Many pet owners are unaware that a cat's nails need to be trimmed. In days past, when most cats lived outdoors, the nails were naturally kept short by their environment. Today, with more and more indoor only cats, nail trimming is an important part of a regular grooming routine. Untrimmed nails can cause a multitude of problems including painful, bleeding, broken nails. How do you know when it's time to trim the cat's nails? Cat's nails are too long when they get caught and snag in the carpet, furniture, your clothing or when you can hear them softly clicking as the cat walks on a hard surface.

Many cat owner's are reluctant to trim their cat's nails because they are afraid of hurting their cat. While it can be a little tricky at first, once you learn how to do it, clipping your cat's nails is almost as easy as clipping your own.

When you are trimming your cat's nails, you are only cutting away the excess nail, exactly like trimming your own nails. Recognizing what is excess and where the nerves and blood vessels begin is what you need to know to make nail trimming a painless process for both you and your cat.

Assemble your supplies before you get your cat. Supplies are basic; a high quality pair of trimmers , a towel and styptic powder, such as Cut 2 Close, just in case you happen to nick the quick (the part of the nail that contains nerves and blood vessels). Some people find that the nail trimmers for cats work best for them, and others find a heavy duty pair of regular nail trimmers easier to manage.

You'll discover that each cat has its own preferences when it comes to nail care and grooming in general. Some prefer to be held while you cut their nails and some cats are more cooperative if you have them standing or being held on a table. It's important that you are comfortable, as well as your cat, and that you can maintain control over your cat.

You may want to sit on the floor with your cat, hold your cat in your lap, or have someone hold your cat on a table. If you have your cat on a table, use the towel to provide a nonslip surface. Hold your cat's paw firmly and push on his or her pads to extend the nail. Locate where the quick ends. With clear or light nails, it is easy to see the pink color where the quick ends. The nail will curve down and be translucent to milky white.

Using a nail trimmer for cats, cut the nail just below the quick at a 45-degree angle, with the cutting end of the nail clipper toward the end of the nail. You will be cutting off the finer point. Try to do this with one firm cutting motion to avoid splintering the nail.

If the nails are brittle, the cut may tend to splinter the nail. In these cases, with the nail still extended, file the nail smooth with gentle, long motions, starting from the back of the nail and following the curve to the tip.

Follow the same procedure for each nail. Don't be surprised if you're only able to do one paw and then your cat demands a break. Some cats truly don't mind nail trimming, but others never adapt to it. Just follow your cat's lead for when he or she's had enough.

If you accidentally cut into the nail bed or quick, wipe off the blood and apply Cut 2 Close or any other brand of styptic powder to stop the bleeding. There may be some bleeding, but it should stop quickly.

• It's better to trim a small amount on a regular basis.
Invest in a good pair of nail trimmers. They can last a lifetime.
• Take your time with trimming. Don't rush the trimming.
• Teach your cat that it's ok to have his or her paws handled. Start slowly, gently holding and touching the paws. Gr gradually work up to simply holding his toes firmly for 15-30 seconds. Next, extend the nails. Do not let him or her mouth or bite at you. This method of progressively handling the cat's feet usually gets good results within a couple of weeks. When your cat tolerates having his feet held, clip just one nail, and if he is good, praise him and give him a tiny treat. Wait, and then at another time, do another nail. Continue until all nails have been trimmed.