why clip nails?

i've noticed most people here clip their cats nails...i grew up with tons of cats and my mum never clipped their nails, so i never clip Wontons. he has a scratching post and i've just always assumed there's no problem. my bf, however, keeps saying we should.

are there any health reasons why you should clip a cat's nails, or is it just more so they can't wreck the furniture/scratch you? when we board him we get him the deluxe bath treatment, which includes a nail clip, but thats once a year if that.

i guess part of it is i'm worried that a: he'll freak out if i try to clip them (cos of his recent agression issues) and b: i'm afraid i'll clip them too close and hurt him :/

does anyone have any thoughts on this? is it ok not to clip his nails?

Many of us clip our cats claws because we can end up with 'sticky kitty' - their claws causing them to catch on funriture, carpet etc. It does also save on any scratch damage when they catch you!

Clipping is pretty easy once you get used to it! Start with just clipping the sharp point off the end. Then you can cut more as your kitty gets used to the process. Just don't clip near the quick - the pink like you can see in a cat's claw.

Remember, a yummy treat after something like this always goes down well!

I clip my cats' nails for several reasons:

1. So they don't get their nails hooked in furniture, towels, clothing etc.
2. So I don't end up getting scratched and clawed up when they decide to kneed bread while getting cuddled
3. So they don't scratch each other
4. So they don't accidently scratch themselves while scratching an itch (and they have done that)
5. So they don't puncture my waterbed!

My youngest cat will let me clip her nails no problem sometimes. Other times I have to do it while she's sleeping when she's none the wiser. Usually the latter is what happens, LOL

My oldest cat loves any kind of attention, so she lets me cut her nails without fuss. Actually she loves it so long as I give her a foot massage at the same time. She's such a spoiled diva!

thanks... so basically its to protect you and your furniture (and the kitty himself), but there's no health problems from NOT clipping, right? i do think Wonton has scratched himself a couple times actually, come to t hink of it. He had a scratch on his head, by his ear a few weeks ago, but he's indoor only and we have no other cats, so we were baffled as to where he could have gotten it.. maybe he scratched himself?

can i use human nailclippers or should i go buy some clippers just made for cats?

It's ok to use human nail clippers but the animal clippers are not very expensive. I bought some animal clippers and found them to be a bit unwieldy and rather large.

The kitties seem to be more comfortable with nail clippers, probably because they can't see this big thing coming towards their claws.

The primary reason I clip nails is because my guys (three nine month olds) play very roughly and I don't want anyone getting their eye scratched. Plus when they sit on my chest and mash potatoes it is much more comfortable if nails aren't sticking me. Ditto the middle of the night foot attacks.
I trim nails every couple of weeks.

I clip for all of the reason mentioned above, and also if your cat's claws curl when the grow, it is possible for them to grow back into the paw pad.

Claws will also shatter easily when too long, which hurts.

I use baby human nail clippers.

Hi, this is the guide I used when learning how to properly trim Skittles' nails. http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/article.htm

As Abbysmom says, if you don't trim the claws they will grow until the cat can't retract them fully and may even grow into the paw pad. A cat that goes outside will wear them down by walking on hard surfaces but an indoor cat can't do that so we need to trim them for them.

I have a cat who I am guessing that before I got her she never had her claws clipped. About half of her pads have a smal piece of claw in them that are grown over and covered in skin or something. IT doesn't seem to hurt her but it probably did at one time.

I use human nail clippers too. You just have to turn them sideways, if you clip head on it can shatter the claw at the end a little bit. Usually you can see the quick which should make it pretty clear where to stop clipping.

I never used to clip my cats claws till one of my bridge babes had probs - 2 of hers grew into her paw pads, and since then I have been paranoid about them. And as I take in oldies, it is more important for it to be done, as they grow quicker, and I dont have cats that use scratching posts. I have also done it to save my legs being shredded.

I use this kind:
http://www.thecatconnection.com/page...H-GRM/GRM-2054
the photo is actually larger than the scissors on my screen.

It's not as scary as those big ones, and it works really well. I found that regular nail clippers made her claws chip and peel much more, while the scissors make a nice clean cut.
When you start, just start by getting Wonton comfortable with you holding his toesies, and then with you extending his claws for him (push gently with your thumb between his toes and his pawpad) and then clip one toe, and then a couple more, and then a foot at a time, and then you can do them all. You only really need to do the front two. And don't forget the dewclaw!

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

I use this kind:
http://www.thecatconnection.com/page...H-GRM/GRM-2054
the photo is actually larger than the scissors on my screen.

It's not as scary as those big ones, and it works really well. I found that regular nail clippers made her claws chip and peel much more, while the scissors make a nice clean cut.
When you start, just start by getting Wonton comfortable with you holding his toesies, and then with you extending his claws for him (push gently with your thumb between his toes and his pawpad) and then clip one toe, and then a couple more, and then a foot at a time, and then you can do them all. You only really need to do the front two. And don't forget the dewclaw!

Click to expand...

That's the kind I use as well. I had tried using human nail clippers turned at a side angle, but I found that it wasn't cutting the nails cleanly. I picked up a pair of the pet nail cutters about 10 years ago and still use the same pair and they work very well.

I clip my kitty's nails to keep us from getting hurt when we play with him. I have 2 small boys and don't want them scratched on accident when they're playing with him.

I use Human nail clippers. Is it a lot easier then useing cat nail clippers?
Is that right??

I use cat nail clippers but I only clip the front claws.

Should I be clipping the back ones too??? I'm never able to get to those, but I probably can with another person helping.

I would clip your cat's back nails. Just wrap you cat in a blanket. Thats how
I clip my cats nail. It is much easier too!

I have found that my cats back claws stay pretty dull and I rarely have to cut them. Once in a great while because of the length I trim them down a bit.

I trim my kitties' nails so that I don't get puncture wounds from their love and affection I'm not very concerned with my furniture, that may change if I get a new couch, but the main reason I trim is for my own protection, and I don't clip the back, and I use human nail clippers, but I need to get a new pair as mine are getting a little dull