How Often Should I Trim My Cats Nails?

[meganelizabeth8]

I have two cats. One of my cats, his nails grow very fast and my other one, no so much. How often should I trim them? My female cat seems to hate for me to trim them. Should I take her to get them done by a Vet?

 

[red top rescue]

There is no set time period in which to trim nails because as you noted, all cats' nails do not grow at the same rate.  Once a week is usually good for cats with nails that grow very fast (usually the front grow faster than the hind claws).  For your cat who gives you trouble while clipping claws, you can probably get her used to it over time, but for difficult cats, it's sometimes wiser to trim just one or two claws per session.  You are trimming more often but you get them all done in rotation,  I have two cats that must be done this way,  For them I find that the type of trimmer you use is most important.  The small bird claw clippers are good for front nails (Petco brand, in the bird section, seem to work better than any they sell in the cat section.)  For the tough ones, I use human toenail clippers because they are faster and stronger than the scissors type, although they do split the ends a little compared to the scissor type clippers.  You may want to take your difficult one to the vet for the first big nail clipping and then continue to trim off just the tips weekly, or one or two toes  DAY, whatever works for you.

 

[sophie1]

I do a claw check every week.  When my cats were kittens, their nails grew fast and they needed clipping every week.  Now I'm finding that every 2 weeks is good, but occasionally I find a sharp tip on the odd weeks that needs trimming.  I'm a bit obsessed with keeping their nails trimmed, in order to reduce damage to furniture, rugs, and people.  My kitties are very sweet and don't ever scratch on purpose, but accidents happen.

The key is to do it without overly restraining them, and not to bring a lot of nervous energy to the table.  Cats seem to pick up on that, and they tend to fight you if you're not completely relaxed.  Pick a time when they're drowsing and relaxed.  Be gentle, show them the scissors beforehand and let them head rub them if they want, and be generous with treats during & after.  If they walk away, let them go and try another time.  This holds true not just for nail clipping but also things like tooth brushing and grooming.

 

[meganelizabeth8]

Thanks!

I should not be using regular fingernail clippers right.?

I will need to go get some of the bird nail clippers.  

My female cat will not even let me touch her paws. I tap them and then she moves them away from me, I try to hold them and she moves them... I do not know what to do.. She just cant stand them being touched. She also hates being held. 

I do not know what to do.... 

 

[betsygee]

There are nail clippers for cats.  I use something like these:  http://www.thecatsite.com/products/safari-nail-trimmer-for-cats-stainless-steel/reviews/4510

I had one cat, though, that just would not tolerate me clipping her nails, so I took her to Petco periodically to have them do it.  She behaved for them!   

 

[meganelizabeth8]

Thanks for the link. 

That is what I was thinking taking her to get them clipped. She also needs a bath. 

 

[jofo]

My kitten is 6 months old now and I never clipped her nails. When is the right time to clip her nails, should I wait any longer? 

 

[rlavach]

I don't have any schedule for my cats. I just clip them when I notice they're too long. They let me touch their paws easily. I use the regular scissor like cat claw clippers. I agree with the previous poster that your attitude & demeanor greatly affects the cat in the clipping session. I've tested it with my husband. He gets so nervous & anxious that he'll accidentally cut the quick that he's a mess. He doesn't even like watching me! If he holds and I clip, the cat goes bonkers. But if I hold and I clip, its better. Be calm, assertive, but not too forceful. Most will learn to tolerate it, at least. 

 

[catmomjulia]

Whenever they feel too long is a good time for a trim, it may also vary over time since it changes by the amount they use their scratching posts. I used to have to cut Jo's nails all the time as a kitten but now he rarely needs a trim

 

[GoldyCat]

Whenever they feel too long is a good time for a trim, it may also vary over time since it changes by the amount they use their scratching posts. I used to have to cut Jo's nails all the time as a kitten but now he rarely needs a trim

It varies from cat to cat. I have two sisters, one needs her claws trimmed every 10-12 days, the other about every 3 weeks. Kitten claws also seem to grow faster than adult claws.

 

[di and bob]

I have had cats fro 50 years now and have never trimmed ANY of their claws. There has never been a need.They have never grown too long.Now dogs are a different story, unless they get onto cement, they CAN grow too long.

 

[Freedom]

I have the clippers like Betsy Gee gave the link to, and I also have the regular nail clippers like these:


You do not need to clip the nails short, you only want to blunt the tips.  The shorter you go, the move uncomfortable for the cat, PLUS until you learn how to do it, you end up with them at the wrong angle and they grow into the pad. 

I check my cats once a week, anyone with sharp points gets those blunted.  I don't want any eye scratches (had one once years ago, naturally on a Sat night of a long holiday weekend, so an ER vet visit was needed -- vowed NEVER again!).  My boy Tommy loves to climb up my leg as I am cooking in the kitchen, and so again I need him to have blunt tips or I end up dropping something -- which is likely what he intends!

I also have guillotine clippers to do my dogs' nails.  Clipping those is a whole nuther story!