Why Cats Bite Their Toenails

Like many of the people who compulsively chew their nails excessive nail chewing behaviors in cats are often related to anxiety dodman says.

Why cats bite their toenails. Most cases of nail biting in cats are normal and require no treatment. Your cat enjoys the sensation of biting your toes. Over time the outer layer becomes worn and frayed and the cat will chew and bite at the claw during grooming to remove the outer layer to reveal a sharp claw underneath. Like an onion the claws are made up of several layers which grow from the inside out.

You can discourage the behaviour by praising them for gentle play during bonding sessions. Don t try to trim all of your cat s claws at one time. Cat bites can be dangerous if not taken care of properly. For example if they previously bit while having their nails trimmed and then the nail trimming stopped they may have learned that is an effective tool.

If your cat is scratching licking or. Whenever your cat engages in play that uses their paws but not their claws or teeth reward them with plenty of affection and a reward or treat. And don t rush you may cut into the quick. If left untreated or not given proper first aid care cat bites can lead to infection cat scratch fever or in rare cases rabies.

If your cat resists don t raise your voice or punish her. Cat biting when playing cats often bite during play because they are expressing their natural hunting instinct. Chewing and biting the claws is a part of normal grooming. Basically i m going to run you through a few of the reasons why cats sometimes bite fingers as this may explain why your cat is sometimes biting your toes if none of the other more common reasons seem to be doing the trick explaining.

For a variety of reasons some cat licking scratching and chewing behaviors become compulsive which can annoy you and damage your pet s skin and coat. Some cats bite as a form of communication or a demand for attention. Cpc cares has a great shortlist on medical issues that can cause chronic nail chewing. Your kitten is teething.

Ringworm infection pemphigus brittle and thick nails most often seen in older cats. This surgery involves amputating the end of a cat s toes and is highly discouraged by the aspca. Anxiety in cats can have many different causes such as animals in the house a dislike of being alone and challenges in the cat s environment.