Claw care for dogs and cats

In short: In many dogs and cats, the claws wear down sufficiently on their own through walking and scratching. If they become too long, they can cause pain, misalignment or injuries and should be trimmed carefully.

In more detail: Every claw contains tissue with blood vessels and nerves, known as the quick, which must not be injured. If you are unsure, ask the vet to show you how to trim them first.

In detail

• Recognising overlong claws: Clicking on hard floors, claws pressing noticeably into the ground when standing, or a changed gait can be signs.
• Dewclaw: The claw on the inside of the front leg does not touch the ground and can therefore easily grow too long or grow into the pad.
• The quick: In light-coloured claws, the area with blood vessels can often be seen as pink, but not in dark ones; there, only take off tiny pieces.
• Tools: Use special claw clippers or scissors for animals; nail scissors for people can crush or split the claw.
• Calm habituation: Handle the paws regularly and with rewards so that the animal knows the procedure before it becomes necessary.
• Minor bleeding: If the quick is accidentally cut, apply brief pressure with a clean cloth; if the bleeding does not stop, contact the vet.
• Cats and scratching: Scratching posts and boards help natural wear and are important for well-being; indoor cats and older cats need checking more often.
• No amputation: Surgically removing claws (declawing) is prohibited under animal welfare law in Germany and harms the animal.
• Abnormalities: Split, discoloured or inflamed claws as well as lameness should be checked by a vet (katzen-verhalten-verstehen, haustier-gesundheit-impfen-entwurmen-tierarzt).