OK...somebody`s GOT to tell me "WHY"???

i asked the same question a while back heres the link http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=127006

Since they grow fast and my cat is indoor and plays with dogs and climbs on humans. I don't want anyone getting hurt with her claws just in case.

I don't worry about that, I clip them every week so they stay at a nice place. Doesn't hurt or bother her at all. She has cat trees and lots of things to naturally sharpen her claws, but I clip just to keep them shorter, less snags, less change of hurting the dogs. I also dremel dog nails weekly as well.

You should ask this in the care and grooming section. They will be happy to answer your question.

BTW: I clip my cats claws, since he is an indoor only cat. This helps him from getting his nails caught in things all the time, so they don't get too long, and so he doesn't scratch ME too much.

I would've assumed as a cat owner, you might already know the answer

Clipping their claws stop them from becoming too long and ingrown, scratching up furniture and attacking anything else in the way. They sharpen AND keep their claws shorter by scratching on logs/scratching posts etc. None of our cats ever had their claws clipped, they kept them well looked after in the outdoors. And as Charlie is now indoor, i've chucked some logs into his outdoor enclosure for this reason. Some other people use Soft Claws to cover them (also good if your cat had a nervous disorder and scratches themselves bald) and then some declaw. But that is an entire thread in itself

i had an idea why people cliped their cats claws, but because iv never ever had any problems with any of the cats iv cared for i thought it may have been for selfish reasons (sorry everyone) that is why i asked in the care section a while back

Couldn't have said it better myself!!

Ditto!!!!!!!

This story (my own) is the main reason I clip nails starting at 3 weeks old on kittens....and cats.

Had a litter of Russian Blue kittens. They were about 2 months old at the time, wrestling and playing as normal. Suddenly one of the boys let out a scream! I rush in to find blood everywhere.

Trip to the vet found out that the boy had been scratched in the eye very near the cornea and he was almost blinded! The vet cleaned him up and examined the eye - thank goodness the cornea was not punctured and it was only a top surface scratch, but he had to stitch the eye shut for a few weeks so it could heal without being bothered.

Kittens usually don't retract (or can't) claws till older. I'm pretty paranoid when they play rough at times cause of this incident.

In addition I cannot STAND razor sharp nails when I'm picking them up or holding them. Those nails can be daggers So they are clipped or checked every week and done as needed.

I have 2 cats who knead on me, run over me, and wrestle with each other.

I have a 2" long permanent scar on my foot from where Sonic ran across me and caught my foot with one of the claws on one of his hind feet - I have another 1/2" permanent scar 1 toe width away from it from another claw. I'd not clipped his claws for 2 weeks because I lost (or he stole and hid!) the clippers, and therefore I have 2 scars on my foot as a result which will be there for the rest of my life, and not through any act of aggression! I'm very lucky they didn't get infected.

Sonic also walks, and sometimes runs, over my face when I'm in bed. I have had scratches on my face from him doing this.

Radar has left claw sheaths embedded in my arm like thorns after a cuddle session.

The boys also rabbit kick each other, pin each other down, and generally get involved in a lot of rough and tumble. Sonic currently has a bald spot and a scab on his chin as a result of this play-fighting.

I don't understand how anyone can't keep their cats claws trimmed. If I didn't do it I would regularly have wounds from where they have raced over me chasing one another during a 'funny five minutes', or from overenthusiastic kneading.

Possibly some cats are less active than mine and it doesn't really become an issue, but when every night you have a cat stand and turn around on your face at least once in his search for affection, you have to keep claws short unless you want to end up with scars!

BTW: I have a scar on my forehead that goes between my eyes. It was very close to scratching my eye. It's gotten pretty light, and you can't really see if unless your up close. Wonder where that scar came from?

I agree completely with this. I do the same thing, especially since we have a small child. Not to mention I have several scars from cats over the years, and, personally, I don't want any more.

Ummm, it would hurt for me not to trim Trouts nails...she kneads like crazy..and it even hurts with nail stubs

Its pretty easy...you just stick the cat between your legs, facing down and grab the paws one by one

I trim Stumpy and Smudge's claws because Stumpy likes to run across our dining table and dining chairs and leaves big scratches if we don't trim them. She also leaps up walls and tries to open wardrobe doors with her paws, and we have scratch marks in the walls and door from where she's gone psycho on them She also tries to "catch" our feet if we dare move our feet while in bed - she uses her paws and claws to grab our feet which hurrrrts! She needs hers clipped regularly. And yes they grow back and get sharp, we just clip them regularly.

