It's All in the Claws!

At the cat spa, we clip cats’ claws all the time, and some are much easier than others. Some cats simply lay there with their paws out, but others, like a couple of our own cats, wiggle and cry because they do not like their paws touched. Claws are an important part of the cat's anatomy, trimmed or not, and they do more than just shred!

About Cat Nails
​Like human hair and nails, a cat's claws are made up of keratin, a type of protein that lines the outside surfaces of the body. However, cats' claws come out the front of the bone. Think about if our fingernails pointed out the front of our fingertips, rather than sitting on the top of our fingers. Cats are also able to extend and retract their claws at will. They can extend one claw, or all claws at once! And don’t worry if you find a nail sheath; they are supposed to shed these every month or so. You may even see your cat nibbling at their claws if the sheath doesn’t shed easily on its own.

Front Claws
The front claws are much sharper and finer than rear claws. The fronts are thin, almost dagger-like, and clear. The nail quick is the pink portion of the nail, which has the blood supply and contains nerves and tissue. These are attached to the bone, and help the claws extend and retract. The front claws have four obvious nails, but there is also a dew claw; this is farther up from the other four, near the cat's ankle.

Back Claws
Cats’ four back claws are thicker, shorter, and more opaque, so it can be harder to see the nail quick. Their back claws are usually thicker and more blunt than their front claws because they use them to climb and manage footholds. For this reason, back claws need to be stronger than their fine, pointy front claws.

Trimming Cats’ Nails
Trimming nails can be difficult because, as we mentioned above, your cat doesn’t always want to cooperate while you do this precise work. Most importantly, when trimming any cat’s nails: You don’t ever want to cut the quick. If the quick is cut, it will bleed a lot, and be very painful for the cat. 

Dew claws in particular are tricky because trimming them properly might require bending at an odd angle, but these are most the important claws to trim, since they don’t get as much use as the other four front claws. The four front claws are constantly being used for reaching and grabbing, so wear down a little bit. We have seen some dew claws that grow so long, they can curve back into the ankle.

Back claws don’t always need trimming because they are thicker and used as leverage when running around and climbing. They may get long though, so even the smallest trim is helpful to keep them healthy. Back claws are harder to trim, and may require more pressure than the front claws, and it may be more difficult to see the quicks.

Polydactyls
Sometimes you’ll encounter a polydactyl. This means the cat has a mutation which causes them to have up to seven toes per paw! We have had many cats here with extra toes, and it always catches our eyes because their paws look like mittens, and they walk a little extra tippy-toed.

Declawing
Never declaw your cat. 

When declawing, the bone that it is attached to the claws is also cut and removed. It is like cutting off your finger tip at the first joint. Since cats walk on their toes, not having this important claw and bone is extremely painful, and can cause limping, nerve damage, and behavioral issues. Things like couches can be protected or replaced, but a cat's health and wellbeing should always be most important. Regular nail trims, furniture protectors, and a variety of cat scratchers will protect your furniture and keep your cat very happy. 

New York State has outlawed declawing cats, and more states are following suit.

Continuing Maintenance
Regular claw care is important, and can easily be done regularly by a groomer or your veterinarian. It can also be done at home, and your groomer or vet will be able to show you how. We recommend always having two people for any nail trims; one to hold your cat, and one to trim. Starting the habit young will make trimming easier as the years go on, and your cat will thank you!

Trimmed or left sharp, cats nails are so interesting, and important to their health and happiness.