How to Trim Your Cat’s Nails Without a Fight

If trimming your cat’s nails currently involves chasing, towel-wrestling, or a level of dread that has you putting the whole thing off for weeks or even months, you’re not alone! This is a common problem, and thankfully it’s fixable. Your cat’s answer to “do you want me to trim your nails?” will always be a hard “No!”, but it’s about figuring out the best way to get them to TOLERATE IT. Some cats will sit through all 18 claws in one go, while others might want you to do a paw a day, with treats flowing the whole time.

In this article we’ll go through why your cats’ nails need to be trimmed, how often to trim them, how to make sure you’re safely trimming them, and how to turn the routine into your everyday boring, non-event.

Why you have to trim your cat’s nails

Just like our fingernails, cats’ claws grow continuously, and they grow on a curve. Outdoor cats do activities that naturally sand them down (like climbing trees), which helps keep them shorter, but indoor cats, even with scratchers, will likely need a trim every two to four weeks to make sure the claws don’t keep growing inward, which can get extremely uncomfortable. For the record, cats have 18 claws (five on each front paw if you count the dewclaw, which is the small, thumb-like “fifth toe”, and four on each back paw). Unless you have a polydactyl cat, that is. Those are the extra-toed cats, and they can have up to 28 toes, each one growing a claw that needs the same attention.

The older a cat gets, the more they may need their nails tended to as well. That’s because they’re typically less active, which means less natural wear, and with potentially less scratching they can have more buildup of the claw’s outer sheaths. And because claws grow in an arc, a nail that keeps going can end up in the paw pad and cause an infection and pain.

How often should you be trimming?

For most indoor cats a schedule of every two to four weeks typically works, and you can usually tell when your cat is ready. I know with Louis because he likes to bake biscuits (aka kneading) on my arm in the morning, and when they are too long I feel like he is stabbing me! For Thelma when hers are too long we start to hear them click clack on the floor like she’s wearing a pair of high heels.

Another reason you want to make sure your cat’s nails don’t get too long is that they can more easily catch on something (a blanket, carpet, a scratching post) and break at the base, which can cause bleeding and often a trip to the vet. If you hear that click clack, it’s time to cut them back!

How to trim your cat’s nails without a fight

Some cats do ok with nail trims, others will fight you and squirm with every ounce of their being. All it takes from you is a routine, a lot of patience, and if nothing works you might need to have the vet do it instead. (But we don’t think you’ll have to do that.)

The reason trimming can be annoying and scary for a cat is that their paws are like superhuman sensory instruments. They do a lot with those paws (hunt, balance, sense textures), and any handling of them can be an experience a cat wants to avoid, which is why you want to slowly desensitize them and teach them nothing bad happens when you touch their paws or claws. Here’s the step-by-step way we do it, and how you can replicate it:

Get them in a comfortable position

How you cut your cats’ nails will definitely influence how comfortable they are with the process. Nearly every cat reads being held down as a threat, no matter how affectionate she was two minutes earlier. The low-stress handling guidance from iCatCare, the international feline organization that trains veterinary clinics, emphasizes that all unnecessary restraint should be avoided while handling animals. The less force used, the less resistance your cat will provide.

My husband Cory is the one who trims our cats claws. He sits on the edge of the tub and holds each one of them with their back on his chest and stomach, with them facing out. Then he goes paw by paw. He will sometimes do this alone if I’m not home, but if I am home I’ll kneel in front of them and sing a song and pet them to distract them.

While this works for us, it might not be the best position for your cat. They might prefer being on a table or floor with their back towards you, or wrapped snugly in a burrito. I have never tried the burrito wrap, I just don’t feel comfortable with it personally, but I know some people have had success with it. So experiment and see what works for you.

Before you trim, you need to know where the quick is

The quick, the sensitive pink part of the claw that’s full of blood vessels and nerves, is what makes trimming your cat’s nails so scary… because of the fear of nicking it! Trim a nail too close and it will bleed, and it will of course be painful. The best way to avoid it is to cut only the clear part of the claw and stay at least 1/8 inch away from the quick.

The practical takeaway: hold the paw in front of a light source and locate where the pink part stops, then cut a couple of millimeters past it on the clear side, cutting only the tip, at a slight angle so the trimmed nail sits naturally when they walk. And when in doubt, take less, since you can always trim a little more next week. If you do happen to nick the quick, just like if you cut your face or legs shaving, styptic powder (or plain cornstarch pressed against the tip) will stop the bleeding quickly, and your cat will likely forgive you before you can even think about forgiving yourself.

Pick the right tool

Most people prefer the small scissor-style cat nail clippers. That’s what we use and we love them. They’re easy to handle and give you a good amount of control while trimming. Other options include plier-style clippers, guillotine-style (um can they pick a less scary name!) and grinders. The one problem with those is that they make noise and vibrate, so some (most?) cats might hate them even more than scissors or the other styles, which are at least fast. And you might not need to buy anything at all: our veterinary reviewer, Dr. Lindsey Mortlock, says regular human nail clippers work great on most cats.

