This is a sponsored guest post.
If you have ever tried to cut your cat’s claws you will know how difficult a task it can be. Most cats don’t like it.
This is why you need to buy the best cat nail clippers and start trimming the claws when your cat is still a kitten. The younger the better so they get accustomed to the process.
You may be lucky and find that your kitty is one of those that happily settle in your lap or on a table while you go about trimming their claws but most need to be restrained in one way or another.
There are several types of nail trimmers. These include the guillotine type, scissor cutters, and a fingernail clipper like we use on ourselves. Either the guillotine type or a human fingernail clipper is easiest to use in cats. A good place to look is iPetCompanion for the cat nail clippers
The scissors-type tends to be used when a toenail gets so long it starts curling in a circle. Beware because long claws like this can end up growing into the toepad.
Remember if you are right-handed it’s best to hold the trimmer in your right hand. What you do is close your hand around the clipper so you can squeeze the handle. This will then move the cutting blade.
Retractile claws
Cats’ claws are retractile. This means you will need to squeeze the animal’s toe gently between your thumb and forefinger to reveal the claw.
The majority of kitties have claws that are light-colored. This makes it a lot easier to see the cat’s blood vessels and the nerves that go into the claw. They appear as pink stripes at the nail’s base. It is known as the quick. You don’t want to be cutting the claws any closer than about two millimeters of this quick. Cutting a quick can cause the claw to bleed and inflict pain on the cat.
The sharper your trimmer, the cleaner you will be able to cut. Use a nail file after clipping to smooth the end of the nails.
The nail that cats have on the inner side of each foot is called a dewclaw. These should be trimmed regularly because they do not get worn down when a cat scratches. As a result, they can end growing in a circle and ultimately growing into the cat’s foot. The dewclaw needs to be cut from top to bottom rather than from side to side.
Choosing clippers
If a claw is cut over short, it’s possible to use something like a styptic pencil that contains silver nitrate to stop any blood flowing. The cat may well object to the use of a styptic pencil more than even having its claws cutting. Whatever, you can rest assured that even in the absence of treatment the bleeding should stop in less than five minutes.
When it comes to finding the best cat clippers for your pet consider things like whether your cat is likely to prefer an electric pair or a non-electric set. Also, think about whether or not the cat is likely to be put off by vibrations and loud noises.
