Resco Original Guillotine Nail Trimmer, Cat Size

The Resco Original is a guillotine-style nail trimmer: you feed the claw through a hole and a blade slides across to cut it. The cat size is, in Resco’s words, a specialized trimmer for cats and other tiny pets with smaller nails.

Who it suits

Owners who already know where to cut and prefer a guillotine action, and calm cats that let you hold the paw steady. VCA says guillotine and scissors-style clippers can both be used safely on cats.

Key facts

• Cat size, for cats or pets under 10 pounds (Resco)
• Patented replaceable blade (Resco)
• Made in the USA since 1937, limited lifetime warranty (Resco)
• Guillotine and scissors-style clippers can both be used safely with cats (VCA)

What reviewers say

Your Best Digs tested Resco’s Deluxe guillotine trimmer, a related model: it felt durable, had rubberized handles and cut with one sharp blade moving upwards, but with a guillotine you must cut from the front of the paw, so you may need two people.

PangoVet notes the Resco works in either hand, but found the blades not very sharp and says they may splinter or crush claws, especially on large cats.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Replaceable blade
• Pro: Made in the USA with a limited lifetime warranty
• Pro: Works in either hand
• Con: Guillotine style means feeding each claw through the hole, which is harder on a wriggly cat
• Con: A reviewer found the blades not very sharp
• Con: Replace the blade when it dulls, or it can crush the nail

Cautions

• Replace the blade as soon as it stops cutting cleanly; dull trimmers squeeze rather than cut the nail.
• Clip only the sharp tip and stay clear of the pink quick; keep styptic powder nearby, as VCA and the ASPCA advise.
• If a claw has grown into the paw pad or a toe is swollen or bleeding, see your vet instead of trimming at home.