Cats can repeatedly be seen chewing on their nails, normally whereas grooming. Though nail-biting in people is taken into account to be a foul behavior and unhygienic, this isn’t the case for cats and it’s truly thought of to be regular conduct.
Generally although, a cat’s nail chewing may change into extreme and if so, there’s normally an underlying medical or behavioral purpose for it. Let’s take a better have a look at why cats chew their nails and allow you to resolve whether or not or not you ought to be involved about your cat’s nail chewing.
What Are Cat Nails Made Of?
To grasp why cats chew and chunk their nails, we first must know a bit extra about cat nails and what they’re made up of. Cat nails are constructed from keratin which is a protein additionally present in hair and pores and skin. In actual fact, it’s the identical protein that our personal fingernails are constructed from. In the course of every nail is the short which comprises the blood vessels and nerves that offer the nail.
Cat’s nails (or claws) are made up of layers which are regularly renewing. New layers type from beneath and as this occurs, the oldest and most outer layer is shed, forsaking a more recent and sharper nail.
This cycle takes a couple of weeks to be full and can occur constantly all through your cat’s life. Every nail undergoes this cycle at a unique price so your cat will shed her nails on common foundation. Which means that you’ll most likely regularly discover outdated claw husks round your family, notably in case your cat spends plenty of time indoors.
Cats require their nails to be in good working situation to allow them to hunt, climb, steadiness, and defend themselves, so this continuous cycle of renewal is essential.
Additionally Learn: Cat Claw Caps and Covers
Causes Why Cats Chew On Their Nails
There are a number of explanation why cats chew on their nails and normally it’s completely regular conduct. Let’s take a better look.
Regular Grooming Conduct
Everyone knows that cats are naturally clear animals and can normally groom themselves fastidiously. Your cat will chew her nails and use her tooth to take away filth, litter, and different particles from in-between her toes and round her nails.
This helps to maintain her clear and hold these sharp weapons in tip-top situation! She may additionally chew her nails to assist take away a damaged piece of claw. That is all a part of your cat’s grooming regime and helps to take care of her excessive requirements of excellent hygiene!
How Do Cats Shed Their Claws?
As we’ve already realized, cat nails renew regularly as they’re shed. Your cat will use her tooth and chunk her nails to assist velocity this course of alongside. She’ll chew her nails to tug off the outdated outer nail husks, revealing these sharp new claws beneath.
Scratching additionally helps to take away outdated, useless claw husks. Scratching is a pure, instinctive conduct and you may assist discourage your cat from utilizing your furnishings and carpets to scratch on by offering her with loads of appropriate scratching posts and/or bins. Some cats want to succeed in up and scratch and others want to stretch themselves out alongside the bottom to scratch. Some cats will use a mixture of each.
When Ought to I Be Involved About Irregular Nail Chewing?
If a cat’s nails aren’t trimmed, they will develop till they puncture the paw pad, which is each painful and may trigger an an infection.
In case your cat is chewing her nails excessively, or greater than she has carried out beforehand, likelihood is there’s one thing incorrect. Varied medical and behavioral issues may result in extreme nail chewing, so it’s essential to take your cat to the veterinarian if you happen to suspect she is chewing her nails greater than she must be.
Medical Causes of Irregular Nail Chewing
These are only a few of the extra widespread medical situations that would trigger extreme nail-biting in cats.
1. Pemphigus
Pemphigus is a sort of autoimmune pores and skin illness in cats. There are a number of differing types however pemphigus foliaceous is the kind that mostly impacts cats. It leads to pores and skin lesions which are irritating and itchy, inflicting your cat to chew, scratch, and lick themselves excessively.
Your cat’s claws may additionally seem flaky. Pores and skin lesions may be discovered wherever in your cat’s physique however are regularly discovered across the nail beds and sometimes look crusty and sore. Your cat will chew her claws in an try to alleviate the discomfort and clear the realm however this may make the issue worse.
2. Ringworm
Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is definitely not a worm however a fungal an infection that may have an effect on a cat’s pores and skin. It normally leads to patches of hair loss and dry, flaky pores and skin. It will possibly additionally have an effect on the nails and can lead to an infection if left untreated.
Ringworm in cats typically leads to extreme grooming and generally extreme nail chewing if the nails or nail beds are affected. Ringworm is a zoonosis which implies that it may be transmitted to people.
Wash your fingers nicely after dealing with your cat and keep away from touching any pores and skin lesions in your cat that look suspicious. Seek the advice of your physician if you happen to assume your cat may need given you ringworm.
