My cat's nail looks malformed and he keeps chewing it. What's wrong?

Hello. This could be a behavioral issue, or a behavioral issue plus paronychia ( skin infection around the nail/claws ). Even though you do not see anything unusual, a veterinarian can examine the skin, do a skin impression to see if there is a population of bacteria or yeast organisms present around the nail beds. An appropriate treatment can then be started. Often, this could also be an indication, & the only evidence of, an allergy. Allergies can come from the food or the environment & can be challenging to distinguish in cats with mild symptoms. So it is very helpful to get professional help with this. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear about your Siamese. Based on your photos I am suspicious that he could have an infection of the nail bed. This can be a bacterial or a yeast infection. The spray you are using likely is not able to penetrate deep enough into the skin to treat the infection, and likely your cat will need systemic drugs to treat this infection (oral or injectable). I would recommend an exam by a veterinarian. They can do a cytology slide on the toe to check for bacteria and yeast and determine the best treatment. They can also check for any other possible problems with the nail or associated toe. Best of luck to you and your kitty!

Hi and thanks for your request. This presentation could be due to a deep infection of the nails affecting the nail bed and going deeper. Fungal and bacterial infections are both possible. Please take Norman immediately to your local veterinarian as this suspicion needs to be confirmed asap and appropriate treatment given (anti-fungal meds or antibiotics). In the meantime, disinfection can be provided with hibiscrub solution with water 1:5 twice daily. If he tolerates that, please submerge the paw inside the solution.

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.

This can be a sign of a fungal infection of the nail base. If the nails do not appear normal it could also be a sign of certain autoimmune nail diseases. I would recommend seeing a veterinarian - ringworm is one type of fungus that could cause an infection and the treatment is very different from a yeast fungal infection so your veterinarian may want to run some tests. If there are changes to the nail or paw pads your veterinarian may want to take a sample for biopsy to rule out immune diseases like pemphigus.

Cuty’s foot looks very irritated and abnormal. I’d worry that she has an infection or a tumor that has caused her nails to fall off. I would recommend having a vet examine her foot right away. They might recommend an x-ray of her foot.

I would recommend just monitoring Aggie as long as he is not acting painful and walking normally. If he seems painful or there is any discharge around the nail I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian