TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › Nail Biting Habit?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Nail Biting Habit?

post #1 of 7
11/12/09 at 5:49am
Thread Starter 
Ever since i got my cat she has this habit of licking herselff then she brings her back paws forward and actually bites her nails. I can hear her biting them or pulling on them even after we trim them.

Why is she doing this?

Also, while she is licking her back paws she sometimes nibbles on herself.
And i noticed my kitten doing it when he started cleaning himself too....

Any comments on these weird behaviors?
Reply
post #2 of 7
11/12/09 at 5:58am
That's one way they pull the outer sheaths off of their claws to help keep them sharp.

It also removes debris, like bits of litter stuck under claws. Check your cats claws and see if any litter is clinging.

Other than that, do they have good scratching posts to use? Those help a cat remove those sheaths and sharpen their claws, too.
Reply
post #3 of 7
11/12/09 at 6:38am
My Fatman does this too and it drives me bananas. I dont trim his back claws because he wont let me near them and they are already short, he also doesnt use a scratching post he uses the carpeting in the hallway and my doorway rug. I think he is a just a weirdo sometimes but I just let him do it and then check his feet while he is sleeping to make sure hes not hurting himself.
Reply
post #4 of 7
11/12/09 at 7:53am
My Max is a nail biter, too, and it makes me crazy.

There really isn't anything you can do about it - I figure, if the boy has a little OCD, I'd rather him be a nail biter than lick himself bald!
Reply
post #5 of 7
11/12/09 at 4:59pm
My older cat does this as well and it drives me crazy! So glad I'm not alone in this. I have found that trimming her nails every 3 weeks or so really cuts down on her habit of doing this. She's declawed in the front, she came to me that way, and hates to have her nails clipped, but DH holds her down and I clip quickly. Reward her with a few treats and we're best friends again. I noticed her doing it just the other night, so it must be time to trim again.
Reply
post #6 of 7
11/12/09 at 5:04pm
My older cat Ginger does this, I don't mind it, I think it's kinda funny when she does it but there's one toenail she always misses & THAT drives me nutz!
Reply
post #7 of 7
11/12/09 at 6:38pm
"nail biting" as you call it is a perfectly normal and healthy cat like behaviour. Like a poster above mentioned, it is a healthy self groomiing method of keeping their claws in tip-top shape. If you don't vaccum your living room every day, you may even notice sometimes a "discarded" claw on the floor, especially if they are older kitties with big claws. If your cat is doing this, it is a good thing and means that they are grooming themselves right. Enjoy!
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Behavior
TheCatSite.com › Forums › Our Feline Companions › Behavior › Nail Biting Habit?