'Guillotine' nail clippers

I am not happy! I have clipped my kitty's claws for the first time tonight, and having read up about it, I went and bought a pair of guillotine clippers last night.

They were rubbish! They left the first claw rough and jagged, it was not a clean cut. The second claw they didn't go all the way through and left it hanging. Fortunately I had a new pair of human toenail clippers and they saved the day, I couldn't leave my kitten with a bit of claw hanging off.

Now I have heard conflicting advice about using human nail clippers - some say that it can split the claw, but I think if anything did damage to my cat it would have been the awful guillotine clippers that didn't go right the way through.

Is this an unusual experience?

Looking on the bright side, I managed to get 9 claws clipped cleanly with minimal resistance

On small cats/kittens I find the human nail clipper works best. But I like the scissors type for adult cats vs the gullitine one - those are made more for dogs then cats IMO.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

On small cats/kittens I find the human nail clipper works best. But I like the scissors type for adult cats vs the gullitine one - those are made more for dogs then cats IMO.

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I concur, this is exactly what I do as well.

The scissor type allows me to align vertically with the nail and I notice less splitting and problems when I do that.

I have used human clippers in a pinch but I can't hold onto the cat's paw and the clippers as easily to keep it vertical to the nail.

I think once you've found the right tool for you, it will be very easy.

Thanks folks! I will use my nail clippers while he is a kitten and look into getting the more scissor type clippers when he is older. I was relieved that he took it so well tbh, especially with me faffing around with the guillotine thing on his first 2 claws I have a few more to do tomorrow, but he took it quite well, he's a lovely cat

I use human nail clippers on the cats, scissor type clippers on the birds and a dremmel on the dog (Those are my thoughts on Guillotine clippers ).

I've had that problem with those kind of clippers as well, I think because I bought cheap ones the first time. They did the same thing...Made the nail all rough and didn't cut well. I've bought better ones, but I find it easier to use sharp nail clippers. I've never had a problem with them!

I hate those kind of clippers, they always just shatter the nail for me. As do any really. I only use human clippers for my cats. If you do it the right way and turn it sideways and clip, it works best IMO.

Certainly agreed. The scissors with the half-moon blades turned sideways always worked the best for me, although I had a bloody mishap awhile ago and now the Z-ster has to be held under a blanket for her nail trims, rather unhappily.

I tried human nail clippers and ended up shattering her claws, as they are meant to shed off in layers unlike ours, which are meant to kind of rub off at the ends. It's kinda like giving them split ends but on their claws instead of their hair.

The guillotine ones just looked to darn scary for me to even try!