There comes a great deal of responsibility for taking care of a cat. You have to ensure that your cat is eating food full of nutrients, getting regular checkups from the local veterinarian, and grooming him daily to avoid future diseases and problems. Many cat owners do not know this, but when it comes to cats’ nails, they grow faster than humans.
Although healthy nail growth is a sign of proper health, it still needs to be maintained, so it does not cause them pain. Let’s look at why a cat’s back claws need to be trimmed and what benefits it provides to your little feline.
Importance of Cutting Nails
One of the main reasons it is extremely important to trim cat nails is to avoid future discomfort and pain. Unlike humans, cats have nails that curve as it grows, putting pressure on their paw bone. This could further cause pain while walking, excessive scratching on surfaces, and much more.
As cats need to scratch to sharpen their front and cat back claws, if their nails grow to a great extent, this could cause their overall nail to chip resulting in exposure quickly, which is the part where blood is found. Besides this, trimming cat claws is crucial because it can protect you and your family members from getting scratches and bruises.
Perfecting Your Technique
Although trimming your cat’s nails is a tricky and quite challenging task, especially if your cat is highly energetic and playful, you could still improve your techniques to ensure that your cat does not suffer from any pain. To start your trimming process, you should allow your cat to get comfortable with its surrounding. You could place his treats near you and slowly give them to earn his trust.
Once he is stable, you could start by touching his feet, legs, cat-back claws, and nails so that your cat knows what is about to happen. It is important to allow your cat to get familiar with the surroundings because diving right into cutting their nails could frighten them.
Cutting Cat-Back Claws
After successfully trimming your cat’s front nails with a suitable and clean nail clipper, you could then start by trimming the cat’s back claw. The reason why it’s essential to cut all the nails of your cat is so that they do not constantly scratch different furniture such as bed or sofa as well as household members.
If you do not trim your cat’s back claw, you could put your cat at risk of getting its nails chipped and bleeding. To cut your cat’s back claw, you could start by gently squeezing the middle of its paw. Once your cat is comfortable, you could take your nail clipper and adjust it parallel to the nail. Gradually start to clip it until it reaches near the pink part of the paw called the quick.
Never Trim Pass The Quick
If you recently got a new cat, you may want to know what a quick is if you plan to trim your cat’s back claw. If you take a look at your cat paw by pressing the middle part of each toe, you will be able to see a darker region inside a lighter exterior part.
The dark region, which is often dark pink, is called the quick, where the nerves and various blood vessels are found. Therefore you should never trim your cat nails past this point as it could result in extreme pain and bleeding. Instead of cutting too deep into the cat’s back claw, it is best to leave sufficient area so that the cat does not suffer from pain.
When to Trim Cats Back Claws
As mentioned earlier in the article, trimming the front and cat’s back claws can be a risky and time-consuming procedure. It can be difficult to see properly where the line of quick starts. Although every cat is different, the average time taken between every trimming session is around two to three weeks.
If you have a new cat and want to start getting involved in cutting and trimming its nails, you could do so after giving your cat plenty of playtime until he sits and is ready to sleep. If you touch your cat’s feet and cat-back claw and feel that it’s sharp, pointy, and curved, this is perfect for trimming those nails. However, if your cat loves to scratch and eat, you might want to check its claws every week to ensure that they are not overgrown.
Help from a Professional Nail Trimmer
If you have adopted a cat at maturity age, it is best to consult your local veterinarian regarding its grooming procedure. It is essential to do so because most of the time, cats who get their nails trimmed at a later mature age end up causing more hurdles during the nail trimming procedure, resulting in you getting hurt. For this reason, it is best to visit a professional nail trimmer who will be easily able to trim your cat’s front and cat-back claw safely.
Besides nail trimming, most of these professional services will pamper your cat’s nails by giving them nail buffing, nail polish, and paws balm. These services could overall help your cat feel more comfortable and safe around the house, reducing the chances of your cat scratching furniture.
Conclusion
Overall, though, grooming your cat’s nails is essential to ensure that they do not suffer from pain or hurt others around them. You can easily trim the front and cat-back claw with practice and a few tips.
