Painlessly Trimming Your Cat's Claws

There are many reasons cats claw your furniture. One is that she is trying to make her claws more manageable by breaking off the points. Cat claws will grow around in a circle, if left unattended; they will turn back on themselves. Cats know this and that is one reason they claw at things, like a scratching post, your favorite couch or a tree trunk outside.

You can help your cat, and prevent further damage to your furniture, by trimming her claws. This should be done no more than twice a month, though once a month should be sufficient.

Getting Started

A nail trimming can be a painful and hair raising experience (for you) and a stressful one for your cat. As with anything else, preparation is paramount.

You will need a large bath towel, a set of good HUMAN nail clippers, a well lighted area and an assistant in order to complete this task. First assemble everything you need and keep it close. Then get the cat.

Time to Trim

Have your assistant gently wrap her in the towel; all the time stroking her and speaking calmly to her. It is of utmost importance that you don't scare the cat, or she will never let you do this again. Also, be very careful not to injure her, though she may not return the favor.

Hold her gently, but firmly; with all but one paw wrapped in the towel.

Take her exposed paw in your hand and squeeze the first toe gently to expose the claw.

Using the nail clippers, clip off only the point. You don't need to clip any further than that.

She may try to help you with the above steps, so be careful not to get scratched. The key to success here is to clip quickly and then move on.

When you have finished with one paw, carefully place it back into the towel and take out another. She definitely will help you with this; just try to keep the other three feet from scratching you while you are working. This is where your assistance comes in. Let him hold the cat and control her. He may be able to distract her with cat treats, but don't count on it. Cats don't usually fall for bribery like dogs do.

Free At Last

When you have clipped all four paws, carefully release the cat. She will run and hid and may be angry with you for awhile. But be kind to her and give her treats to show that she was good. Eventually, she will realize that you are not going to hurt her and she won't struggle so much.

Your cat may never like having her nails clipped, but she will enjoy the extra attention and the treats afterward. More importantly, your furniture will thank you.