Cat Claws

Your cat may have many lovable tendencies but there is one thing that drives cat owners mad and that is their claws. Your cat can have an appetite for destruction as it does what is natural to it and tries to keep their claws sharpened. This can lead to destroyed rugs and furniture or other things around the house. Their claws are actually quite fascinating and while you may have taken the easy way out and had your feline friend declawed it is always good to know some things about them.

A Swiss Army Knife

Your cat’s claws have been described as a Swiss Army Knife as they have a huge number of uses. Their most common usage is to catch prey. Cats are predators after all and use their claws to hold their prey down while they kill whatever they have by biting its neck. Don’t laugh they could bring this to you as a present. This is also the same behavior on display when a cat does this with their favorite toy. Their curved claws allow them to hold onto their prey (or toys) much easier.

Their claws also allow them to communicate. No they are not speaking but when they claw at your furniture or rug or whatever it is they are leaving their scent behind as well as a visual message that marks their territory telling other cats to stay out. Scratching something like this is also exercise for them as it works the muscles in their paws and back. The damage this can inflict can be avoided by declawing a cat or getting them a scratching post to use.

Claws also increase their mobility. Think of it the same way that athletic cleats work as it allows them to dig into the ground which gives them better control and stability. It also allows them to climb nearly anything from a kitty castle to a tree much easier as they can dig their claws in and pull themselves up. Getting down could be a different matter though and may require a human with a ladder.

Cat Claws are Important

Their claws are also a weapon. They can be used to swat at another cat to tell them to stay out of their territory or to let their human know when they are not happy. Most cats will not intentionally scratch their human but it can happen, particularly if they want to be left alone, and most scratches will heal completely in a day or two. While a cat can bite their claws are their last line of defense and for anyone who has a dog that dog has probably come to respect their feline companion’s claws. Their claws can leave deep gashes and while most small scratches will heal easily these deep gashes can require medical attention. This can lead to infection or a condition known as Cat Scratch Fever (not the Ted Nugent song) and can be very painful due to the bacteria on their claws.

Your cat’s claws grow throughout their life just like a human’s nails. Most cats are able to care for their claws by themselves using their teeth to trim their claws or to use something to scratch their claws on. This helps to pull old sheaths off of the claws which lets new ones grow in and keeps them sharp.

The Dewclaw

All cats are born with claws on both their front and rear paws and they are all retractable which allows a cat to walk silently and stealthily. Each finger-like appendage has a claw as does a thumb-like appendage called the dewclaw on their front paws with the sharpest on the front paws. Their claws can also be extended by pressing the top and bottom of the appendage at the same time. This is helpful for anyone who wants to trim their cats nails.

Yes, trimming a cat’s nails can be done. Most professional grooming services like Doggie DoLittle offer this as a service or it can be done at home, though this can take some getting used to for the cat and may not always end pleasantly. It may also require another person and you will truly find out how agile your cat is. It also requires the right tools as a human nail trimmer does not work with a cat. If this is not for you bring your feline friend into Doggie DoLittle and we can get their claws trimmed for you.

References:

https://lifewithchcats.com/2012/12/10/why-do-cats-need-their-claws/?preview=true

https://lifewithchcats.com/2012/12/20/8-fun-facts-about-cats-claws/

http://www.best-cat-art.com/cats-claws.html

https://www.paws.org/library/cats/behavior/destructive-scratching/

In ancient times cats were worshiped as gods; they have not forgotten this. -Terry Pratchett