Timing is everything

Word to the wise: don’t try to do nail trim on a cat who’s mid-zoomies or otherwise being cranky. You also don’t want to try it on a cat who just got startled by the doorbell. The sweet spot is the drowsy stretch after a meal or a play session, when they’re comfortable and not too wound up. If the moment passes, let it go; there’s always tomorrow.

Get them used to it, then build the routine.

If the claws are an emergency right now, skip ahead and let a groomer or your vet handle this round while you start fresh on the training. Otherwise, spend the first week not trimming at all. A few times a day when your cat is relaxed next to you, touch a paw, then press gently on a toe so the claw slides out. You can also let them see the clippers. Let them safely smell them, and try touching it gently on their paws. If you want to give them a treat after, even better.

When you’re ready to do that after a few days, get your cat in the preferred position and try trimming a nail. If they are unbothered or tolerate it, try another one. See how it goes and keep trying to progress. If they begin to get stressed, stop for the day and try again later.

Usually me and my hubby team up. He holds one cat while feeding them a Churu. It has to be pretty fast, though sometimes we’ll do one cat one day and another the next. Depends how stressful it was, usually I can get them all trimmed for both my cats.

— via Reddit.com

If nothing works

There are cats that just won’t let you trim their nails. If that’s the case you might want to ask your vet about your options. They might have you bring your cat in for a trim, which can range from $20-$30 on average. A mobile groomer is another option. Of course both of these options might be even more stressful for your cat, but it’s important that you get their nails trimmed regularly. One more thing worth asking about: Many vets are willing to send home a safe sedating medication like gabapentin, given before the trim, to see if it takes the edge off enough for you to do it at home.

And never, never declaw your cat

Thankfully, declawing has finally become recognized as cruel, unnecessary, and painful. My childhood cat came to us declawed, and I think in the ’80s it was a much more common practice, when not a lot of people were aware of just how barbaric it really is. I’m glad that horrible practice is now outdated and banned in much of the world. That’s because it’s not just a matter of removing a cat’s nails. Since the claw grows from the bone, removing the claw means permanently removing the bone. It would be the equivalent of removing your fingertip at the knuckle.

A cat with trimmed nails and places to naturally file down their claws will not destroy furniture or your arm. Their nails are a necessary part of their anatomy and need to be cared for and protected.

How to keep their claws naturally trimmed (in addition to trims)

When we first got our cats I was nervous about what they would do to the furniture. I grew up watching my aunt’s cat destroy expensive leather chairs and other furniture, and I like our stuff! But I’ve found that having available scratching options for our cats means our furniture has stayed in great shape.

It started when they were young. If they started scratching on a chair we simply redirected them to a scratcher. Which is why it’s important to keep a strong scratching post or an actually stylish cat tree that doesn’t swallow your living room around. Having those designated scratching areas made a world of difference for Thelma and Louis.

For the best scratching options, give them variety and put it where the action is. Ideally you can have at least one vertical surface (a post or tree tall enough for a full-body stretch) and one horizontal one (a flat cardboard scratcher), because cats use both motions. Park one near wherever your cat sleeps, since the post-nap stretch-and-scratch is nearly universal. Those scratchers will also help keep their nails healthy and filed in addition to manually trimming.

What’s worked for us and other people

We try to do Thelma and Louis’ nails every week, but sometimes it pushes into two. And when I say we do their nails, Cory does the actual cutting because I’m too scared, though I’m sure I could do it if needed. Thankfully they’re both really good about it. As I said earlier, Cory sits on the edge of the tub and holds them with their backs toward his chest, and starts with the front paws, then the back. When they’re feeling anxious, I’ll come in and sing to them, which helps.

Whenever nail trims come up on Reddit, we take notice because we love seeing what works for other people. Some people mention that they try to trim 1-2 nails at a time while their cat is sleeping. Others vehemently disagree.

Please don’t try and sneak cutting nails like this, animals are very much creatures of habit. Especially cats, when you create a negative association like this your cat may trust you less, not sleep around you, be scared of you etc. I understand trimming nails is difficult, there are many resources out there, I recommend looking into cooperative care nail trims. That would be a great way to start.

— via Reddit.com

You can learn more about cooperative care nail trims, which is the process of getting your cat slowly involved in the process by using positive reinforcement, which is basically the version we recommend above.

For the cats who won’t hold still, one owner simply engineered their way around the problem:

My cat hates nail trims even though she hates getting them caught when making biscuits. My resolution to this was to buy a towel and cut four holes for legs. We wrap her in the towel with legs sticking out so she can’t see what we’re doing. There’s still yowling involved but at least I can get it done.

— via Reddit.com

And plenty of people skip the home battle entirely:

My cat won’t let me trim his nails either and I don’t want to fight him over it so I’m taking him to the vet to get it done.

— via Reddit.com

No matter where you decide to start, make sure your cat feels comfortable and safe. Remember it’s important to trim their nails regularly and keep them healthy with plenty of scratching options around the house. Eventually you’ll find the best way to trim their claws that works for you both.