Smudge decided she liked to climb up me when I was least expecting it - this has curbed that behaviour. She still leaps onto us if she's near shoulder height and can jump up (if we're sitting on the bed, or if she's on her cat tree, or if we're bent over scooping the litter tray ). At least this way she hurts us a lot less

Lily doesn't really scratch at anything or damage anything, and gets scared if we try and hold her, so we don't do hers too often.

Well I do Ping and now Pong's for a few reasons. Clawing the couch was never an issue because we buy gently used furniture. Mainly for Ping is because he likes to attack feet. And being asleep does not stop him. As clipping makes it a little more bearable. Pong (and well Ping) is because he/they are inside only cats and they have no way dulling down their own claws so I just clip them. Pong is still young so I am getting him used to it.

Off topic, but does this mean Pong is staying?!?!?!?!?

Now do you think either of us could give that baby to someone else? No he is staying and adjusting quite well as is Ping.

I clip my girls nails about once a month. It keeps them from scratching us and things. Especially when they decide to run across DH or I!

I clip Gizmo's claws because 1) It's hurts like you what when he tries to use my leg as a climbing post and 2) to protect my furniture. It's not so much because he scratches the furniture but more so because when he gets in his crazy mode and runs and jumps on the beds/chairs/sofa his claws tend get snagged on threads and such.

I have had numerous scratches in many many locations over the years, snags in sweaters, blankets, even jeans, and I've had Tuxie get her claws stuck in the carpet on more than one occasion, and she tends to panic when that happens. So for their safety, as well as the safety of my baby girl, I started clipping their claws when I found out I was pregnant. That's not to say they like it all that much, and I do have one that the vet has to do for me every other month, but it gets done.

I don't care about getting scratched (although I'd be happier if I didn't) and I could care less about my furniture.

I clip because I've seen first hand what can happen when a cat gets a claw stuck in something and panics.
It's very bloody, and very painful for the cat.

I clip my guy's nails. I know 2 of mine will scratch the furniture, so clipping reduces the damage. Ophelia's get clipped because she has this tendency to attack. All my foster kittens get their clipped in hopes the new owners will not declaw.

Shami likes to knead my neck. I'm not quite sure why he choses to knead my neck all the time, but I wouldn't want to know what it would feel like if his claws were never clipped. Even with his claws clipped he leaves scratch marks on me.

If you let the claws grow, the get to be like needles. They'll go straight through jeans and plunge a good half a cm into your skin. Very painful.

I clip for the same reasons everyone else seems to...

1. It hurts like crazy when they knead on you with long claws and all three of mine are kneaders
2. Tryon likes to move the drapes so she can watch outside the window and has occasionally gotten a claw stuck in the drapes which leads to a bloody freakout scene.
3. I've witnessed what a claw to the eye can do.
4. I've also witnessed what a claw can do if left too long - it can curl under and become embedded in the paw pad (was not a pretty sight) and yes, this cat had plenty of things to scratch on.

The dogs get theirs clipped because if left too long they can break under the skin which is very bloody and very painful for the dogs.

i have plenty of scars and my DH has a nasty one on his back, and yes we get them running over us in bed when they get there nutty half hours, but weve never had any of them hurt each other nor have we had any injurys where they have caught there nails. and i can honstly say they have never caught the kids with there claws even when cuddling down with them and kneeding them.
i can understand why a lot of people trim there cats claws, but i also understand why some dont.

I'll move this to care and grooming

I'm pretty lax in clipping Nikita's claws. However I watch her carefully and whenever I spot her starting to gnaw and bite at her front claws I figure they've gotten too long for her comfort since she's trying to shorten them herself and out come the clippers.

I'm not worried about scratches really, just her comfort. Even if she doesn't start to bite at her claws I check them over almost daily just to make sure they're healthy and not starting to curl under etc.

I clip all of my cat's claws for all the reasons listed above. And I do have many, many scars from kitties!

I clip because I am trying to save my screens and curtains. another reason is I sometimes find scabs on them from getting stuck by the others nails. My guys are not crazy about it, but they tolerate it. If you don't, the nails get incredibly long and sharp. I can't imagine NOT clipping nails.