Many indoor cat owners, rather than subjecting their pets to expensive and potentially painful surgery, choose to trim their cat’s claws in order to preserve their furniture and protect their carpeting.  With a little know-how, pet owners can trim their cats' claws with a minimum of discomfort for either themselves or their pets.

Why Trim?

Many veterinarians and animal rights organizations maintain that declawing may cause your pet pain.  Whether or not this is true, the surgery is expensive; also, declawing renders a cat defenseless. While indoor cats may not have many enemies, if an indoor cat were to “escape” to the outside the consequences could be dire.  While a cat’s claws can be very destructive, there is no need for a drastic removal.   Trimming a cat’s claws is an effective way to curb the destruction of your fine fabrics.  Some pet owners ask a vet to trim their cats’ claws for a small fee, but cutting claws is relatively easy.  Any pet owner, with a little education and a lot of patience, can do this for their own animals.

Choosing the Right Trimmer

One popular form of nail trimmer, available in most department stores, resembles a pair of scissors with thick blunt blades.  On the edges of the blades are curved notches where the claw is to be placed.  This type of trimmer is ideal for a cat’s claws because it allows the owner greater control during trimming.  Dog nail clippers should never be used with cats.  Dog trimmers are usually large plastic devices in which the claw is inserted and snipped off.  This type of trimmer is usually rather noisy, which may be fine for our canine friends, but is not suitable for finicky felines. Some pet owners simply use human nail clippers, but these can be awkward to maneuver.

How to Cut the Nail

The object of trimming a cat’s claws is not to shorten the claws as much as possible; the objective here is to blunt the sharp “hook” curve of the nail.  This thin curved portion of the claw is the part that does the most damage to fabrics when cats scratch.  Cutting only this curved portion is important; cutting too far can cause bleeding.  The thick, pink section of a cat’s claw--the quick--contains both blood vessels and nerve endings; trimming too far into this area can cause the cat pain.  Clip the nail a good distance away from the thick part of the claw and do not cut into any portion of the claw that is pink.  If you are unsure, simply snip off the very end—the sharp tip of the claw—the removal of this portion will blunt the cat’s claws to some extent.

The Three Cs= Control, Calm, Comfort.

Cats, of course, are not generally thrilled with the prospect of having their claws trimmed.  Keeping the cat comforted and under control is the key to a successful feline manicure.  You can also plan ahead and start playing with your cat’s paws—touch the pads and expose random claws—before you make your first attempt.  When you are ready, try to approach your cat when it is relaxed, preferably when he or she is napping or has just awakened from a nap.  Playful, active cats are hard to control; trimming is hard enough without the cat trying to play with the clippers!

• Make the cat comfortable on your lap and keep the cat’s front paws facing your dominant hand.  Use the non-dominant arm and hand to keep control over the cat. 
• The crook of the elbow should cross the cat’s midsection, allowing the non-dominant hand to grasp the paw.  This is how you keep control; the elbow and arm should hold the cat in place with GENTLE pressure.  Please don’t squeeze the kitty.
• Use the thumb to press down on a toe while using the index finger to press the toe’s pad and expose the claw.
• Should the cat struggle, STOP IMMEDIATELY.  Calm the cat without allowing it to leave its position.  Hug your cat close to your chest and treat it affectionately. 
• When the cat is calm, expose the claw and hold the nail scissors in your dominant hand.  Position the notch in the blade at the middle of the claw’s curve.
• Clip the claw quickly and move on to the next. If the cat is disturbed by the noise of the scissors, stop again and soothe your pet.
• Clip as many claws as you can in one sitting; however, if the cat becomes very annoyed, hisses, or attempts to bite, abandon the session and try again later.  With a little patience, you will soon be able to clip all ten claws in one sitting.

Keeping the cat calm is imperative.  NEVER attempt to trim the claws of a struggling, antagonized cat.  Use this same process on each claw, including the dew claws on the lower part of the paw.  Work confidently, because your pet will sense hesitation or indecision, and rapidly, but remain aware of the cat’s disposition at all times.  Patience in the process is essential; a calm cat and a calm “manicurist” will make the experience bearable for everyone involved. 

When to Trim

Cats generally should have their nails trimmed about every 2-6 weeks.  The sooner you start trimming claws, the better. Younger cats will adapt relatively quickly; while they may never actually enjoy the process, it will eventually become routine.  Older cats may never become complacent with having their nails trimmed but should, with time, allow their owners to trim their claws with less distress.

Can’t Trim? Try a Cap!

If your cat should prove completely resistant to trimming, which is relatively rare, there is another option for your pet.  The nail cap, which is a simple, round plastic cap that fits over your cat’s claw is a good solution.  Pet owners can apply these for themselves; however, if your cat resists this idea as well, your vet can also apply them.

Last Resort

If you have exhausted all of your options, and your cat has destroyed the couch and the carpet, you may need to have your pet declawed.  If you find this to be the case, consult your veterinarian and ask about pricing as well as what to expect for your cat.