Claw queastion

I have owned cats all my life. And today for the first time I am stumped. I just noticed on the rug 3 complete claws! The whole tip of the claws and then it looked liked behind the tip it was kinda split and shedding looking. I wish I saved them to post a picture. It reminded me of a snake shedding his skin. Do cats claws shed like this? If so Its news to me I have never noticed this before. I'm off to check the cats now to see which cat is missing the claws. I have 5 so I'm going to busy for the next half hour!

They can shed their claws regularly. The whole claw doesn't come off, just the outer shell. They can loose their claws during trauma, like being hit by a car, or attacked by a dog. So don't worry, your inside kittes don't sound like that happened-

I think thats what I am seeing the outer claw. I checked them all and don't see any claws missing. I was completely amazed when I found the claws on the rug as I have never seen this before. They always dig on the carpet and I bet thats what one of them was doing the dig, dig on the rug and the outer claw shed.

I find them all the time in the fur of my other cats.

My cats regularly shed their claws, especially if they've had a really active (meaning crazily running around and chasing each other) week. I have to watch Teddy because he'll get curious and start sniffing and licking the claw, so I have to get it away from him immediately.

Yep happens all the time, I find them all over my house from my 7 cats. gotta vacuum more often.

I think a lot of times you don't see it because it comes off in pieces. I didn't really notice it until we started using Soft Paws for Ace; when one of the tips comes off, it's because of his normal claw "shedding," and it has the sheath of the claw inside it. Nothing to worry about, just more cat detritus to vacuum up.