Must Know! Tips And How To Trim Cat Nails
Cat's Nails Are Cutting
Trimming your cat's nails is a wise choice if you play with them a lot, so the risk of getting scratched is high. In addition, clipping nails is also good for the health of your pet cat. Here's why you should trim his nails and how to do it the right way.
Why Should Cat Nails Be Trimmed?
Cats have an instinct to keep their nails sharp and strong by climbing and clawing at various objects. This activity is also done to remove the outer layer of the old nail. However, domesticated cats and older cats are usually less active in clawing and climbing, so their nails grow long and even curl.
Nails that are too long will cause the cat's paws to be pricked and uncomfortable when walking or running. As a result, the cat becomes lazy to move and gets angry if you disturb him. In addition, long nails can also make it difficult for cats to walk because they get caught in the carpet.
Not only clawing at the owner, cat nails can also damage furniture such as sofas, chairs, and motorcycle seats. Therefore, the cat's nails must be trimmed regularly so that your belongings are safe from the meow's actions.
Trimming a cat's nails may be considered bad by some because it is not in accordance with their natural behavior. However, trimming the nails of a domestic cat is recommended for the safety of the owner and the cat itself. Because the part that is cut is also only the sharp and sharp tip, trimming the nails is still safe for cats.
Even if the cat's nails have been trimmed, it may still scratch the furniture. However, it will not cause scratch damage to the surface of the furniture because the nails are blunt.
Scratching and scratching are natural cat habits that can't be stopped by trimming their nails. If you provide a tree trunk, scratching pad, or special board, chances are the cat won't attack your favorite furniture.
Cat Scratches Can Cause Disease
Quoted from Halodoc, cat scratches on human skin can be dangerous. In addition to stinging from scratch wounds, sharp nails can also lead to bacterial infection with Bartonella henselae.
Cats infected with this bacterium do not show symptoms or signs of illness so they cannot be detected early on. The bacteria that are transmitted through the cat's nails, will then infect through the blood vessels of the person affected by the scratch.
Symptoms of infection are usually indicated by blisters and crusts on the skin. Furthermore, the skin affected by the scratch will become soft when touched, then festering. Other symptoms of infection that can accompany are fever, headache, visual disturbances, decreased appetite, and swelling of the brain.
This infection must be treated medically with medication using antibiotics, pain relievers, and the act of removing pus from the lymph nodes through a needle. Usually these symptoms will recover up to 2-5 months with good treatment.
In addition to bacterial infection, cat scratch can also cause rabies. The rabies virus can be transmitted from the cat's saliva when it licks its paws and then remains on the nails. When you scratch, the virus then gets into the skin of the person who was scratched.
Thus, trimming a cat's nails can prevent rabies from being scratched. If you have scratched a cat infected with rabies, you should immediately wash the scratch marks with soap and running water or detergent to kill the virus.
How to Cut a Cat's Nails Good
Nails that are too long run the risk of injuring the cat's own paw pads, making it uncomfortable for the cat to walk. If you have a cat who is less active at clawing, check her nails regularly and trim them when they look too long.
You can cut your cat's nails at a pet shop, veterinary clinic, or at home. For those of you who want to cut your cat's nails yourself, follow the steps below to cut your cat's nails.
1. Prepare the Nail Clipper
Nail clippers for cats are available in various shapes and different ways of using them. In principle, cutting the cat's nails is done from the bottom up, not from the side. If cut from the side, the nail can break.
Make sure you use a sharp nail clipper. Using a sharp tool can prevent the nail from breaking and the result is better and neater.
There are several models of cat nail clippers, namely scissors, guillotine cutters, and standard models such as human nail clippers. The easiest are the ones in the form of a guillotine and a regular nail clipper. Scissors can be used if the nails are too long to curl to the soles of the feet.
2. Make Cats Feel Comfortable
Keep your hands away from the cat's mouth to avoid biting it. If you have trouble holding your body, ask someone else to help you hold it so it's easier to control. Holding the cat properly will make it comfortable and less moving so that you can apply the proper way of trimming your cat's nails.
3. Hold the Toes Correctly
Cats who are accustomed to clipping their nails will calm down when they are on your lap to trim their nails. However, if you haven't already, you have to hold it by holding the neck with your left hand while the right hand holds the nail clipper.
Press the bottom of one of your cat's toes or paws with your thumb and forefinger, so that the cat's nails are poking out.
4. Pay Attention to The Parts of The Cat's Nails
Cat nails have a pink colored part called quick. This section is where blood vessels and nerves. Avoid that part and don't cut it. If cut, bleeding can occur and the cat will struggle with pain.
After making sure the part is secure, trim the nail at a distance of about 1mm from the quick. Also make sure the cutting tool is really sharp and the holding position is correct. Trim only the sharp and thin ends of the nails.
It's safer, cut with a distance of about 2 mm from the quick so as not to cause injury or bleeding on the cat's paw. Trim the cat's nails in stages so that the results are neat. Ideally, nail trimming is done every two weeks or once a month.
So that the cut marks are not sharp and prevent disease from cat scratches, file the nails after they are cut. Trimming the nails should be done when the cat is completely healthy. If your cat appears to have itching or ringworm, it's best not to trim their nails.
5. Overcoming Bleeding on Nails
If the quick section is accidentally cut and bleeding occurs, press the section until the bleeding stops. Give iodine tincture or antiseptic afterwards. Even if no special treatment is given, the bleeding can stop on its own in 5 minutes or less. Keep holding the cat with your hands so it doesn't jump and run away.
Tips for Trimming Cat Nails
Cats who have had their nails cut since childhood will get used to and calm down when their nails are cut. While a cat who is not accustomed to cutting nails will make it difficult for you to cut them.
Get around it by trimming your nails gradually starting one or two fingers a day. If the cat starts to struggle, just let it go. Then continue the next day. This way of cutting cat nails can prevent stress on cats. You can also invite the cat to play and trim his nails when his attention is distracted.
Trimming a cat's nails should be done with care. Trimming a kitten's nails is generally easier than for an adult cat. You can use a special nail clipper or a nail clipper that you usually use. Before use, make sure the nail cutter is sharp enough or sharpen it first.
Trim with special scissors to trim your cat's nails at least once every two weeks. In addition, also provide a place where the cat can scratch and scratch so that his nails are always awake.
The correct way to trim your cat's nails will be safe for them and you. Nail trimming also has various benefits. In addition to keeping your cat and the people with whom it interacts with it healthy, trimming your cat's nails can protect your furniture and household items from being scratched. Always remember to check and trim your cat's nails regularly and sharpen the nail clipper before use.
