Why You Need Cat Nail Clippers—Even If You Don’t Have a Cat

Many cat owners know that clipping your feline friend’s nails can be a frustrating task. But, cat nail clippers are designed to be super sharp and compact, making it easy to snip the sharpest claws quickly. Those features can also serve other purposes, even if you don’t have a cat. A pair of cat nail clippers might be your new favorite tool.

Former LifeSavvy and current How-to-Geek editor-in-chief, Jason Fitzpatrick, shared his hack with us that utilizes cat clippers for snipping zip ties.

No more bulky scissors and no more gouging up your products.

Again, cat nail clippers are made to be sharp so they don’t hurt cats while snipping their claws. That makes it easy to snip through even the bulkiest of zip ties cleanly. But, it’s their rounded, dull edges that really make a difference.

Zip ties are often secured tightly to a product. That’s great for shipping and storing, but it can be a pain when you’re trying to get the ties off with a pair of scissors or wire cutters. Those items might do the job, but you risk gouging or dinging the actual product in the process.

The rounded edges of cat clippers allow you to get beneath the zip tie and sort of “lift” it away from the product, protecting the surface and snipping the tie away easily. Scissors can’t often do that without leaving some kind of mark behind and essentially damaging your product before you even get the chance to use it.

If you’re already a cat owner, you might have a pair of kitty nail clippers on hand that can now serve double duty. If not, it can be a small, worthwhile investment to pick up a pair for speedy zip tie removal.

Alternatively, you can invest in a pair of electronic pliers. If you’re looking for more of a “tool” to add to your arsenal, electronic pliers offer a lot of strength, but the biggest benefit is that they provide a flush-cut trim. So, as with the cat clippers, you don’t have to worry about them gouging or making a mark in whatever you’re trying to free.

You know we love a life hack, and whether you’re a cat owner or not, this tip is definitely one you should try. By snipping pesky zip ties with cat nail clippers, you’ll save your products, make quick work of unboxing, and you’ll add a mini tool to your arsenal that you’ll likely end up using more often than you think.