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How do I safely trim my polydactyl cat's curling, ingrown nails?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Snowshoe | Female | spayed | 15 years and 5 months old | 10 lbs

Our 15-year-old kitty has some issues; shes polydactyl on her front paws, they have never been retractable, if they arent trimmed the curl and grow into her paw causing infections. How do you trim them safely?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on January 8th, 2019

Hello and thank you for your question about Maggie. Many polydactyl cats have the same issue and routine nail trimming is a must. This should be done every 2-4 weeks depending on how fast the nails grow.
I advise to go online and watch a few videos on trimming cat’s nails. It’s easier to see the process than to read about it. In general, you want to trim off the hook portion of the nail and avoid the quick (that’s the pink tissue within the nail) by at least 5mm. You can use human or smal pet nail trimmers and having a second person to hold Maggie may help.
I hope you found this helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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