The Spruce Pets / Camryn Rabideau
Trimming your cat's nails may keep your couch from becoming a scratching post, but it also has benefits for your cat. “Nail trims are great for cats if they are getting their nails caught in blankets, or on the carpet, or if they are scratching people accidentally,” Chyrle Bonk, DVM, a mixed animal veterinarian at a clinic in Orofino, Idaho, told The Spruce Pets. "Nail trims may also be necessary for older cats that may not be sharpening their nails regularly. If nails get too long, they can grow into the foot pads, which can be very painful and cause an infection.”
However, trimming a cat’s nails can take a little practice, as it's possible to hurt your cat if nail trimming isn't handled correctly. We researched cat nail clippers, testing ease of use, ergonomics, and sharpness. Shiny Pet Nail Clippers for Small Animals is our top choice because they're compact and user-friendly, though we found a variety of nail clippers for cats that may be a better fit for your needs and your cat's paw-sonality.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Shiny Pet Nail Clippers for Pets
Semicircular angled blades
Precise and efficient
Comfortable grip
No safety guard
We like the sturdy, stainless steel, user-friendly angled blade of this scissor-style clipper that makes it easier to see and manipulate each nail for a clean, quick cut. They’re appropriate for cats and kittens of all ages as well as a range of small animals. While there's no safety guard, they do have a rounded clipper head, so you don't risk poking yourself or your cat.
The rubberized coating on the handles enables a secure grip for a fast, efficient, and safe trim—in our tests, they were simply the easiest to use. They’re also lightweight and compact—3.7 inches long and 2.6 inches wide—for easy use and storage. But it's small touches, like the 20-degree angled blades and QR nail clipping guide printed on the packaging, that made the Shiny Pet clippers our favorites, not to mention a lifetime money-back guarantee.
Style: Scissors Dimensions: 3.74 x 2.56 x 0.59 inches Blade Type: Semicircular angled
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Camryn Rabideau 
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Camryn Rabideau -
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Camryn Rabideau 
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Camryn Rabideau
Best Budget
Pet Boussa Cat Nail Clipper
Suitable for cats of all ages
Also appropriate for small dogs and pet birds
Ergonomic and comfortable handle
Blades not angled and sometimes split nails
There are a lot of cheap cat nail clippers out there of poor quality that them unpleasant to use—however, Pet Boussa cat nail clippers are an exception, offering budget clippers that professional groomers wouldn't be embarrassed to deploy. The scissor-style clippers have a stainless steel surgical cutting edge, ensuring long-lasting sharpness. The ergonomically molded non-slip handles and simple design help you work quickly to lessen your cat's discomfort.
These clippers also feature rounded safety tips to prevent accidental poking. They work well for cats of all ages, even kittens, and also can be used on small dog breeds and pet birds.
Style: Scissors Dimensions: 3.82 x 2.28 x 0.43 inches Blade Type: Semicircular
Best Guillotine
Resco Cat Nail Clippers
Replaceable blade
Made in the United States since 1937
No plastic parts
If not used properly, they can crush the nail instead of cutting it cleanly
Most of us would prefer that the word “guillotine” wasn’t associated with our cat’s delicate claws, but it's an apt description for this effective cutting design. The spring-action mechanism of the Resco Original Cat Nail Trimmer resembles a cigar cutter and enables a consistently smooth, quick cut. Made in the United States since 1937, Resco’s clippers have a replaceable blade and no plastic parts—the deluxe version includes non-slip handle grips—and each pair comes with a limited lifetime warranty.
When purchasing a Resco Original Cat Nail Trimmer, it is important to select the cat size, which has a 1/4-inch blade—bigger sizes are designed for dogs. The cat size is also appropriate for use with birds, lizards, ferrets, bunnies, and other small animals weighing under 10 pounds.
