I ask this question because of this comment chain (and totally not because I got down voted and my ego is too fragile, it is most definitvely absolutely positevly me asking for the science. I swear)
https://lemmings.world/post/23635250/14708515
If you can go through it, please do, there are some references for some claims, if not you can go through the following ai generated summary (if it helps, it is a local llama)
The original poster (sga) expressed concerns about the practice of trimming cat nails, comparing it to declawing and suggesting that it may cause trauma for the cat. Other users (Bamboodpanda and Chairman Meow) responded that trimming cat nails is a normal and necessary practice, especially for indoor cats, to prevent overgrown nails and damage to furniture. sga argued that cat claws are an essential part of a cat’s predatory nature and that trimming them may impair their ability to hunt and defend themselves. Chairman Meow countered that cat nails are not as robust as sga suggested and that trimming them does not impair their usability. sga provided several sources suggesting that indoor cats often engage in predatory behavior outdoors, despite being fed at home. SupremeDonut responded that the sources sga provided referred to free-range and feral cats, rather than indoor house cats. sga provided additional sources to support the claim that indoor cats also engage in predatory behavior outdoors. sga also mentioned the hypothesis that some amount of injuries or exposure to allergens can be beneficial for children’s immune systems, and provided a source to support this claim.
I have an indoor only cat. I trim his front nails and have trimmed them his whole life. He sits completely passively and doesn’t complain when I clip them. I trim them well away from the quick and only do so when they’ve gotten long enough that he gets caught on things or that I feel them or get scratched when he jumps in or out of my lap. He has no problems with me touching his paws and is very chill.
I had an indoor only cat who had been declawed by his previous owner. He was extremely on edge about his paws being touched, and growled, hissed and even bit if he thought you were going to try. He went straight to attempting to bite if you tried to touch him in a way he didn’t want to be touched. He was extremely distrustful of all humans and it took me a long time to win him over.
IMO the difference is obvious and there’s no comparison. Trimming a cat’s nails, if done correctly, causes a cat no real discomfort or lasting trauma. Declawing a cat violates a cat’s trust and causes lifetime behavioral issues and real harm. They are nothing alike.