Cat nail caps are one of the most effective solutions to prevent cats from scratching your furniture, you or the members of your family.
Nails caps are, next to the cat scratching posts to file nails and cat nail clippers, a safe and pain-free alternative to declawing.
Many vets and cat associations warn against the inhuman procedure of declawing because of the damaging and irreversible consequences to a cat’s physical and mental health.
There are many different brands of cat nail caps on the market, so to save you time, we have already picked the best cat nail caps and reviewed them below.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
The Top 5 Best Cat Nail Caps in 2023
| Brand | ||
|---|---|---|
| Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps |   | |
| Purrdy Paws Soft Nail Caps |   | |
| VICTHY Cat Nail Caps |   | |
| Kitty Caps Nail Caps |   | |
| MiiOUU Cat Claw Caps |   |
Best Cat Nail Caps – Reviews
1. Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps
Soft Claws is one of the most popular brands of cat nail caps on the market, made in the USA.
Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps are made of vinyl. They apply easily on a cat’s nails with a safe and non-toxic adhesive.
The caps don’t interfere with the normal extension and retraction of the cat’s nails, so your kitty will be able to move and behave as normal.
The adult caps are embedded with a series of self-locking cleats, which offer an improved grip.
Soft Claws Cat Nail Caps will stay on your cat’s nails for approximately four to six weeks.
You can choose between colored or clear nail caps depending on what is better for you and your cat. Clear nail caps are less intrusive, but the advantage of colored nail caps is that you will be able to easier spot when the caps fall off.
Each kit comes with 40 nail caps in a chosen color, glue, 6 applicator tips and instructions. One kit should last for four to six months of supply.
Soft Claws come in the following sizes:
– Kitten: weight under 5 lbs, 12-16 weeks old
– Small: weight 6-8 lbs
– Medium: weight 9-13 lbs
– Large: weight 14 lbs and up
2. Purrdy Paws Soft Nail Caps
Purrdy Paws are made from a safe, soft vinyl. The vinyl, as well as the adhesive used to glue the caps onto the cat’s nails, are safe and non-toxic for a cat.
Even if a cat swallows a cap, no harm will be done to your cat. The cap will safely pass through the digestive system.
The caps stay on the claws for approximately four to six weeks, until the nails are naturally shed.
You can choose from over 40 colors of the caps. There are also some limited color editions, which contain a special holographic glitter, also called illusion glitter. It reflects colorful sparkles when the light reflects off the caps.
A pack of Purrdy Paws includes 40 nail caps, 2 adhesives, applicator tips, and instructions.
Purrdy Paws come in the following sizes:
– Kitten: less than 6 months old
– Small: cats 6-8 lbs
– Medium: cats 9-13 lbs
– Large: cats over 14 lbs
3. VICTHY Cat Nail Caps
VICTHY Cat Nail Caps are made of a non-toxic natural vinyl resin and are thatched on a nail with a safe, non-toxic adhesive.
These nail caps are comfortable on a cat’s nails and won’t interfere with a cat’s normal behavior.
The caps will stay on the claws from two to six weeks, depending on how active your cat is.
In one package, there are 140 caps in 14 different colors, 7 glues and 7 applicators.
VICTHY Cat Nail Caps come in the following sizes:
– XS: weight up to 5.5 lbs, from 16 weeks to 5 months old
– Small: for 5.5-11 lbs cat
– Medium: for 11-16.5 lbs cat
– Large: for 16.5 lbs cat and up
4. Kitty Caps Nail Caps
Kitty Caps are made from a safe and non-toxic natural vinyl resin and attached to a cat’s claws with a safe glue.
The caps don’t disturb the cat’s claws to normally extend and retract so your cat can maintain her normal activity.
Kitty Caps stay on a cat’s nails usually up to four to eight weeks depending on how active the cat is.
A pack of Kitty Caps includes 40 caps, 2 adhesive tubes, 2 application tips and an instruction booklet.
The caps come in a variety of colors, two different colors per pack.
Kitty Caps come in the following sizes:
– XS: cats under 5 lbs
– Small: cats 6-8 lbs
– Medium: cats 9-13 lbs
– Large: cats over 13 lbs
5. MiiOUU Cat Claw Caps – Best Cat Nail Caps
MiiOUU Cat Claw Caps are made from a safe premium natural vinyl resin.
Both the vinyl material as well as an adhesive that you glue the caps onto the nails are safe and non-toxic materials.
The caps will not interfere with a normal extension and retraction of your cat’s nails.
