I wish I had a dollar for every time I have been scratched by a dog or cat whose nails had not been clipped.. It is very important for your pet's nails to be clipped regularly. Not only because it hurts when they jump on you and scratch you but because unclipped nails start to curl and can cause a lot of problems for the animal. 

Too many people who have cats believe that since they use a scratch board or scratching tree, their cat's nails do not have to be clipped. Wrong. Cat's nails can curl back very quickly and end up going back into their paw pads causing pain and infection.

When dogs' nails go unclipped, they can also grow back into the pad and can impede the dog's ability to walk or run comfortably.

If you are unable or too nervous to clip the nails yourself, take the pet to a groomer or to your veterinarian to be done. Also, there are some new devises in the marketplace that allow you to buff the nails back instead of cutting them. The most important thing to remember is to avoid the quik, or nerve center of the nail. Try to make the experience as pleasant as possible for your pet  by providing treats, a new toy, a walk in the park, or something else that the pet enjoys, after they have allowed you to trim their nails.

Besides making the pet much more comfortable with trimmed nails, you will save your furniture, your clothing  and your skin.