Style: Guillotine Dimensions: 5 x 3.5 x 0.5 inches Blade Type: Guillotine
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Tiffani Brendeland 
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Tiffani Brendeland 
PHOTO: The Spruce Pets / Tiffani Brendeland
Best for Kittens
Pet Republique Cat Nail Clipper
Designed for small animals
One year money-back guarantee and six-year warranty
15 percent of profits donated to rescue animals
No built-in safety guard
Kitten toes may be tiny, but those little nails are sharp and kittens love to scratch. Plus, since they don't have an adult cat's coordination, it's common for kittens to snag their claws on everything. Trimming their nails regularly can help your furniture survive their adolescence.
Pet Republique Cat Nail Clippers are small and scissor-style, with textured handles that have large enough grips to fit a thumb and two fingers, providing more than enough leverage and control for handling kitty claws—though it does not come with a safety guard. The stainless steel, half-moon blades make for quick work, so kitty can get back to playing. Plus, Pet Republique donates 15 percent of profits to the American Animal Rescue Society, so each purchase helps save the life of a dog or cat.
Style: Scissors Dimensions: 6.5 x 3.5 x 0.25 inches Blade Type: Semicircular
Best Safety Guard
Gonicc Nail Clippers and Trimmers with Safety Guard
Child safety lock
Stainless steel blades
Spring-assist
Suitable for cats and small dog breeds
Not widely available in pet stores
Too large for kittens
Gonicc Pet Nail Clippers have a built-in safety guard to protect your cat from distress. The guard works by blocking one side of the clippers, so your cat's nails can only project a short distance into the space between cutting blades. However, since the Gonicc clippers are designed for both cats and small dogs, it's still important to watch closely to prevent nicking the quick of the nail, since a smaller cat's nails can potentially project too far into the clippers, even with the safety guard.
These clippers have several other useful features as well, including stainless steel blades, a safety lock, an included nail file, and a spring to ensure enough leverage is applied to cut cleanly.
Style: Plier Dimensions: 1.5 x 4.7 inches Blade Type: Semicircular
Recommended on Reddit
Mr. Pen Cat Nail Clipper
Ergonomically designed soft-grip handles
Sharp cutting edge
Clean, efficient cuts
Compact size
Can be a bit too small for bigger hands
Reddit users favor these scissor-style cat nail clippers from Mr. Pen. The handles are ergonomically designed with a non-slip soft rubber grip with blades positioned at a 20-degree angle for comfort and better control. "[They] work great," attests one cat parent on the sphynx forum, who also recommends adding a headlamp and reading glasses. This can come in handy since the clippers don't have a safety guard—though they do have a very sharp semicircular edge to make efficient, clean cuts.
We like the compact size of these clippers, which makes them easy to store. However, they might be a tad too small if you have bigger hands.
Style: Scissors Dimensions: 3.8 x 2.6 x 0.41 inches Blade Type: Semicircular angled
Final Verdict
Shiny Pet Nail Clippers for Small Animals are our top choice because they’re simple, effective, and have been extensively tested by The Spruce Pets. If you’re trying to reduce the plastic in your life and place a premium on long-term durability, consider the Resco Deluxe Cat Nail Trimmer. Their stainless steel cat nail clippers are made in the United States and designed with a replaceable blade.
What to Look For in Cat Nail Clippers
Style & Materials
Some nail clippers look and work like simple scissors, with or without springs to help them reopen after each cut, and are generally made of stainless steel—many with rubber or foam coatings on the handles to make the grip more comfortable and less prone to slipping. Others use a plier design, where your hand squeezes two handles from the outside inward, also with or without spring action, that has stainless steel blades and either metal, plastic, or rubber-coated metal handles. Additionally, they can include a built-in nail file, a light to illuminate the cutting surface, and a clear plastic or metal safety guard that rests behind the cutting surface, which some may find helpful while others, including professionals, find cumbersome.
There are also guillotine-style clippers, which use a single cutting surface that is drawn across another stationary surface, usually done with or without spring action, The benefits of a guillotine mechanism over other designs are quick, clean cuts and the ability to replace or sharpen the cutting surface.
