nail care and trimming

I've seen ads on TV for the peticure tool for cutting dog's nails... has anybody used this for cats? I'd imagine something appropriate for a small dog would work on a cat as well. My cat's don't mind having their nails cut, I just feel i don't cut them as short as possible because I'm afraid of hitting the quick. As a result, I have to cut them more often, which I don't really have time for. Plus, they're a little jagged and therefore still sharp after I cut them w/the tool from the pet store.
any help would be appreciated!

Get a nail tooling cutting that designed for cats, not dogs. Dogs nails, even small dogs, are different than a cats, also much thicker.

You can find a pair at Wal-Mart, Pet-Co, or PetSmart. They look like small scissors, with a square tip that have a sideways C shape depression (from the side view in the package). The handles are wrapped in black shiny plastic. They cost about $3 or $4.

How long have you been trimming your cats nails? I know that the first year and a half, it used to take me *forever* to trim my cats nails because I was so afraid to cut the vein and so my cats would get rather impatient with me.

But now it takes me but a minute! I always do it on a day that is bright and sunny, so I can see the vein really well.

Yes sometimes it's a pain when you cut just the tips and a week later you have to do it again, but as you get more comfortable, it will take you less time.

The other thing is that you don't want to cut their nails *too* short because that can cause sensitivity.

What they don't mention on the commercial is that the grinder can grind away to the quick. I wouldn't use it.

for years. The product being advertised just seems to be a lower power battery operated dremel with a nail guard, so the foot hair doesn't get caught in the rotary tool (I use old nylons to poke my dogs' nails through so they don't get their hair caught).

My dogs' nails are black, and therefore prone to having the quick nicked with dog nail clippers. I have never seen a cat with black nails, all the ones I have ever known have translucent nails. Do housecats with black nails exist?

With translucent nails, it's easy to see where the quick is; and a cat nail trimmer (looks like a child's safety scissors with a "c" shape cut out of one blade) does the job nicely.

I want to cut/trim my babies nails as well, but so many people have told me not to do it on my own and I shuld take them out to get it done. I don't have that kind of money laying around. Aroun dhere they said it cots anywhere from $85-$150 to get a cat de-clawed.

What can I do?

Originally Posted by laureen227

i clip all of mine. Cable is very well behaved [altho she didn't USED to be!], Java wants to put her head between mine & the clippers [i think she's just curious] & Firefox growls & hisses at me still. i find these to be the easiest to use: nail trimmer
my other 2 are declawed.

Click to expand...

That's the type I use

my old cat shes 15 is not taking care of her claws, i noticed they are turning under and its hard to clip them. im not worried yet, it was just a few, the thumb ones. is this a sign she doesnt care. i want her to live forever

When they get old the cats don't work the scratching polls as much so the nails don't shead well. Plus the nails don't grow as fast, and they tend to be thick, so yes you will have some grow under, take the time to repair the problem, because the nail will grow into the foot pad.
K.