I have yet to see any of my cats (we have 6 at the moment) actually try to "use" their dew claws. They seem to have no control whatsoever over them and all they seem to do with them is to get caught up in clothing etc and then try to shake themselves loose from it.
They no longer have...
Cats have always had dew claws, the equivalent of our thumbs. Our ancient ancestors the earliest reptiles had five digits and all four-legged mammals have the equivalent of the same. Some have evolved into hooves, trotters and even three-toed "hands" but the vestiges of these earlier digits...
