Why does my adult cat keep losing her claws and nails?

Some dogs and cats actually bite their nails out of stress or habit. If the nails start to bleed or show Hestia signs of discomfort, like lameness, she should be examined by her vet. Consider cutting her nails frequently to see if that deters her self-inflicted damage. If Hestia begins to display other signs of anxiety, such as urinating outside of the litter box or hiding more, talk to her vet about anxiety medications. Otherwise, just continue monitoring her because this may be a habitual behavior for Hestia.

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.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Stitch. The nails can become brittle in older cats and come off more easily. This is especially true if he does a lot of scratching or climbing. There are also diseases such as autoimmune disorders and fungal problems that can affect the nail beds. It is best for him to see his veterinarian to determine the cause of his symptoms. I hope this information helps!

Dogs do shed their nails, especially if they grow too long. As long as there is no blood, your dog isn't in pain, or there isn't a sign of infection, I don't think it's anything to worry about. You can get dog specific nail trimmers from a pet shop to help keep them from getting too long.

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.

She probably got the nails stuck on a blanket or something and they got ripped. I doubt a tussle with the other cat would do that but I guess it's possible. If it is not bothering her it is best to just leave it alone for now. Monitor her for any worsening by looking at it once a day and keep her nails trimmed to prevent this from happening again! Great question!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A little fraying or ragged edges on cut nails can be normal, but it may also mean that your trimmers are a bit dull. It may be worth investing in new nail trimmers - some of the less expensive ones truly don't seem to cut as well as more expensive nail trimmers. But it shouldn't hurt their nails long term