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Biting and Pulling Nail/Skin Left Forepaw

L

Louie'sDad

Guest
Louie started doing this, occasionally, last week. He does not appear to be stressed, but it IS stressing me. The paw looks OK to me. The sound of the paw leather "snapping" like a rubber band is very distressing to me.

Anybody else experience this? What could it be? I don't want him to maul himself, as I hear that some unhappy animals will do this. He's about the happiest camper you'll ever meet, and I consider myself VERY lucky! He lives on my lap or in my arms. Purrs at the drop of the hat. Loves to be scratched, petted, stroked, patted, and touched. Even tolerates belly rubs from time-to-time (when he's in an exceptionally serene mood). Answers me when I say his name. I get all the right feedback from him, so am a bit puzzled.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
I think I've seen this in all my cats at some point, including my Brit. But possibly more in Nina (one of my F1s)... but what it seems to be to me is cleaning around the claws rather than trying to pull at the paw pad... so maybe I am visualizing something different?
 

WitchyWoman

Admin
Staff member
Ditto what Brigitte said. All of mine do this when they are grooming their nails. Kudos to Louie -- cleanliness is next to catliness.;)
 

Sunny

Loyal Servant
It sounds like Louie just trimming his own claws. Sometimes, the new claw forms and wedges in between the old one, causing it to split in two but not fall out. You will most often see this happening with the rear claws that are less easily sharpened and slightly thicker. A squirrel will gnaw to keep the front teeth in check and the same goes with rear claws that get long.

Humans that chew on hang nails, same thing. :D
 
L

Louie'sDad

Guest
B, D, S:

OK, this makes me feel better. I don't know what he's doing, but if he's grooming himself or dressing his claws, then he knows best. The "snapping" noise that it makes is like fingernails screeching on a blackboard to me.

I last clipped them 2 weeks ago, so he's not due for another week. I'll admit that I thought I could do it weekly, but not so. Nicked the quick on one of his hind left toes, and not a sound or move out of him. The tip off was in the blood. He's a real trouper, and I hate to brag but I just can't help myself. Forgive me, but I'll indulge anybody else for bragging because I empathize.
 
D

Dantes

Guest
B, D, S:
The "snapping" noise that it makes is like fingernails screeching on a blackboard to me.

I had a DSH that would do this, OMG is it annoying. She chewed her fingernails like a human.

My Ragdoll cleans his toes incessantly, to the point that he pulls his toe tuffs out of his front paws. I think the tuffs just annoy him. At least he's not making the snapping sound (yet).
 

SV Dad

Savannah Super Cat
It gets annoying when they jump onto the bed at night (when you're trying to sleep), start this nail grooming, and the yanking on the nail sheath is so strong they are shaking the bed! Sheesh! :mad: (For crying out load, take it somewhere else, will ya!)
 
L

Louie'sDad

Guest
Brigitte, Dante,

He's not pulling on the tufts. He's either tugging at the leather or the claw(s). It sounds more like the leather because its kinda like a hollow sound. It grosses me out cause I imagine a deformation developing there. I only notice that he does it to the left forepaw. I'd feel less anxiety if I saw him doing it to all 4 paws. I hope that he's not fixated on that one paw, because if he persists, I fear that he may do some damage.

I'll keep you posted if anything strange starts growing out of it. Maybe it's the beginning of another ALIEN-like mutation. Remember "Jones" in the 1979 A L I E N flick.:eek:
 
L

Louie'sDad

Guest
It gets annoying when they jump onto the bed at night (when you're trying to sleep), start this nail grooming, and the yanking on the nail sheath is so strong they are shaking the bed! Sheesh! :mad: (For crying out load, take it somewhere else, will ya!)

Yeah.
Whenever that happens, I try to find me a suitable and willing female companion to help me shake the bed so I don't hear him.
 

Brigitte Cowell

Moderator
Staff member
I'd think that if he is that enthusiastically at the paw leather, you'd likely see signs of distress on the paw pad? But if he's pulling at his claws to clean or remove that sheath covering or something...he'd just have very clean looking claws?

Will hope it's not like ALIEN, not that I saw the movie...I avoid all scary movies pretty much like the plague. I've had extreme nightmares since I was a toddler and could explain to my mother why I was waking up screaming...so I avoid adding any extra visuals...
 
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