are some cats nails extra sharp because they dont file them?

[bluekat]

two of my cats have normal cat nails but one cats nails are like real actual needles if she sits on my lap and "kneeds" it will go right trough my jeans.............
QUOTE]

Cats are always growing new sharp claws. The old claws are shed just like a snake sheds it's skin. The cat scratches on the cat post to make the old claw covers fall off. Underneath is a new shiney sharp claw. Cats bite off the old claw covers on their hind feet.

If you clip the nails every week or so, you can make the new sharp claws blunt.

 

[korina]

Originally Posted by MiaMaria

Hmm, yeah I have noticed variation in the sharpness of my cats' nails too. The little cat has way sharper talons than the big boy does. Maybe little cats just have thinner nails so they seem sharper? I am one of those people that almost never cuts their cats' nails, because they've never used them on a person with malice.
It just occurred to me though.. maybe it would be good to cut them so they can't hurt each other in play fights. Is that why it's suggested to cut them once a month?

Ok, the accidental cutting scratch might remind its time for a trim, but for me the main reason is prevent nail overgrowth.

Once every couple of weeks is a good idea, I only suggested clipping the very tip once a week for cats not used to it.

My cat is a female mink bengal, she weighs 10 now, but is still considered to be a very small cat.

Also Strange Wings made a great point about nails getting caught in things.

I have a ceiling to floor tower and have twice seen my kitty literally fall off the tower

At first I blamed on her low IQ, but then I Realized what was happening, her nails were snagged onto the syntetic carpeting the tower uses.
When she went to climb to the next level in the tower (or monkey climb down the tower) she didn't realize her nail was caught.

Let me tell you its a terrifying sight to see your cat plumet 5 feet to the floor (the last time she landed on her side)