BITING HER CLAWS
Q
I noticed my cat Mimi biting her nails the other day. Is this a bad habit, like humans biting their nails?
Your Cat reader
CELIA SAYS:
A
Mimi is using her teeth on her claws to pull off the sheath that surrounds each claw. Cats shed the outside sheath of their claws when a new one has grown underneath. Normally, they scratch on a scratching post or the furniture to discard the sheath.
If you look round areas where
Mimi scratches, you may see some discarded empty sheaths — a sign that her scratching is working. If they can’t get a good scratch, cats will sometimes
need to pull off the sheath using their teeth.This also is normal behaviour.
To reduce her need to bite at her claws, make sure Mimi has at least one good scratching post. It should be stable and high enough for her to get a full body stretch with a powerful downwards scratch. For cats that prefer horizontal scratching, get a stable horizontal scratcher. If you think she is paying too much attention to her claws, there may be something wrong with them and she will need to see a vet.