I adopted an 8 year old Bengal and his nails are very long. Do I need to get them clipped or does he just use his scratch posts and boxes? Thank you
I adopted an 8 year old Bengal and his nails are very long. Do I need to get them clipped or does he just use his scratch posts and boxes? Thank you
Hi Patricia and thanks for this question about your Bengal.
Ideally, our kitties would keep their claws short themsevels and for Bengals this would mean climbing trees and walls in nature.
For our indoor Bengals, things like scratching posts and mats are a good alternative. To encourage their use, we can rub cotton wool on the cat's cheeks/whiskers and then on the posts, to transfer their smell and pheromones.
If very long, it is not a bad idea to clip them down to size, at least until they are using their scratching tools well.
If you're unsure how to do this, a groomer or vet can provide a demo. Some kitties are less tolerant of claw clipping, and may need a professional to help hold them still.
