Nail Growth in Cats

A cat's nails grow continuously, just like those of a human. Cats' nails grow in a curved fashion and if unchecked, can grow into their paws, causing pain. Nail growth is inhibited by the cat scratching or by the owner trimming its nails. Trimming must be done cautiously because there is live tissue at the center of the cat's nail, called the quick.

  1. Description

    • Cats have retractable claws so most of the time, a cat walks around with the nails pulled back inside a sheath. Cats' nails come out as needed, either for scratching or for defense. Cats scratch to sharpen their nails and the scratching also serves to inhibit the nail from growing longer, similar to how humans file their nails. Sometimes, however, a cat's nails grow too long, requiring human intervention.

    Trimming

    • Cats' nails grow in a downward curve. Unchecked, a cat's nails will curl around completely and may eventually grow into the cat's paw. The nails should be trimmed long before the risk of ingrown nails materializes. If the cat can be heard clicking across the room while walking, chances are it is time for a trimming.

    The Quick

    • Before trimming a cat's nails, the nails should be inspected for the location of the quick. The quick is located by gently separating the cat's toe and pushing down on the pad to extend the nail. The lighter pink portion at the center of a translucent nail (cats' nails are usually translucent) is the quick. Cutting the quick causes bleeding, which can be stemmed by styptic powder. Cats' nails should only be trimmed to within 2 mm of the quick. To goal is to remove the sharp tip of the nail so it does not grow into the cat's paw.

    Rear Paws

    • The nails on a cat's rear feet grow more slowly than on its front feet so they do not require trimming as often, if ever. Further, a cat scratches the front nails, developing sharp edges that will cause more damage than the dull rear nails if they become ingrown. However, the rear feet's nail growth should still be monitored to prevent ingrown nails.