How to cut cat nails

Before cutting your cat's nails, you must first control your cat. You can use tools such as an Elizabeth collar or a cat backpack to secure your cat, or wrap the cat in a towel or blanket. If your cat is very uncooperative, you may need two people to work together to control it. When cutting the nails, accurately find the cat's bloodline. With pet nail clippers, cut the nail at a 45-degree angle about five millimeters away from the bloodline. Cut less each time and trim regularly. If you accidentally cut the bloodline, immediately apply pressure with a clean cloth or cotton swab to stop the bleeding and disinfect the wound with iodine.

Control the cat

Cats often resist having their nails trimmed, even those that are usually obedient. During the process, they might struggle, escape, or even scratch their owners. Therefore, it's essential to control the cat before cutting its nails.

You can put a cat collar on your cat or purchase a specialized cat backpack and place your cat inside. Once the cat is secured, gently pull out its paws and trim its nails one by one. Alternatively, you can wrap the cat in a towel or bag to secure it and prevent it from moving. If the cat struggles too much, two people can work together: one to hold the cat still, and the other to perform the trimming.

Find the bloodline

Lift your cat's paw gently and separate the pad from the claws to see the nail has two colors: the front part is white, and the back part is pink. The junction of these two colors is the cat's bloodline. For young cats with smaller nails, you can use a light to illuminate the nail, making it clearer and easier to find the bloodline.

Trimming method

When cutting the nails, gently press the cat's pad to expose the nails. Cut the nail tip at a distance of about five millimeters from the bloodline, using pet nail clippers at a 45-degree angle. Cut less each time and trim regularly. If you accidentally cut the bloodline, immediately apply pressure with a clean cloth or cotton swab to stop the bleeding, disinfect the wound with iodine, and apply an antibiotic ointment.