If you’ve been seeking an effective way of trimming your cat’s long nails, look no further.
With the guidance of Helpful Vancouver Vet and trusty companion Mr. Pirate, we’re going to take you through this often-avoided cat grooming process.
Dr. Uri a.k.a. Helpful Vancouver Vet takes a few moments to introduce himself. He posits the following video description,
“Time to trim a cat’s nails. Owners dread it, cat’s need it, your furniture and skin will thank you for it, here’s how to trim your cat’s nails at home without fuss or stress!”
Let’s get started – how to easily trim your cat’s nails.
Obviously you’re going to want to fetch your cat for this… and a good pair of nail clippers. Regular human ones will do just fine. Helpful Vancouver Vet mentions cat clippers, but prefers human ones for their control.
“I’m gonna preface this by saying that this kinda thing is typically easier when you have an assistant, but you can do it by yourself. It is a little bit cat-dependent. Not all cats will let you trim their nails by yourself. But most cats will if you have good technique.”
Remember to be gentle and treat your cat with the utmost respect.
“It’s really all about positioning.”
Our esteemed veterinarian explains his first steps,
“The key, here, is to position the cat on your lap. So notice that my knees are about two or three inches apart. They’re supporting and making a little trough that comfortably support him. I can rub his tummy.”
Dr. Uri grabs his nail clippers and gets to work,
“Like at any other skill, it takes a little practice. And the more you do it, the easier it gets… So I’m just extruding his nails. Now, I’m being very careful to trim just the tips of his nails.”
Mr. Pirate doesn’t bat an eyelash. He’s relaxed and actually seems to be enjoying it, which speaks to his relationship with the vet.
“And obviously it hurts quite a bit if you trim too low. And you only have to trim low once for a cat to learn that this is painful. So I always go really err on the side of caution and I just trim just the tips off.”
Be careful not to clip too much of the nail.
Helpful Vancouver Vet polishes off both of Mr. Pirate’s paws. They’ve gone from potent to pleasant in the matter of a couple minutes.
Dr. Uri shows off Mr. Pirate’s new nails. The salon definitely couldn’t fix them up this well.
Mr. Pirate hasn’t moved a muscle the entire video. He’s incredibly docile and well-behaved.
He’s basically the antithesis of a real pirate.
Again, be careful not to clip too much of the nail. Cats actually have rather complex fingernails, and things can get painful quickly.
Avoid the cat’s “quick.” This area’s usually typified by a pinkish or peachy color within the nail. Abide by the following diagram when approximating cuts:
Mr. Pirate’s been incredible throughout the entire nail-trimming process. Helpful Vancouver Vet stresses maintaining the right temperament throughout,
“So his nails have been trimmed and I’m just gonna let him go down on the floor just so he learns that when a nail trim is done he’s released and there’s no big drama.”
And just like that, our Helpful Vancouver Vet’s successfully and easily finished grooming his cat.
No more errant scratches.
The Vet puts Mr. Pirate on the ground and throws up his hands as if to say, “My work here is done.”
Now, you can groom your cat in no time. You have the quick cure to unnecessary scratches and damaged furniture. Trimmed claws can also reduce the chances of spreading cat-scratch disease.
Check out some of Helpful Vancouver Vet’s other videos. He has an entire series on “practical skills for pet owners.”
Good luck to you and your cat companion(s)!
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