Sunday, January 17, 2010

Are you supposed to keep a cats' nails clipped?

I was watching Animal Cops Houston, and the vet taking care of a cat made it seem like you are supposed to keep a cats' fingernails cut. I do not cut my cats' nails. So, I am wondering if I am supposed to?Are you supposed to keep a cats' nails clipped?
I advise it! Your kitty will hate it, but it's a good thing to do, and a much kinder alternative to declawing.





If your kitty doesn't have an ';allowed scratching place'; (ie: scratching post, NOT your favourite lounge) to keep his claws maintained , then sometimes their claws become overgrown.





You can buy a special cat claw clipper, or use your human nail clipper to do the job (though it's generally not advised, unless you have a super good quality one with sharp blades). To cut the claws, firmly but gently hold the cat's paw, and gently push down on the cat's knuckle to extend the claw out of the paw pad. Start by clipping 2mm off the end of the claw, clipping another 2mm if it's needed.





Make sure you do not cut into the Quick.


http://www.softpaws.com/assets/trimpic2.jpg





Leave a good amount of space between the end of the Quick and the claw. You just basically need to cut the pointed hook off, really.





I just wish you the best of luck keeping kitty calm while you try to clip all 10 of those front claws...Are you supposed to keep a cats' nails clipped?
YES definitely. Cat claws are like an onion - they're layers of skin. So providing a cat post or scratcher isn't going to trim the nails it will only remove the outermost layer. If you don't trim the nails the nails can get so long they imbed into the paw pads. The front AND back claws should be trimmed regularly.





Buy a caliper style clipper at your pet store and go to this site to see how to trim the nails - http://www.catscratching.com/htmls/artic鈥?/a> If your cat doesn't like being held you might enlist the help of a friend to hold your cat while you trim. If the cats extra squirmy then wrap the cat in a small blanket or a bath towel and just have the paw out you're trimming. That way if the cat tries to kick it's not going to scratch anyone.
Yes. Their nails can get too long and it makes it very uncomfortable to walk. Plus, they get caught on things a lot and accidentally scratch themselves and you. We have our own kitty nail clippers, but sometimes my cats want to be difficult and won't hold still for us to cut them, so we just take them down to the vet and they do it for us. At my vet (obviously it will be different at yours) it only takes like 5 or 10 minutes and it's $10.
If your cat seems ok %26amp; her claws are not getting caught in anything I wouldnt worry too much, its basically 4 safety 2 prevent risk 2 themselves %26amp; others from injuries during playing or fighting. Trim the very tips, some vets do this 4 u or show how to.
If your cat is not scratching your furniture, and she has a scratching post where she can ware her nails out, there is no need to trim them. I trim my cats' claws because otherwise they are too pointy and scratch me by mistake when i hold them.
I wouldn't trim your cats nails unless they are a problem for you. Cats are quite fond of the claws.
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