My cat's claw is broken, he's distressed, and paws are dirty. Vet?

I am sorry Mickey is not feeling well. It is very hard to tell what is going on with Mickey according to the picture. I would recommend taking him to a vet for a good exam and possible treatment. It is possible he has an infection or even trauma to his paw which needs medication to resolve. hope that helps

It is natural for cat nails to shed (they shed the outer layer which may look like a whole nail) however if you've inspected the nails themselves and they seem broken, torn, or are painful/bleeding then it is possible Sam may have injured them on something. If they are very bothersome or he is in distress, having a vet take a look in person to treat the broken nails is a good idea. As for why he peed on the area, it's hard to say. It could be that he was stressed out from being stuck or injured and so urinated as part of this stress response. Cleaning up the area and keeping an eye on him for any other signs of distress or illness is best.

It looks like your cat’s toenail has been sheared off, probably from an injury, fight or being hit by a car. My best recommendation is to take your car to the vet where they will be able to fully clean the area around the nail, trim the nails if necessary, and give your cat an antibiotic and pain medication if needed. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello and thank your contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is hard to say what happened to the nail without seeing and examining it in person. I suspect the claw is shedding and the hanging bit is only a thin layer of the shedding claw. If that is the case, you should be able to gently pull it off with your fingers or clip it off with a nail clippers (you should clip the white part of the claw only). If the claw is broken close to the nail base, touching the toe will be painful to your cat and there will be usually blood around the nail. So, try very gently to pull off the hanging part of the claw. If it is causing pain or discomfort, most likely there is also some damage to the nail base and you may need to take your cat to your local vets to clip the nail very short to remove the damaged part.

Oh goodness, that looks like a deep infection. It could be bacterial or fungal, but I suspect more likely bacterial. He needs to see a veterinarian for an examination and treatment plan. However, in the meantime if he will allow you to soak his foot in warm water and Epsom salts that may be soothing and beneficial. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

If the area is painful I would recommend taking him to the vet to assess underlying injuries and possible infection within the wound but if the claw is loose and stuck in the fur it may be possible to pick out without trouble. Wounds from cat bites and scratches tend to become infected so I would recommend a vet check with your regular vet tomorrow, especially if any signs of fever are present (lethargy, reduced appetite or thirst, pain, increased breathing rate).

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Tommy. The picture is very helpful! It looks like either his claw broke off or he shed it, which can happen. I do not see the quick exposed or any sign of infection, so there is no need to be concerned. I hope this helps!