5 paws and extend their claws out, do you introduce the nail clippers in a similar way to your hands; use a touch gradient to get them used to the clippers in their proximity, gradually sweeping them down to the paws. Then gently clip just one nail and see how your cat goes. You might need to clip one nail at a time to start, until your cat gets used to the sensation. Counter conditioning involves pairing a potentially aversive experience, like nail clipping, with a highervalue positive experience, such as a food reward (we find creamy treats like Churus are highly-valued by many cats). Combining desensitisation and counter conditioning has been shown to be the most effective and efficient way to have a cat accept having their nails trimmed. It can be helpful to trim nails frequently but small amounts at a time (‘shave’ down the nails instead of taking off chunks). This is less painful and helps you avoid cutting the sensitive quick inside the nail. You can trim a few nails at a time and let your cat have a break. It is important to use sharp, appropriate clippers designed for cats as blunt clippers crush the nail before cutting it. Both human and dog nail clippers are generally unsuitable for use in cats due to differences in size, shape and thickness of the nails. Reducing stress at the vet If you do need to take your cat to the vet or groomer to have their nails clipped, there are many steps you can take to minimise stress. You can condition your cat to accept the carrier by allowing them to get used to it before they need it. Ensuring the carrier is clean, comfortable and inviting, and present at times when the cat is not transported in it, will help. Feeding your cat high-value rewards like Churus in the carrier can also stimulate a positive association. Similarly, any time your cat needs to visit the vet, ensuring they are calm by minimising travel time can help. Avoid high-traffic times and allow plenty of time to find a park so you aren’t flustered, as your cat will pick up on your stress. Ensuring cats are kept well away from other animals in the waiting room is important. Your veterinary team may be able to place you and your cat in a quiet space or room for this purpose. Certified Cat Friendly Clinics and those where staff have undergone training in Low Stress Handling or Fear Free techniques have team members who are trained in keeping feline patients comfortable. Offering high-value rewards before, during and after nail clipping at the vet can help. Prior to leaving home, use of calming pheromones or supplements (such as Feliway and alpha-casozepine (Zylkene or AC Powder)) can assist in comfort levels. Consider all your cat’s senses before, during and after the vet, and try to soften their experience as much as possible. For example, playing cat calming music, and covering cat carriers with a towel that smells like home can help. Nail clipping shouldn’t be rushed, and not all nails may be able to be trimmed during the one visit without causing distress. Cats may need time to settle into the clinic environment, and multiple staff may be required to hold, distract and administer treats. For animals who show signs of fear, anxiety or stress at the vet, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe “pre-visit pharmaceuticals” or medications that can reduce anxiety. Highly fearful cats may require sedation or even anaesthesia. Our research found that where pre-visit pharmaceuticals or sedation were used, they were effective in reducing fear, anxiety and stress. If your cat has sedation or anaesthesia for any reason (for example, if they are anaesthetised for a dental procedure), it is always good to ask the veterinary team if they can clip your cat’s nails during this time. Nail clipping is a procedure that has the potential to increase cat comfort, but requires time, skill and deliberate strategies to minimise stress in cats. References 1. Chen, A.; Hall, E.; Bennington, L.N.; McGowan, C.; Quain, A. “One of the Hardest Things I Have to Do in the Clinic”: A Survey of Veterinary Team Members’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Nail Clipping. Veterinary Sciences 2026, 13, 115. The full research article is open access, so if you’d like to read it visit https://www.mdpi.com/ 2306-7381/13/2/115 or scan the QR code About the authors Anne Quain is a Senior Lecturer in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and a practising veterinarian; Chantelle McGowan is a veterinary pet counsellor, veterinarian and founder of The Calm Pet Vet; Anneshelly Chen is a final year DVM student in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science; and Laura Bennington is an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Technician and lecturer at Melbourne Polytechnic.
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