Clip both front and back claws on kitties?? Or only front claws?

Question

Somewhere I read that I should only clip the front claws, have also heard that I should clip all of them? Anybody know for sure?

Answer 1

If you are talking about trimming the claws I find that the front grow many times faster then the back. I imagine this is because they use the rear more for jumping and running and they wear down faster. I check the back every few weeks and trim as needed. If you have carpet the claws may need more attention then if you have stone tile or a surface that will wear them down faster. The fronts need to be trimmed constantly it seems.

If you are talking about de-clawing a cat then they normally only cut the front ones off. That way the cat can still climb and jump if it needs to. When they de-claw a cat they are cutting off the first joint. This would be the same as cutting off your finger at the first knuckle.

Answer 2

Both the front and back claws should be clipped, though some people do not clip back claws at all, especially if their animals are outdoors and they wear down on their own.

I have indoor only animals. I usually clip the front claws every 1-2 weeks, however back claws grow much more slowly. In my case I examine the back claws and only clip those (slightly) that have become sharp. I've on a couple of occasions had a cat "jump" off of me using their rear paws....one one occasion I hadn't clipped that cat's rear claws in a while...and OUCH I wish I had! Which is why it is a good idea to at least check them. I would say I usually clip the back every 1-2 months on average...whichever claws need it, though I examine them each week.

Answer 3

You can clip both front and back claws, although, as mentioned by the other folks who answered, back claws don't seem to grow as quickly. You will need several things for this procedure: A large bath towel to wrap Kitty in and a brave volunteer to hold the cat wrapped in the towel. A pair of CAT nail clippers- don't use human nail clippers- our nails are flat, not rounded, and the human clipper could splinter the nail. Some styptic powder or corn starch to stop bleeding if you accidentally clip too far. Cat's nails are fairly easy to clip because you can see the blood supply. Be very careful that you don't clip below the vein. But, accidents happen- if you see a drop of blood grab a pinch of styptic or corn starch and hold it firmly over the nail for about 90 seconds- the bleeding will stop. Another alternative is to just clip the very tips of the nails, then use an emory board to file them to a rounded finish. You'll still need the towel for this, though- I don't know a single cat that will sit still for all this! Oh- don't forget the kitty treats afterward!!!

Answer 4

It depends on how long they are. Some cats keep their claws short themselves, some keep the front short but not the back, some keep the back short but not the front, and some don't do it at all.

simple look at the claws and try to judge if they need trimming. They should be short enough so the cat can fully retract them, they should not bend too far - basically just like the front ones.

You can also clip the tips only, just to keep them blunt.

Answer 5

I only clip the front. The back claws don't seem to grow like the front do. I've had to wrap kitty in a towel and only work on one paw at a time, otherwise she gets away. Hope that helps.

Answer 6

We clip my two boys as necessary. The front claws seem to grow so much faster than the back, but they help out as well. They will chew on their own claws.

Answer 7

Looks like it can go both ways. I only clip the front claws on my cats.

Answer 8

I don't know where you guys are getting your kitties that don't need their back claws trimmed but can I have one? hehe

My cat is declawed in the front. I have to clip her back claws and keep nail caps on them or I will have new deep scratch marks up and down my body 4 or 5 times a week. She really likes to jump up on me and ride on my shoulder. Most of the time she catches me from behind and when I'm not ready for her so she hits the back, hangs on and slides right down. OUCH!!

Answer 9

I always clipped both when they were kittens because they're so play full and do rabbits kicks with their back legs when they get hold of a toy and they're hard to get off your shirt when you're holding them. Then when they grew up I didn't clip them until they were very old and didn't exercise or play as much. I currently have a 21 yr. old cat that I have to clip because when she jumps up and down on the furniture her claws get caught on throw blankets, upholstered furniture etc. Hope your kitten lives a long healthy life like mine have.

Answer 10

Usually just the front claws. Its not necessary to clip the back ones.