Cutting a kitten’s claws is not an easy but feasible task. Dexterity, the use of special tools for cat manicure and the ability to find an approach to the animal will help to cope with it.
Why cut a kitten's claws
Just a reservation: furniture and wallpaper clipping claws will not save. To achieve this goal, there is only one way - the early and competent training of the animal to the claw point. Indeed, immediately after the claws are trimmed, the kitten will begin to sharpen them again. It is in the feline nature. And here it depends on the owner that the pet does this in a strictly designated place.
Why then do you need a claw cut? Cats that live exclusively at home and don't go out at all have claws that grow faster than their stray counterparts. Why? Yes, because street animals actively grind their claws, running on the ground, stones, asphalt, climbing trees. At the homebrew pet, the claws become so long that he begins to cling to them for rugs, rugs, and upholstery. We noticed that the kitten plunged the claw into the thick pile of the carpet and couldn’t pull it out - it means that it’s time to start manicuring the pet.
Also, with too long and sharp claws, the kitten can scratch the owners, forgetting during the game. This is another argument in favor of clipping, especially if there are small children in the house.
In order to maintain cat nails in order, it is enough to cut them twice a month on the forelegs and once a month on the hind legs. But if the kitten lives in a village or country house, the owners let him go for a walk, it is better to refuse to trim the claws. Otherwise, the pet will remain on the street without a natural remedy.
How to cut a kitten's claws - choose a tool
Ordinary scissors or from a female manicure set will not work - they will only dissect the kitten's claws. To carry out this procedure, there are special claws, they can be found in the pet store. There are several types:
• Nail clipper. Outwardly, these are quite ordinary small scissors, on the blades of which special grooves are made. It is convenient to place a cat claw in them.
• Guillotine. The name reflects the principle of action - a sharp blade literally cuts off the claw. It is for the sharpness and reliability of the blade that many cat owners choose this option. However, there is a minus - when the mechanism works, it is not visible how long a piece of the claw it cuts off. In the absence of experience and proper skill, you can cut off too much and hurt the pet.
• Nail clipper secateurs. Easy to use and safe. This tool is equipped with a stopper that helps trim the claw to a specific length. Also, such a claw cutter has a fuse; it will not allow the blades to open independently when not in use.
There is also a professional tool - an electric grinder, with which the claws are ground. At home, it is rarely used, more often it can be found in animal salons.
For thin and soft claws of a small kitten, scissors clawing will be quite enough, you can also choose a pruner. But the guillotine is better left to trim the hard claws of an adult animal. Before buying, it is advisable to evaluate how convenient the instrument is, how it fits into your hand. Well, if there are rubberized handles, so as not to slip. And surely the blades must be made of quality steel and sharpened sharply.
How to cut a kitten's claws - getting ready for the procedure
We have decided on the tool. Before starting the procedure, it must be disinfected - wipe it with alcohol. You also need to keep ready to stop the blood, for example, hydrogen peroxide and cotton wool or cotton pads. With an inaccurate haircut, the claws can bleed, how to avoid this, we will talk a little lower.
Half the success, if not more - choose the right moment. You should not even try to cut the claws of a running kitten, force the animal, keep it by force. Manicure will need to be done throughout the cat's life. And if from childhood he will be associated with an unpleasant sensation in a pet, this process will become a real torment for both the cat and its owners.
The best time for clipping a claw is when the kitten is tired of active games, is full enough, he is getting sleepy. Take the baby in his arms, caress, calm. Find an assistant in advance - it will be much easier if one person holds and distracts the kitten, and the other cuts its claws. It is also necessary to choose a well-lit place for the procedure and do not forget to wash your hands.
How to cut a kitten's claws - the process of cutting
In order for the procedure to go without pain and blood, you need to understand how a cat's claw works. Press down on the cat's fingertip, release your claw and look at the light. The regrowth of the horn and the pink pulp, in which the blood vessels and nerve endings are located, are clearly visible. In order not to damage the pulp and not cause pain to the pet, you need to step back from the pink part of the claw by a couple of millimeters.
It is more difficult if the kitten’s claws are dark and the pulp is hard to see. Here, follow the rule "better less." Cut off just a little bit or entrust the clipping of the claws to the veterinarian. This procedure is performed in almost all clinics.
So, the process of shortening the claws at home looks like this:
• gently holding the kitten’s foot, press the fingertip, releasing the claw.
• we retreat a couple of millimeters from the pulp, place the claw cutter vertically and cut off the sharp curved tip of the claw, the correct cutting angle can be seen in the figure:
• similarly we cut all claws, it is also possible to additionally process the place of cut with a nail file.
Do not forget that cats have a fifth finger on their front legs, and a claw on it also needs care. It's okay if at once you can not cut the kitten all the claws at once. This can be done in several approaches. The main thing is that the procedure is as comfortable and safe as possible for the pet.
You can see how the process of cutting the claws of cats occurs in the video:
