creative catsliz boles - National Cat Groomers Institute of America

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701 Pendleton Street | Greenville, SC 29601
www.nationalcatgroomers.com | 877.302.7430 | [email protected]
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LIZ BOLES
JOHNSON
Softpaws are a great way to provide a much needed service (preventing damage from claws) in a creative way. These
vinyl caps fit over the nail and protect surfaces from sharp claws. They are easy to apply and, with all the fun colors
available, they make a great creative accessory. SoftPaws can be coordinated with dye, with accessories, or to stand
as their own statement. They can be applied quickly and easily; generally speaking, if you can do a nail trim on a cat,
then it will likely tolerate SoftPaw application. Mix and match colors to create festive combinations or match the client’s favorite sports team. You can even customize SoftPaws for even more creative options!
Customizing softpaws
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First, we need a stand to paint on those tiny nail
caps. I used a Greyhound Comb and a binder clip.
Clip the binder clip onto the comb, then pinch the
metal pieces to remove them to make a stand.
Using nail polish (this particular brand has a
narrow brush for detail work), place dots of
color on the SoftPaws.
2
Slide the SoftPaws over the tines of the comb,
leaving plenty of space between each one.
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Use as many dots as you like
(I painted about 5-6 dots per
nail cap).
5 Repeat until a full set has been “dotted.”
Try different color
combinations. Here, I
used pink polka-dots
on clear SoftPaws.
Stripes make for
a fun look, too!
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1) Lay out all of your tools and soft paws needed before
you begin trimming the nails. This is an important step
because most cats are not very patient and will be unwilling to wait while you collect your materials. Fill each nail
cap 3/4 full with glue. Do not overfill or you will get glue
all over the cat’s toes. You can pre-fill all the SoftPaws
you need to apply. Until the glue contacts something, it
will not set up for several minutes.
2) Trim the points off of each nail, but leave a little bit of
nail so that the SoftPaws will have something to grab on.
3) To apply, express the claw fully. Slip the nail cap over
the nail while being sure not to let the nail retract until
the cap is completely in place.
4) Slide the cap all the way over the nail and be careful
not to touch any glue. You do not need to hold the SoftPaws in place: the glue sets almost instantly with contact.
All done! Remember that SoftPaws should be trimmed
off and replaced every 6 weeks as the cat’s nails continue
to grow.
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