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

stampit3d

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I`m just too curious....there`s a thread on here about about someone being sneeky :-) in how they get their cats to co-operate with getting their nails clipped......and I`m neither pro or con, since I`m sure getting your nails clipped does`nt hurt......and i`ve known that some people do that.....and now...I HAVE TO KNOW "WHY DO PEOPLE CLIP CATS NAILS"????
Like "the cat"....my curiosity is killing me to know the answer!!!!
And while i`m at it with the asking....how do you keep them from resharpening them after you`ve clipped them???
Linda
 

cococat

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Originally Posted by stampit3d

I HAVE TO KNOW "WHY DO PEOPLE CLIP CATS NAILS???
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.

Originally Posted by stampit3d

how do you keep them from resharpening them after you`ve clipped them???
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.
 

mybabyphx

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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.
 

dragoriana

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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
 

xxtashaxx

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Originally Posted by Dragoriana

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
 

snosrap5

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Originally Posted by cococat

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.
Couldn't have said it better myself!!
 
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stampit3d

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Well I can see why if there is a problem of some sort.....I guess we`ve been lucky with our 3....and i`m GLAD, cause that does`nt sound like something any of them would probably stand still for very easily.
Only time we have been clawed is when one of them is on us and suddenly gets scared about something unusual happening and they are making a 'get away".
I`m home most of the time, so they have trained pretty well about not clawing things they are`nt supposed to, and the occassional time sombody does scratch something they are`nt supposed to is far and few between....so guess i`m not going to put myself to the bother. (I doubt I`d be as well loved by them if I tried at this late date)
Linda
 

goldenkitty45

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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.
 

epona

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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!
 

mybabyphx

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Originally Posted by Epona

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?
 

tnkittymom

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Originally Posted by cococat

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 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.
 

trouts mom

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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
 

sarahp

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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.
 

ping

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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.
 

sarahp

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Originally Posted by Ping

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?!?!?!?!?
 

ping

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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.
 

wildflower79

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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.
 
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