What is the correct angle to trim a cat's nail?

[miasa]

Hi everyone,
I have seen an infographic (source was unknown) that says the line numbered one is the correct angle to trim a cat's nail. Do you have any vet.-level information on this matter?

 

[minish]

Not vet level but common sense level I agree. I do minish's that way and she never had a split nail problem. That angle is parallel to the paw and ground. Since cat nail is layered it's most comfortable for the cat to be able to remove the next layers herself by scratching afterwards
It's harder on the owner though. Minish beast recovers her sharpies in about 10 days

 

[tabbytom]

 

[miasa]

Yep, this is it. Can't just trust it without a trustable source. The second and the third one are obviously incorrect but not sure whether the first one is correct or whether a perpendicular cut is incorrect. Like so:

 

[Margret]

I'm impressed with anyone who's actually able to clip claws with enough accuracy to be concerned about the angle! I just concentrate on not cutting into the quick and getting it over with as quickly as possible.

Margret

 

[tabbytom]

I'm impressed with anyone who's actually able to clip claws with enough accuracy to be concerned about the angle! I just concentrate on not cutting into the quick and getting it over with as quickly as possible.

miasa ,

Yes, the graphics are just textbook instructions. You don't have to clip near the quick. Just slightly clip off a little off the tip will do. Even if the cat is ok with clipping their nails, I would not advice that you clip near the quick as some have very fine veins and you can't see them and even it seems off the quick, you may accidentally clip the fine veins. Worse if your kitty have black nails, you totally don't know where the quick is.

Just follow the angle of the cut, just the tip as if it is clipped at the right angle, when your kitty scratch herself when there's an itch, the angle is in the flow of the motion of the paw and the newly trimmed nails won't hurt her. Get a real good nail clipper.