How to Groom a Cat's Feet

A cat uses its feet to run, jump, play and scratch. Unfortunately, some scratching behavior can leave your furniture ravaged by the claws of your beloved feline. To prevent issues with your cat scratching you -- or items in your home -- keep its nails trimmed regularly. Grooming your cat's nails also prevents any possible health problems, such as nails growing into the paw pad or any of the nails catching on carpeting and tearing. These sessions also allow you to check your cat's feet for any cuts, scratches or infections that may require veterinary care.

Things You'll Need

  • Towel
  • Pet nail trimmer
  • Styptic powder
  • Washcloth
  • Electric hair clipper or rounded scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a towel over your lap and put your cat on top of the towel to protect your legs from any scratches. Hold the cat in the crook of your arm and gently grasp one of its front paws.

    • 2

      Extend the claw of one of your cat's front toes by placing the toe between your thumb and index finger and pressing down lightly. The retracted nail should extend. With the pet nail trimmer in your dominant hand, hold it perpendicular to the end of the nail and depress it to clip off the tip of the nail. Avoid cutting the pinkish-brown quick, that contains a vein that runs through the nail.

    • 3

      Clip each of your cat's front nails, cutting each nail just below the quick. Give your cat a treat after each trimming to positively reinforce the experience of nail grooming. If desired, you can also clip the toes of your cat's back feet, through these grow much more slowly than the front nails and require less grooming. If you accidentally cut above the quick, apply styptic powder to the nail to stop the bleeding.

    • 4

      Wipe down the bottoms of each of your cat's feet with a washcloth dampened with warm water. Run the washcloth along the bottom of the pads and between the toes to remove any remnants of dirt, dust or litter.

    • 5

      Trim away any excess fur between your cat's toes with an electric clipper, if clumping litter has become stuck to the hair. A long-haired cat may be bothered by this hair, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. If you see the cat constantly licking at its feet, gently trim the ends of the tufts of hair with an electric clipper or rounded scissors.