Trimming a cat nail is not the easiest task for a pet owner. It's a procedure that most cats do not enjoy and it can be hard to pin your cat down without getting scratched to bits. Try to remember that cats were not originally domesticated animals. They were hunters in the wild, and their claws were their defense against larger animals. For this reason, cats can be a little touchy when you attempt to hold them down and trim their nails. This is why it's important to learn about trimming your cat’s nails in a safe manner to avoid harm to both you and your cat.
Learning about the Quick
If you look closely at your cat's nails, you will notice that there is a slight pink discoloration on the nail as you get closer to the skin. That bubble shaped discoloration is known as the quick. The quick is where all of the blood supply for the nails is stored. The blood of the quick helps to make sure that the cat nail is getting enough oxygen and that it continues to grow unhindered. The problem with the quick is that it is relatively small in appearance on cats. Because of this, it can be very easy to cut into when trimming your cat's nails.
In order to avoid cutting the nail down to the quick, you want to try to cut the nails in small increments, rather than in one large cut. As you gently clip the nail down a little bit at a time, you will be able to see your progress in relation to the quick.
Don't be alarmed if you cut into the quick. Until you get used to trimming your cat's nails, it will probably happen from time to time. If you do cut into the quick, you should make sure to have some cornmeal on hand and slowly apply it to the affected nail. Cornmeal has a natural clotting agent and will help the blood to clot, thus alleviating any excessive bleeding.
Be Gentle
Because your cat is probably not going to be happy with you doesn't mean that you should rush through the procedure. When you roughly handle your cat just to get the task over with, he'll remember the procedure as uncomfortable and stifling, and will fight even harder the next time your try to do it.
What you want to do is to make sure that you're gentle. Begin by talking to your cat, petting him and soothing him before you even make the first clip. You want to convey to your cat that there is nothing to be afraid of and that you have no intention of hurting him.
As you continue clipping the nails, make sure to stop periodically and reassure your cat that you are happy with his behavior, and make sure that he's comfortable. Cats do respond to touch and voice, and it can make them easier to handle when you want to trim their nails.