A pack of MiiOUU Cat Claw Caps includes 100 caps in 10 different colors, 5 adhesive tubes, 5 applicators and instructions.
MiiOUU Cat Claw Caps come in the following sizes:
– XS: kittens up to 5 lbs
– Small: for 6-10 lbs cat
– Medium: for 10-16 lbs cat
– Large: for 16 lbs cat and up
Best Cat Nail Caps – Buyer’s Guide
Who should buy cat nail caps
Cat nail caps effectively prevent cats from making damage with their claws to the furniture or human skin.
You should buy cat nail caps for your cat in the situation when you are worried that a cat will scratch a vulnerable person, for example, a baby, a small kid, or someone who has autoimmune problems.
You should also buy cat nail caps when your cat destructively scratches your furniture despite trimming their nails, providing various scratching posts, or undergoing behavioral training.
Cat nail caps are one of the most effective alternatives to declawing, which is an amputation of a third bone and joint of a cat’s toe. Declawing leads to physical and behavioral problems, such as lameness, aggression, biting, and litter box problems to name just a few.
Benefits of using cat nail caps
– A safe, non-surgical, and human alternative to declawing
– No damage to the furniture
– No damage to human skin
– Affordable and cost-effective solution
Things to consider when buying cat nail caps
1) Size
Choosing an appropriate size of a cat nail cap for your cat nails is very important. If the nail cap is too small, it won’t fit on your cat’s claw. If the nail cap is too large it can easily fall off.
The nail cap should fit tightly to a claw in order to be effective and to stay attached to a cat’s nail for a long time.
In general, kittens up to 5 lbs should fit in size for Kittens or XS. Cats between 6-8 lbs will fit in size Small, cats between 9-13 lbs will fit in size Medium, and cats over 13 lbs will fit in size Large.
The sizes vary among the brands so always make sure you check the size given by the manufacturer for a given product.
2) Non-toxic materials
Both the material the nail cap is made of and the adhesive that you glue the caps on to your cat’s nails should be made from safe for a cat, non-toxic substances.
Your cat may chew on the caps and she may even accidentally swallow it, so it’s of utter importance the caps won’t harm your cat when digested.
3) Durability
The better quality of the nail caps, the longer they will stay attached to your cat claws.
In general, nail caps should stay intact for at least two weeks.
High-quality nail caps will stay on a cat’s claws for up to four or six weeks.
4) Clear vs. Colored
Cat nail caps come in a variety of colors even with fun, sparkling effects. If you are not a fan of colored nail caps and want the caps to be unnoticeable and blend with the fur of your cat, you can choose the clear ones.
Some cat owners prefer the colored version because it’s easier for them to spot when the cap has fallen off.
Best Cat Nail Caps – Frequently Asked Questions
What are cat nail caps?
Cat nail caps are plastic, rubber, or silicone caps that are placed over a cat’s sharp nails. The caps are soft and therefore prevent a cat from scratching and damaging furniture or human skin.
Cat nail caps are a safe and human alternative to declawing. With the cat nail caps on, a cat can still extend and retract her claws and carry on with her normal behavior.
How do you put a nail cap on a cat?
First of all, you need to make sure you choose the proper size of a nail cap for your cat’s claws. A nail cap should fit snugly to a claw, it should not be too small or too large.
Just before putting the caps on your cat’s claws, trim your cat’s nails with sharp cat nail clippers (you don’t need to clip the tiny kitten’s claws as then there may not be enough of the surface to stick the caps too).
When the nails are trimmed, apply a bit of adhesive inside the nail cap and slide it over the extended nail (to extend a cat’s nail, gently press on your cat’s paw).
After a cap is on the nail, allow a few minutes for the adhesive to set.
How long do cat nail caps stay on?
How long the nail caps will stay on your cat’s claws depends on the quality of the caps and how active your cat is.
A high-quality nail caps should stay approximately for up to four to six weeks on a cat’s nails.
In general, the caps should not fall off earlier than two weeks’ time.
Are nail caps safe for cats?
Yes, cat nail caps are safe for cats. Always make sure you choose the caps that are made from non-toxic materials, they have a proper size for your cat’s nail, and that they are applied correctly.
Are cat nail caps painful?
No, cat nail caps are not painful for a cat. A cat can still normally extend and retract her claws having the cat nail caps on, and she can carry on with their normal behavior and activities.
Always make sure that the caps are applied correctly and they are of the proper size for your cat’s claws.
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