A cat with a good scratching post is doing half the job. Scratching peels away the old outer sheath and leaves a sharp new point underneath — it keeps claws healthy, but it doesn't keep them short. Length is our part of the deal.
How to look
Cat claws hide. Put your thumb on top of the toe and a finger on the pad, press very gently, and the claw slides out. Do this in good light, with a cat who is already sleepy — after a meal, on your lap, not mid-zoomies.
- A healthy claw is a smooth curve with a fine point, and retracts completely when you let go.
- Too long: the curve has closed into a hook, or the tip catches every time the paw lands on fabric.
- Check all five on the front feet — the fifth one, the dewclaw higher up the inside of the leg, is the one that curls into the skin.
How often
Every two weeks suits most indoor cats; some are fine with once a month. Senior cats are a different story: with age the claws thicken and turn brittle, and an older cat who has quietly stopped using the post isn't filing anything down any more. From about ten years old, look at the claws weekly.
Just the tip
You're taking off the sharp hook, not shortening the claw. Against a pale claw the pink quick is easy to see — leave a clear two millimetres of white in front of it.
- Use small clippers held so the cut runs top to bottom, not side to side: a sideways cut splits the claw.
- Two claws and a break is a session. Stop while your cat is still calm and the next time will be easier.
- If you do nick the quick: cornflour or styptic powder on the tip, gentle pressure, and it stops within a minute.
What the paw is telling you
Look at the pads while you're down there. Redness or swelling around the base of a claw, a claw whose tip you can't find because it has disappeared into the pad, limping, or a cat who suddenly won't let that foot be touched — those go to the vet, not the clippers. An ingrown claw is a wound, and it's usually infected by the time anyone spots it.
About declawing
Trimming is the alternative to declawing, not a milder version of it. Declawing removes the last bone of every toe; it is banned or considered unethical across much of Europe and increasingly refused elsewhere. Claws kept short, plus a post your cat actually likes, are not a problem worth surgery.
Note each trim in your cat's journal, and note the day you last saw them use the post. When an older cat stops scratching, the claws will need you sooner than the calendar says.
