How To Restrain A Cat To Clip Nails
The best way to restrain a cat for nail clipping is by holding the cat firmly around its body. You can then hold the rear paws. You can then clip the nails on the paw that you are holding. You can then release the cat and let it walk away.
After you clip the nails on one paw, hold the other paw and continue clipping until all four paws are done.
You should always take care to not cut down into the quick (the pinkish part inside). If you do cut into this region, apply a little corn starch or flour to the bleeding nail. If it is on a front paw, you can wrap a little kitty band-aid around it until the bleeding stops.
A good way to make nail clipping more tolerable for both parties is to do it when the cat is sleepy. You can either do this by waking her up in the middle of the night, or you can try working on nails around your cat’s normal nap time. This will also help with any non-declawed cats that might not like having their nails trimmed.
If your cat is very squirmy, you can try wrapping her in a towel to reduce movement.
Some people use the same basic method for other grooming tasks such as ear cleaning or brushing. If your cat tolerates this well, it could be an easy way for you to get these things done without it being too much hassle for both of you.
You can also try to do short grooming sessions throughout the week rather than taking an hour out once a month. This might be more manageable.
When your cat is looking sleepy, pet her belly repeatedly with smooth long strokes of the hand that you normally don’t use to give the “chop-chop” motion to the paw. This might help to prepare her for this experience.
Paw massage can be calming and comforting; it could make your cat more willing to let you hold her paw. You can try any variety of hand motions, but some cats like their paws gently rubbed in circular motions. Some cats like their paws rubbed along the length of each toe.
Take the paw, gently press down on each toe pad (the top part), and then press down on the bottom part. The nails should pop out a little bit, and you can then grab them and clip them. Repeat with each nail one at a time until all four paws are done.
It is incredibly important to keep the clippers sharp; blunt blades will make it more difficult to clip, and you run the risk of cutting too far into the quick. If your blades are even just moderately dull, then they might be causing more pain than necessary for your cat because the actual act of cutting with a dull blade requires pressure that you would not need if you had nice sharp blades.
Some people use human nail trimmers instead of cat claw scissors/trimmers because they think these are sharper than what’s available for cats. However, many vets recommend against this due to reports of injury from this practice. These trimmers tend to tear through nails leaving frayed edges which can hurt! Using one single motion with a pair of regular cat claw scissors can help to give a cleaner cut and be less painful.
Many people use one single motion with the cat scissors and find that this cuts through nails much more cleanly than human trimmers do. If you’re having problems, try three things: (1) make sure your blades are as sharp as possible; (2) try using one smooth motion instead of two motions (back and forth); (3) grip the paw as tightly as you can.
Some people think it is helpful to tenderize nails by putting them in hot water for about 5 seconds before clipping them. Some say that doing so causes the quick to retract, making it easier for you to trim without accidentally cutting too deep.
You can also try giving your cat a treat after you’re done clipping or petting and talking to her in a soothing voice. This might help your cat think positive thoughts about the experience.
If your kitty’s still not too keen on paw massages, here are some tips for making it more pleasant.
Several types of nail-clippers are available for cats, including guillotine clippers, scissors clippers, and even electric grinders/sanders. If your cat tolerates nail trimming well at home but has trouble during grooming sessions at the vet’s office (i.e., screaming bloody murder), then perhaps ask if they would be willing to use one type of instrument instead of another that they typically use. Some vets are more willing to accommodate this request than others.
In this article, we’ve provided you with tips for how to restrain your cat and clip their nails. We hope that these suggestions will make the process go more smoothly for both of you! If all else fails, ask your vet if they would be willing to use a different type of nail trimmer than what is typically used during grooming sessions at the office.
Some people have found that using one single motion instead of two motions (back-and-forth) helps them get cleaner cuts without hurting their cats as much. Many vets are happy to accommodate requests like this because it can help ensure less stressful visits for everyone involved.
