Clipping nails

I clip both. I think you read that most owners do not bother clipping the back ones and only have the vet do it whenever the cat gets seen. -- At least thats what I read. Cats scratch stuff with their front which is how they do most of the damage and why people generally clip the front.

I clip both front and back. Sometimes cats will "trim" their back claws by chewing on them, but they can still get sharp.

Just make sure not to cut into the pink area of the nail (the quick) - it will be painful for the cat and will cause bleeding. Be aware that if you have the vet clip the nails, many will cut into the quick - request that they don't do this (ask for a "groomer's" nail trim). Don't cut across the nail either - it can split.

I only cliped Cleo's front paws, she took care of her back paws. I haven't been able to clip DeeDee' s at all, she won't let me......yet.

I always have to clip the fronts of all three cats, but for Mer and Ho Ho, their back claws stay very blunt and short naturally. L.S., however, has four paws that are full of swiss army knives, so I make sure to get all 20 of his nails. Hans is decalwed in the front, and his back claws are hideous, but he'd tear my hand off if I tried to do anything to them.

It just depends on what you're trying to do. Do cats have to have their nails trimmed? Probably not if they have scratching posts and use them. If you're trying to save the furniture or keep from being scratched, then trim at least the front. I make sure that all the claws are blunt on mine because I'm worried about when they wrestle, they'll kick each other and hurt each other.

I clip both front and back. Bijou kneads while suckling on my neck and my face and neck would be in shreds if I didn't.

He has and uses a scratching post but I still need to trim his nails - they get long and very sharp.

If I wait until he is in "rest" mode, I can clip them without even holding him - just sit beside him and do it.

From the day we first brought him home I began to touch and play with his paws so he would get used to having them handled. I believe this made it much easier when i started clipping his nails. He did not associate having his paws touched with something bad.

I pretty much only clip the front claws. The back ones are so thick and they hardly ever get sharp enough to do any harm. They seem to trim the back one's on their own I guess. I just do the fronts.

I clip them all, if he will stay still that long

I clip the front ones regularly and the back ones as needed.

I seem to be in the minority. I don't clip at all unless I find a split nail, or if an extremely old cat (we had one who made it to 23) is no longer grooming properly.

I clip the front and as much of the back as I can get. Willow's never liked having her feet touched, especially her back, so it's a battle just to get those back feet in my fingers. With Buffy, she used to be fine with having her nails clipped, but then I accidently clipped through the quick on one of the toes in her back foot, and now she gets hysterical if I started touching her back feet. It's not a pain thing, since she'll let me touch them other times, but it's when I have the clippers in my hand that she tries to bolt. All I can hope for is that she'll eventually tire out after fighting me, allowing me to clip her nails quickly and easily (I hate it when I've got the nail through the clippers, and I'm starting to cut them when the cat tries to pull the foot away)

I clip back and front on sakura.
She doesnt mind it either. I usually sit cross legged on the floor, have her sit on my lap human like. She will usually lean over the arm that holds the paws. Near the end of the ordeal she start rubbing against my hands purring. I think she's sucking up to me to let her go, either that or she just loves all the attention shes getting.

I shudder when I think of declawing or even clipping, for it denies the cat of being able to live as nature intended.

I know there is a large body of thought about cats tearing up the furniture, but I have NEVER had any problem in quickly training my cats to use their "scratching posts/items" only.

My training tool is a garden sprayer jug filled with water, kept handy, and set for a long, narrow stream, rather than a mist.

It takes very few squirts, applied when the cat is "in the act" and accompanied with a strong "NO !", to teach the cat, and even Tico, who is as pigheaded and strongwilled as a headstrong child will approach a piece of furniture, stop, turn and look at me, and I just tell her, "Go ahead, make my day", and either she understands or doesn't care to try me.

Apparently new cats are trained by established residents (cats), as we have had new ones that NEVER tried to use the furniture, going instead to the "toys" provided for such.

Tico is a notable exception to this rule, but we all know about headstrong women, don't we ? ?

I am not really critical of those who choose to declaw or clip, but believe me, the IS an alternative, and I speak with better than 60 years of cat-loving experience behind me.

Leonard

I ws interested in reading these posts as when we adopted our kitty, we noticed that her front paws were declawed. I had never asked my friend why they did that. It was actually her parents' cat and my friend, due to financial reasons, had to move in with them at which time her cat and their cat got into terrible fights. Personally I think it was becuz her parents' cat (now our kitty) had a litter of kittens and she was just being protective of them. she generally is a sweetheart of a cat! I think her parents were trying to make life easier for my friend by offering to give up their cat. I wouldn't do it! but they were so happy to see what a good home she got. we love her and spoil her. But back to the declaw thing, my husband thinks it's awful for ppl to do this. I suppose it was becuz she is an indoor cat and it made things easier for them, ie furniture, etc. But our kitty (dont want to use her name here to be annoymous) has escaped a few times and my husband doesn't believe a cat should be indoors all the time but shouldn't be outdoors without its protection of its claws. Also, they did not yet have her spayed which we did soon after we got her.
I wonder can cats use hind claws and teeth to protect themselves from other aggressive cats if she gets outside again? And I tell you she is so FAST, I suppose you can consider that another option for her. Again, my husb thinks a cat should be able to get outside while I have mixed feelings. We have a closed in porch with screen and she seems content to be there to observe what's happening outside as well as the fresh air and she is safe at least. He also built one of those kitty doors leading to porch so she has access anytime she wants.
Thanks for listening.
Suze

I clip Sierra's front and back once a week.

You may have the best intentions, but somehow I do not consider squirting a cat with water (which most cats truely HATE) and doing it for 60 years "cat-loving experience". Its an alternative to beat your cat in with a boot, but we don't do that either around here.

It's not the furniture I worry about so much as myself. My cats have a habit of doing the "nursing" motions on my neck or arm when cuddling in the middle of the night. If the claws aren't trimmed they can scratch. I also clip the hind claws because they hurt when they jump on/off our laps, or even our prone bodies as we sleep, and once left quite a cut on my bf early in the morning (through the sheets).

Kittens I also find develop needle like claws which they use to try and claw up my leg. If I don't trim them just a tiny bit (I'm always afraid with such little paws) they leave my legs looking like a scratching post.

I do both on Dusty although I don't do the back ones as often. For some reason they don't seem to grow as fast. I only do Muffin's front ones and very very occasionally the back