Cutting claws

[FunkSoulSister]

Do you? Should you? I’ve heard loads of conflicting advice

I have an indoor cat. She’s new. If so, I am preferring the idea of just nipping down to the vet to do it. How often?

[Grumpyoldpersonwithcats]

The only time I've ever had to clip a cat's claws are with my very old cat (18+) who wasn't maintaining his own any more so was getting his snagged on furniture. No reason to clip claws otherwise.

[Allergictoironing]

It can depend very much on the individual cat, and hoe it's kept. Both mine are indoor only, Girlcat tends to her own very well but Boycat tends to need the odd trim as he gets his caught in things. They both use the scratching post frequently, but I don't think it's the same as wandering about on all sorts of surfaces outside.

I got my SiL to show me once how to do it (they do their indoor cats regularly) and now I do the odd claw on Boycat when he's in the right mood - no chance with him doing the whole lot, he panics at the slightest thing.

[Veterinari]

I nip the tips off mine with a pair of human nail clippers when they get snaggy

[metalmum15]

Yes, I do, my cat hates going outside and her claws end up getting so long she just rips shreds out of everything. She ignores any scratching type posts we buy. You can buy special cat nail clippers, just be careful. Dh and I do it together, so I can hold her while he clips.

[Toddlerteaplease]

I do. I get unlimited nail clipping on my health plan.

[Aloethere]

We do. Our cat doesn't go outside and her claws get caught on every thing. I do it with cat nail flippers while she's asleep on my knee. It only takes a minute.

[Aloethere]

Clippers not flippers!

[Scabetty]

Do the younger cat as she is a ripper but our older lady is fine. Both go outside too.

[ClareB83]

I did when my cat was a kitten and not going out yet. Just waited until he was sleepy and used human nail clippers to take the very tip off. You need to be very careful not to trim the living bit as it will hurt and bleed. I know a vet whose assistant went too far on a parrot and the poor thing went absolutely mental.

Cats claws are clear though so you can see where the blood supply ends and keep well away.

[ElizaDontlittle]

My older girl manages her own with scratch pads. The not-quite-a-kitten is still a menace with his but it's much harder now he's bigger and my poor furniture has gone from almost immaculate to bedraggled in the last year. If I had someone to hold him, I would, as the vet showed me how.

[tabulahrasa]

I only had to do it with an arthritic cat... I tried doing it myself but I could only do one at a time, lol

So I just took her to the vet nurse when they looked long.

[Myfwyn]

I tend to do my Persians, both came to me having been used to living with clipped claws indoors. They tend to get snagged and frustrated with them too long, so I do it more for their own well being as neither of them terror my furniture