Maintaining your cat's claws by clipping them regularly is many times more important than you might think. It is both for the sake of the cat's well-being, but also to better protect you and your home, such as e.g. your furniture, sofa, curtains etc.

Clipping the cat's claws is not always the easiest and that's also why many people don't do it as often as they should. Just the thought of it can make you bite your own nails. In any case, it often takes patience and practice.

The right tool for clipping the cat's claws

First of all, it is important to have the right tool and the one that suits you and your cat best. Can be or claw pliers, but also works with regular human nail clippers. It is important, however, that it is a good size, not too big and not too small, and that the blade is sharp. A pair of scissors or pliers that are too dull can cause the cat's claw to crack and in some cases begin to bleed. Then it can be good to have something on hand to stop the bleeding. Examples can be styptic powder (blood-stopping powder), cornstarch or a firm and dry soap that is rubbed against the claw.

With us you will find various claw scissors, claw pliers and files to cut your cat's claws. You can find these here .

Find the right grip

It would be logical to hold the claw scissors in one hand and the cat's paw in the other. But since cats don't obey any rules and are quite impulsive, the risk is that the paw will fly away faster than you can even blink. Some cats handle it well, but the most important thing is that you hold the paw with a soft but firm grip.

One way could be to have the cat in the crook of your arm while you hold the paw with the same hand and then hold the scissors or pliers with the other. another way could be to have the cat on the table and gently lift one paw at a time. If you have a calm cat, it can also work if it is allowed to lie on your lap. Even better is if there are two of you. Then the other person can hold the cat and/or stroke it in its favorite place to stimulate and calm the cat. Maybe even bribe with something good.

The act of clipping the cat's claws

once you've got the cat and yourself in place, it's time to trim the claws. Start by taking the cat's paw in your hand and gently pressing down on the top and bottom of the paw on the joint just behind the claw. This allows the claw to extend so you can quickly but gently cut off the sharp tip and no more. Make sure not to cut too much as there is a risk of cutting into the pulp. This will cause pain to the cat and cause it to bleed. Therefore, it is always better to take a little at a time or rather too little than too much if you are unsure. Should you happen to cut the pulp after all, apply pressure against it without squeezing the entire paw. Then do as we described above, add blood-stopping powder, cornstarch or rub a firm and dry soap against the claw. Then make a decision yourself whether it is appropriate to continue cutting the cat's claws or whether it is worth waiting until a later time.

Both dogs and cats can have different shades on their claws. Some have light claws while some may have very dark ones. If they have dark claws, it can be very difficult to glimpse the pulp, which you usually can otherwise on lighter claws. On such an occasion, it is important to be extra careful so that the pulp is not cut. If you are too unsure, it might be an idea to let an expert do the cutting.

Don't forget to also cut the rear claws, which is easy to miss as you usually only focus on the front ones, and almost forget that they even exist,

If you don't have time with all the claws, there is absolutely no danger and for most people more common than unusual. Cats rarely have the patience to pet for that long. Be happy if you manage to get a few, then just reload for the next opportunity and take the remaining claws.

Here you can also watch a video on how it can be done when clipping the cat's claws.