Claw clipping on cat
Do you have to cut a cat's claws?
Many people wonder if it is really necessary to clip the claws of a cat. Here it simply depends on whether your kitty is an indoor or an outdoor cat. Outdoor cats live a completely different life to cats who are mostly indoors, and often need their claws for practical reasons. For example, if the cat has to climb a tree to escape from another animal. Indoor cats, on the other hand, do not face the same struggle for existence, and claw clip on cat may therefore be wise to maintain the claws and make sure they don't get too long. You can book an appointment for claw clipping at our small animal clinic if you are in Larvik or buy one claw scissors on our online store.
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Potestelle with the outdoor cat
Although you don't necessarily need to cut your outdoor cat's claws, regular grooming is useful. It can be smart to wash the paws to prevent the cat from dragging dirt and bacteria around the house, while at the same time you can ensure that the cat does not ingest anything toxic when it washes the paws itself. Washing the paws can preferably be done daily, using a wet cloth and careful movements.
Outdoor cats can from time to time also get cuts, chips or wounds on their paws, and then it is good that you as the owner discover this as soon as possible in order to clean the wound or remove the chip. If you should discover blood, pus or a bad smell, we recommend that you contact a veterinarian.
Read how to treat wounds in cats.
Claw clipping 101 - how to cut your cat's claws correctly
- First and foremost, the surroundings should be calm and safe when you are cutting the cat's claws. It is also wise to choose a time when the cat is tired and sleepy - not when it is playful.
- Gently take one of the cat's paws in your hand and massage it between your fingers, paying attention to the cat's reaction. If it is calm, you can give it a treat, but if it pulls the paw, it is best to let go and rather try to grab it again when the cat is calm.
- Then take the paw in your hand again and gently press the foot pad so that the claw comes out. Now that you can see the claw properly, it is important to identify the part of the claw that contains nerves and blood vessels and is called the pulp. This is very sensitive and should NOT be cut. Only the outermost, bright part of the claw should be cut.
If you are unlucky and cut too far in, this is not dangerous, but it is wise to keep calm and stop any bleeding with a cotton ball.
- Now you can cut off the tip of the claw. If it went well for the kitty, you can move on to the next claw. Be sure to give lots of love and preferably some treats as a reward. It will do with a couple of claws at a time to begin with, to avoid the negative associations.
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- Claw clipping on cats can, in the same way as nail clipping with us humans, be done regularly every 7 to 14 days.
Elisabeth is a veterinarian and authorized ophthalmologist with specialization in eye surgery, as well as further training in internal medicine, general surgery, oral surgery and ultrasound from the European School for Advanced Veterinary Studies in Toulouse.
