Cat nail caps are a wise invention that allow for cat owners to stop their feline friend from using their sharp claws from tearing their furniture apart and hurting other people.
We all know cats’ claws can be extremely sharp and sometimes this can be dangerous with smaller humans and other animals – and it certainly doesn’t help your sofa!
Cats are likely to scratch things, it’s just something they do. Sometimes, a cat owner will buy a scratching post but even with that, their little buddies decide to use their claws on the sofa.
The answer in the form of cat nail caps is here, but many pet owners question if they’re safe, if they work, if they hurt their cats among so many other questions.
This guide will examine the pros and cons of cat nail caps and seek to answer some of your most burning questions.
The Pros Of Cat Nail Caps
We’ll kick off this guide by examining the pros of cat nail caps.
Alternative
Perhaps the main and most important pro of cat nail caps is that they allow for a safe alternative to taking your cat to get their claws cut every so often.
Cats aren’t normally fans of this type of grooming and in normal circumstances, their play and daily activities would “cut down” their claws.
Therefore, this happy alternative to declawing is welcomed by both you and your cat. Some people will even consider this the most humane alternative available.
They Give Your Furniture Protection
The one thing that our favorite furry friends do that can really get on our nerves is scratch at our expensive furniture.
We don’t like to discipline our cats for simply being themselves, but it doesn’t help when they’re destroying our expensive leather and fabric areas!
Luckily, nail caps stop cats’ nails from tearing through the fabric of our favorite furniture and it means we don’t have to feel so ticked off by their behavior of damaging our household items with unwanted scratching.
They Protect You And Others From Potential Injury
Sometimes, cats accidentally hurt people with their sharp claws. They don’t mean to do it, but if a young child is playing on the ground with your cat, sometimes your furry friend will accidentally scratch them.
When it happens to us as adults, we’re not too bothered. Yes, sometimes it hurts but we know they don’t mean it – but children can be seriously hurt by your cat’s claws.
These caps for cats will stop potential wounds from occurring.
Affordability
When we talk about the pros of nail caps, the price of them can sometimes be overlooked. Luckily, the price of claw caps are very reasonable and in some respects they are cheaper than other alternatives.
An Aid To Scratch Training
If you’re still teaching your cat how to use the scratch post, you might want to consider these claw caps to allow them to get used to certain scratching situations.
Nail Growth Is Not Affected
The growth of your cat’s nails is probably an area for concern when it comes to getting sets of nail caps. This is completely understandable, but fortunately their nail growth is not affected.
After a few weeks, these caps will fall off, and you’ll have to change them. Your cat will be fine!
They’re A Short And Long Term Solution
If you’re hoping to use these caps as a short term solution because you’re hoping to train your cat – that’s an option. If you think it’ll be a long term solution, that’s also okay!
The choice really is yours when it comes to these caps.
Infection Chances Are Almost Zero
Declawing your cat can run the risk of infection but with these caps, that risk runs extremely minimal. They aren’t exactly zero because infection can occur if you haven’t applied the caps on correctly.
The Cons Of Nail Caps
Now, we’ll take a look at the cons.
Regular Maintenance
You’ll have to keep an eye on these caps regularly because they will require very frequent changing or upkeep.
This can take a lot of your time and efforts, and if they fall off without you noticing – the cat can go right back into destructive scratching!
Cats Will Struggle To Climb
One of the most cat-like things that cats like to do is climb on things. Perhaps they’ll climb trees or outdoor areas.
Without their exposed claws though, they will find it difficult to climb as they usually would and might end up hurting themselves without proper grip to save them from a fall.
Some Cats Will Hate The Caps
Cats, like us, have subjective likes and hates.
The fact is, your feline might absolutely hate these caps which can mean that replacements every 6 weeks can be nearly impossible and your cat’s behavior might get worse and more aggressive.
Some people might even say that forcing a cat to wear these when they don’t want to be cruel.
Cats Might Walk Differently
Almost like us learning to use walking sticks, cats will, at first, find it difficult to walk with these caps. Over time, most cats will get to grips with it and learn to adapt. However, some won’t.
If your cat is still struggling after a while, you really should remove the caps to prevent them from irreparable damage to their muscles or bones.
Cats Become Venerable
Cats use their claws for many things but one of the most apparent is their use of them for self-defense and hunting.
If they have guards on their claws, they cannot protect themselves – so you’d have to leave your cat indoors. This can be detrimental to their mental health and this needs to be considered seriously before you get them caps.
Caps Are Small And Cats Might Eat Them
Curiosity and cats go hand in hand and cats might get curious about the taste of these caps.
As they are quite small, cats might end up eating these caps and causing themselves serious injury or illness. If you do use these caps, you have to ensure you’re paying attention to your cat to prevent this from happening.
Cats Can Become Depressed
When it comes to mental health, we often link this only to humans – but the truth is that other animals feel psychological and emotional pain and trauma too.
If you’ve prevented your cat from going outside, climbing, scratching and walking their usual way – they can feel extremely depressed and this might impact their health with a lack of appetite and less socializing.
Does It Hurt Cats To Put The Caps On?
These caps have been thoroughly tested before they went onto the market and the answer is this – if you’ve put these caps on correctly, your cat will be fine.
However, the troubles come when they’re not put on correctly. This can cause serious pain to a cat and may lead to infection which makes the pain even worse to cats and can even cause irreparable illnesses.
If you think you’ve put these caps on incorrectly – you need to get in touch with your vet as soon as possible.
Are There Services To Put Nail Caps On My Cat?
Yes, there are grooming services that are available that can put on nail caps for your cat and sometimes, your vet will do this – but this depends on your vet.
Prices may vary on these services depending on who they are, and you may need to buy the caps before they will do it.
Things To Think About
There are some things you should consider along with the pros and cons raised above.
Can I commit to watching my cat so much with caps on?
Are there alternatives to them scratching the furniture?
Will my cat be okay with caps?
Do I agree with caps?
Final Thoughts
Nail caps for cats are an area for contention and there are many pros and cons for both sides. It’s crucial you consider your options thoroughly before you go ahead.
I’m Courtney Trent and I hope that I can answer some burning questions that you have about cats, as well as some questions that you’d never have thought to ask before.
I am aiming to shed new light on these amazing pets and hopefully change some people’s opinions on them. Also, let’s talk about wild cats - they’re just as awesome as domestic cats!
So, stay a while and learn more about domestic and wild cats from Windhaven Ocicats.
