen days. Letting the nails grow longer could cause problems for your cat as the nails curl in.

Take your cat’s paws between your fingers and gently squeeze, thereby extending the nail, and then quickly release. Do this while offering a treat. Once it comes time to cut the nail, note the picture below. Never cut the cat’s “quick” – the pink part of the cat’s nail. Snip only the white part of the claw.

Try to make the experience pleasant. Offer plenty of treats. If the cat becomes upset, don’t fight her as she tries to get away. If you can only manage a few nails at a time, that’s fine. Come back to it when your cat has had time to relax and calm down.

With your cat in your lap facing away from you, take one of her toes in your hand, massage and press the pad until the nail extends. Check to see how much of a trim her nails need and notice where the quick begins. Now trim only the sharp tip of one nail, release your cat’s toe and quickly give her a treat. If your cat didn’t notice, clip another nail, but don’t trim more than two claws in one sitting until your cat is comfortable. Be sure to reward her with a special treat afterward. Please note, you may want to do just one paw at a time for the first couple of sessions.

What NOT to do:

– If your cat resists, do not raise your voice or punish her.
– Do NOT declaw. Declawing is a very painful surgery that involves amputating the end of a cat’s toes and it is highly discouraged. Instead, trim regularly, provide your cat with appropriate scratching posts and ask your veterinarian about soft plastic covers for your cat’s claws.