3. Nail Mattress An infection
Nail mattress infections can develop in cats for various causes. They normally manifest as a swelling of the pores and skin across the nail mattress, typically accompanied by a sticky discharge. Nail mattress infections are painful and are another excuse that your cat could be chewing her nails excessively.
4. Thick Brittle Nails in Older Cats
Older cats typically develop thick nails which are extra brittle. That is typically because of a hormonal imbalance and normally isn’t an excessive amount of to fret about. Your cat may chew her nails extra typically in an try and take away items as they flake away.
Older cats don’t are inclined to scratch or groom themselves as a lot, so hold an additional shut eye in your older cat. She may want her claws repeatedly trimmed for her to maintain them in good situation.
Behavioral Causes of Irregular Nail Chewing
If medical issues have been dominated out by your veterinarian, it’s seemingly that your cat’s irregular nail chewing is right down to nervousness. Some cats are naturally extra anxious and these cats might have a predisposition to extreme nail chewing.
Anxious cats are sometimes additionally predisposed to different obsessive-compulsive dysfunction behaviors similar to over-grooming. Some breeds are extra vulnerable to most of these behaviors than others, similar to Siamese and Burmese cats, however any cat can exhibit anxiety-related behaviors.
Extreme claw chewing in cats will also be attributable to boredom and lack of enough psychological stimulation. Or, it could be that there’s a supply of stress inflicting your cat’s nervousness. Sources of stress in your cat may embody issues similar to loneliness, a brand new cat within the neighborhood, noisy constructing work, or a brand new child within the family. It’d even be that one other cat in your family is making your cat really feel unsettled.
What Can I Do To Assist?
To cut back boredom, you should definitely spend a while every day enjoying together with your cat.
The very first thing to do is scale back stress in your cat as a lot as potential. You are able to do this in a number of alternative ways. Firstly, guarantee there are sufficient assets for all the cats in your family. This contains meals bowls, water bowls, litter trays, and sleeping areas.
The golden rule is that at least, you need to have one in every of each useful resource per cat in the home, plus one further. You possibly can additionally take into account getting a Feliway plug-in pheromone diffuser in your cat. These are designed to assist your cat really feel completely satisfied and secure of their setting.
To cut back boredom, you should definitely spend a while every day enjoying together with your cat. That is particularly essential in case your cat doesn’t go outdoor. You possibly can attempt utilizing feather teaser toys that your cat can chase and catch, or wind-up mice.
Catnip toys are sometimes a favourite, though keep in mind that not all cats are delicate to the consequences of catnip. In case your cat spends plenty of the day on her personal, you’ll be able to go away her with toys she will be able to get pleasure from by herself. These don’t need to value some huge cash – many cats love an empty cardboard field!
In case your cat remains to be chewing her nails excessively regardless of your finest efforts, then communicate to your veterinarian who will have the ability to refer you to a certified pet behaviorist. Generally, behavioral modification drugs could be wanted to interrupt the behavior.
Ought to I Minimize My Cat’s Nails?
Most cats shouldn’t want their nails reducing as they may normally hold them in tip-top situation when grooming themselves and thru using scratching posts. Generally, older cats may want common nail trims to forestall their claws from catching on carpets, or from curling spherical and rising into their pads.
You shouldn’t lower your cat’s nails in the event that they go outdoor as a result of they may want them to defend themselves in opposition to predators. Ask your veterinarian in case you are uncertain.
Keep in mind, nail chewing in cats is normally a totally regular conduct and most cats will chew their nails as a part of their grooming routine to take away filth or outdated items of nail.
Generally although, cats will chew their nails excessively and that is normally an indication of an underlying medical situation or behavioral drawback. You realize your cat finest so in case you are involved that she is chewing her nails greater than is regular, then communicate to your veterinarian to get her checked over.
Additionally Learn: Declawing Cats: What You Have to Know
Continuously Requested Questions
Is it regular for my cat to chunk her nails?
Sure, it’s regular in your cat to chunk her nails. Cats chunk and chew at their nails as a part of their regular grooming routine. Nonetheless, in case your cat is biting her nails excessively, this might be an indication that one thing is incorrect and you need to take her to the veterinarian to get her checked.
Why does my cat chunk and pull his nails?
New nail kinds in layers from the within out, so outdated nail will flake away from the floor of the nail. Your cat will chunk and pull at his nail to take away these items of the outdated nail, revealing a pointy, new nail beneath.
Does my cat have nervousness?
A number of behaviors may point out that your cat has nervousness. These may embody sudden adjustments in conduct, over-grooming, extreme vocalization, restlessness, hiding, or decreased urge for food. It may be troublesome to find out whether or not some cats have nervousness so communicate to your veterinarian in case you are uncertain.
