Nail trimming is often mistaken for declawing by cat owners. While declawing is a contentious topic, nail trimming is not because it has a vital role to play in your cat’s health. If you are sitting and asking, “What happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails?” it’s time to analyze the benefits.
Nail trimming often feels like a chore, but it has to be done to maintain a healthy cat.
With the right nail clippers for cats, you are going to find it to be relatively easy, quick, and pain-free. Simply position the cat correctly, focus, and begin trimming the cat’s nails one by one.
Let’s assume you are ready to trim your cat’s nails, what are the advantages of doing so? This detailed guide is going to assess what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails, which nail clipper to use for cats, and why this is a must for your cat’s health.
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The JOFUYU Cat Nail Clipper and Trimmer is a tried and tested solution when it comes to trimming your cat’s nails safely. The ergonomic design, lightweight handling, and stainless steel finish ensure the nail clipper works seamlessly. This nail clipper is among the best in the industry and is well-appreciated for its versatility and general quality.
Cat owners will enjoy having a nail trimming tool for cats that’s efficient, safe to use, and in line with contemporary requirements.
What Happens If You Don’t Trim Your Cat’s Nails?
Reduces the Chances of Infection
Infections are a serious concern when it comes to aging cats.
A senior cat will often see its nails start growing inwards or at weird angles. This means the claws don’t work as intended nor do they keep the cat safe. This is why most cats start reducing the use of their paws as they age.
However, what is a simple way to maintain the cat’s nails and make sure they don’t deal with this problem as they get older?
Just trim the cat’s nails!
It’s as straightforward as this and it ensures the cat doesn’t have to deal with an underlying infection. Vets often explain the likelihood of cats getting nail-related infections as they grow older. It’s a concern that will only get worse the more you ignore it.
Be a responsible cat owner and create a routine to keep your cat healthy.
It won’t take long to get the hang of things and your cat will stay in good shape too. Trimming a cat’s nails only takes a few minutes and it can be a life-saver over the long-term.
Helps Minimize Damages at Home
Does your cat tend to run around and scratch at everything?
This is a natural reaction and it only worsens when your cat has sharp claws ready to pierce anything in their way!
This is why most cat owners take the time to clip their cat’s nails regularly. This keeps the nails at a functional length without increasing the amount of damage done to your furniture or skin. It’s a simple change that is going to keep the cat happy and ensure your furniture is safe too.
As you learn more about what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails, it often comes down to a reason such as this.
The average cat is going to be eager to explore its surroundings. This is a natural reaction and it’s something all cat owners should be prepared for.
However, this doesn’t mean it’s okay to let their nails grow and damage everything in their way!
You should take this natural and healthy way of managing their nails to ensure everything is as required. If you are worried about getting scratched by a cat or not knowing when to trim the cat’s nails, it’s best to set a schedule.
Protects Against Cat Scratch Disease
This is one of those reasons that goes under the radar until it is too late.
Cat scratch disease or “Bartonella henselae” involves the presence of flea feces. Yes, these feces can get trapped inside a cat’s nails (especially those spending a lot of time outdoors!) and infect human beings.
The symptoms of this condition include:
- Fatigue
- Swollen Lymph Nodes
- Headaches
- Body Aches
- Bumps/Blisters
As you can see, this isn’t a pleasant experience and no one should have to deal with it!
By introducing a schedule nail trimming for your cat, this disease is going to be kept at bay. Otherwise, you are only going to increase the likelihood of getting scratched and the disease getting passed onto you or someone else.
If your cat tends to spend time outdoors and/or roams around the house, it’s highly recommended to keep this in mind. There are several examples each year of pet owners getting scratched and having to go to the hospital as their lymph nodes swell up and the “scratch site” worsens in color.
Does trimming your cat’s nails means this disease is out of your life forever? No, it can still be passed onto you but the chances of this happening are greatly reduced.
This is more than enough reason to start trimming your cat’s nails right away.
Eliminates Ingrown Nails
When it comes to understanding what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails, ingrown nails are often cited as a concern.
What are ingrown nails in cats?
In general, ingrown nails are when the nails don’t grow in their regular pattern. This means they start growing inwards (like a hook) and pierce into the cat’s paw. This isn’t a good feeling and it’s something that can cause major discomfort.
So, what can you do to avoid ingrown nails in cats?
The answer is as simple as trimming their nails on a regular basis. By doing this, you are going to make sure the nails don’t get the opportunity to keep growing and eventually hooking back into the cat’s paw.
The concern with ingrown nails in cats has to do with how quickly it can happen. In some cases, if you let the nails grow for more than 3-4 weeks, this is going to start becoming a problem. It only worsen the more you ignore the cat’s nails.
Of course, ingrown nails don’t happen with all cats but it’s still something cat owners need to keep in mind.
Added Control
If you ever notice a cat in the wild, they take the time to remove the outer shell of their nails. It’s a natural reaction and an organic way to “sharpen” the claws.
If they don’t do this, the nails start to dull and that’s something they can’t afford when it comes time to hunt in the wild.
However, what happens when it is time for a cat to sharpen its claws at home? They will try to do so, but there are times when they are going to make mistakes and not get the entire outer shell. This immediately starts to impede their quality of life.
As you learn more about what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails, it’s always going to come back to understanding what your cat needs. Yes, you don’t want to get scratched but it’s also important to improve how they live on a day-to-day basis.
This is only possible when you realize what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails. They won’t have the necessary control to paw at things and that will cause them to get frustrated.
If you want a happier cat then it’s important to trim their nails regularly. This is a change that will yield amazing results and ensure you feel good at the same time.
Final Thoughts
This is what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails.
It can lead to infections, cat scratch disease, and an unhappy cat with ingrown nails!
This is why it’s important to purchase the best nail clippers to trim your cat’s nails and get started as soon as possible. With the right mindset and a bit of practice, you are going to get through this process relatively quickly.
If you are eager to work on your cat’s hygiene and overall well-being, please take a look at learning more about buying a safe cat carrier, using water fountains for cats at home, installing a dust-free cat litter, and investing in highly-rated cat treats.
As you learn more about what happens if you don’t trim your cat’s nails, it’s best to get started right away.
The reasons listed in this guide are more than enough to demonstrate what the consequences can be of not trimming your cat’s nails!