My cat chews his back nails until they're broken

[xelizabethx]

I've read this is something that meticulously clean cats do, and he is a very clean cat, but is it normal for them to do it until each one is broken?? We keep them trimmed. Is this vet-worthy, or is he just quirky like that?

[kilbarchancats]

Tom chews his nails with much gusto too. He really digs his teeth in hard and yanks away until he get the raggedy bit that is annoying him. You can really hear the crunching above the television. I think its just one of the little habits he has, and that Candy and Max have their own foibles too, in the same way that we do. Still and all, I'm waiting on him pulling too hard one day and then MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW - that was sore meowmie!

[smokey the elder]

They trim their own back claws that way. Toe crunching can be annoying, though.

[xelizabethx]

Phew, that makes me feel better. Yeah, he waits until he's all snuggled in between my husand and me, and then he just starts going at it. Isn't he lovely?

[LittleOrangeKitten]

Orange Kitten woke me up this morning "crunching" and pulling on a hind claw. Right beside my head! LOL That's just the way they groom their claws.

[CATastrophy]

....maybe he's just being really efficient. Our old cat Sarah use to do that and puuuuuulll on them as well! What I'm thinking is this(apologise for some graphic depiction too): If it doesn't make him bleed or interfere with his normal mobility I'm going to assume he knows what he's doing.

Cats are....Cats!

[QueenScoopalot]

If you think about it, cats use scratching posts (or other objects ) to pull off the sheath off their front claws, as well as stretch muscles. Hind claws are a whole different ballgame! I've noticed that the older my cats get, the thicker some hind claws can get, and they often need trimming too. Are you maybe just jealous that you can't chew your toenails lol? (Just kidding)