Nail clippers are an essential item in your cat care toolbox. Trimming your cat's nails regularly (once or twice a month) is an important part of caring for your cat. It will also help protect you and your furniture from scratches.

The curved blade of these nail clippers is designed to comfortably trim your kitty's nails and minimize chances of splitting or damage to the nail. The grippy handle reduces slipping, and the finger rest ensures you have a steady grip.

How to trim your cat's nails at home:

Take a paw in your hand and use your thumb and pointer finger to gently press down on the top and bottom of the paw on the joint just behind the claw. This will cause the claw to extend so you can quickly but carefully snip off the sharp tip and no more.

Don't get too close to the pink part of the nail called "the quick," where blood vessels and nerve endings lie. Just like the pink part of a human fingernail, the quick is very sensitive; cutting into this area will likely cause bleeding and pain.

If you aren't able to trim all 10 nails at once, don't worry. Few cats remain patient for more than a few minutes, so take what you can get, praise your pet for cooperating, perhaps give them a little treat, and then be on the lookout for the next opportunity—maybe even a catnap—to cut things down to size.