WHY DO CATS CLAW?
Clawing is not a behavioral problem — it is a necessity and a natural thing for a cat to do. Cats need their claws for several reasons. Grooming is necessary to maintain health and cleanliness. Scratching and licking prevents the fur from tangling, removes dead skin and hair, and helps to waterproof their coat. Because cats require a lot of sleep, it is also necessary for them to stretch and exercise their muscles. Notice how a cat will always stretch after waking from a nap. Clawing is often part of their stretching ritual to exercise the muscles in their toes. Cats also need to scratch to help shed away the dead outer layer of the nail to expose the healthy nail underneath. At the same time, scratch marks are visual and olfactory territorial markers. The act of scratching deposits the cat’s scent from glands in their feet (Eckstein 110). However, the most important function of a cat’s claws is for protection. A cat will use the front claws against an enemy before using any other nat