Pay attention to ergonomics, such as the shape of the handles and the way they feel in your hand, whether there's any discomfort while cutting or any slipperiness. Also, consider whether the clippers are designed to be used with either hand. Some scissor-style clippers won’t work properly when held in your left hand, which can result in crushing the nail instead of clean cuts—so check the packaging and product description before you buy.
Business Ethics
A product can be offered very cheaply and on a global scale, but that convenience sometimes comes at the expense or exploitation of a company’s workers—so when possible, spend your hard-earned dollars with companies that pay their workers a living wage and provide a safe working environment, and give back to the communities that help them grow and succeed. The term “fair trade” often encompasses these ideals.
Check the “About” section of a company’s website for clues to their environmental and social responsibility. That’s where they’ll often list fair trade practices and any third-party certifications as well as charitable programs in which they participate, such as 1% for the Planet. Also, many pet supply manufacturers donate some of their products or financial support to animal shelters and pet hospitals.
- Can I use nail clippers for people on my cat?
“Nail clippers for people can be used on cats as long as they’re sharp,” says Dr. Bonk. “You’ll want to use a larger size on larger cats or for longer nails, since cat nails are thicker than a human’s and little nail clippers might not be big enough to properly handle them. Scissor-type nail clippers may also be used to trim nails that have overgrown and curled into a circle.”
Can cat nail clippers be sharpened?A sharp cutting surface is important to prevent cat nails from being crushed, cracked, or frayed. But whether the clippers can be sharpened depends on the clipper you choose, what tools you have at home, and how comfortable you are using them.
Many cat nail clippers are designed with cutting surfaces that can be replaced or sharpened when they get dull, either professionally for a small fee or at home if you’re comfortable and capable of doing it yourself. You can find numerous detailed videos available online to guide you through the sharpening process, but be careful if you’re trying to sharpen them on your own for the first time as you can injure yourself if you don’t use proper safety precautions.
Can you use a nail grinder on a cat?“Nail grinders are great tools for trimming the nails of some willing dogs. However, you may be hard-pressed to find a cat that will allow it,” says Dr. Bonk. “The noise and vibration may be more than even a laidback cat can handle. You’ll also need to be extra careful because nail grinders trim nails very quickly. Cat nails aren’t as thick as dog nails so they can easily be ground too short in very little time.”
If you are among the few confident enough to use a grinder, with a cat willing to tolerate it, we recommend the Casfuy Upgraded Professional Rechargeable Electric Pet Nail Trimmer.
How often should a cat's nails be trimmed?In general, a cat’s nails should be trimmed every two to four weeks. Frequency can depend on several factors, including speed of nail growth; a cat's activity level, age, and health; and scratching behavior. It's time to trim when your cat's nails become long, curved, and sharp.
Do cats naturally trim their own nails?Cats frequently file down their nails by scratching on furniture, posts, and trees. They also like to bite or chew on their nails, which also helps to keep them short and stubby.
Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
This piece was written by Lorraine Wilde, who has had at least two cat companions in her home for the past 35 years, including some special needs kitties. Two of her cats lived happily and healthily into their early 20s. She’s also been a dog owner throughout that time, clipping cat and dog nails every few months for decades.
Lorraine also holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in environmental science. She is a firm believer that consumers can make healthy, informed, and environmentally conscious choices to protect their pets and our planet. When researching these brands, Lorraine evaluated the type and quality of each product, customer reviews, the company’s research and development, and their business ethics.
Chyrle Bonk, DVM, graduated from Oregon State University in 2010 and has practiced in the mixed animal clinic, Clearwater Valley Veterinary Clinic in Orofino, Idaho, ever since. On top of treating animals and writing for various veterinary magazines and websites, including Hepper.com, Dr. Bonk also owns a small cattle herd. When she's not doing those things, she can be found somewhere in the Idaho wilderness with her husband and two kids.
