Our little felines can suffer diseases, damage or problems with their nails. Cats' claws are their "treasure", their main defense weapon, along with their teeth, and they use them for various situations, such as climbing, hunting and marking territory.
Nail disorders can cause pain, bleeding, soft tissue impingement and restlessness in our cats, so they should be treated as soon as possible. Fortunately, most nail disorders in cats have a good prognosis and with proper therapy can be cured in a short period of time.
Keep reading this article on our site to learn more about cat nail problems, what they are and what to do.
Importance of cats' nails
Nails are horny structures made up of multiple layers of hardened, dead epithelial cells containing keratin. The nail bed is the connective tissue that lies under the body of the nail and connects to the finger. Among the main uses that cats give to their nails we find the following:
- Territory marking, while releasing scratching pheromones.
- Game and grab of their prey.
- Holding on certain surfaces.
- Stabilization and hooking to certain objects.
- Excavation.
- Kneading.
Feline nail problem symptoms
Nails can be affected by various disorders, in fact, it is estimated that around 2% of cats suffer from nail diseases. Nail disorders or nail dystrophies can cause a lot of discomfort in our little felines and, sometimes, they are a symptom of a systemic disease. Also, it is possible to see a cat with its nail stuck in the pad, so check the paws regularly. The following clinical signs should alert us:
- Licked of the zone.
- Limp.
- Pain.
- Difficulty walking.
- No scratching.
- Swelling.
- Redness.
- Deformation.
- Cracks.
- Color change.
Chipped nails
Chipped nails consist of a painless cracking of the nail, whose cracks may run parallel to the fingers or peel off layers. Multiple splinters are usually seen at the tip, but they do not usually interfere with the cat's quality of life or daily activities, beyond the fact that it is easier for it to get caught on certain objects, such as rags, blankets or fabrics, which, in turn, can increase nail brittleness.
In these cases it is best to trim the affected nail or nails to prevent the injury from worsening and causing the cat discomfort. Feline nails can be trimmed at home. If you don't know how to do it, we invite you to read our article How to cut a cat's nails.
Onychocryptosis
Cats can also suffer from onychocryptosis, which is what is popularly known as ingrown nails It is a growth of the nail inside of the skin of the finger. Their main problem is that they can make a wound through which bacteria can enter, causing an infection.
Cats affected by ingrown toenails will exhibit pain, swelling, and redness. This causes lameness or lack of support of the affected limb. In addition, he will be more nervous and agitated and will not sharpen his nails or climb as before if a nail on the forelimbs is ingrown. In this situation, you should go to the vet to cut or remove the problem nail. In any case, the solution is never declawing, which is the operation that involves removing the nails of cats. It is an act of cruelty and it is not justified.
Onychoclasis or brittle nails
Cats can also have brittle nails. These nails sometimes form longitudinal striae, just as occurs when a nail is broken by trauma or injury. Cats with brittle nails may have a digestive disorder that prevents proper absorption of nutrients. In these cats it has been observed that treatment with biotin can strengthen their claws. In any case, the cause that originated the problem must be treated with the appropriate therapy. Generally, an affected cat has all or most of its nails brittle.
Onychomycosis or fungi
Cat nail fungus refers to an infection that causes inflammation of the tissue around the claw or nail. Also called onychomycosis. Often the responsible fungus is Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
Cats will display abnormally shaped nails, swollen and yellowish In addition, they tend to break easily. Usually no more than two nails are affected. We will see the cat lick its nails frequently, it can bite them and not support its paw. There may be crusting around the nail. The solution will be the use of antifungals to kill the fungus, as well as keeping the area and the places where the cat rests clean.
Be careful when cutting your nails to avoid cutting the area where you can see the capillaries, which is the red part. There are nerve endings there, so a cut will cause a lot of pain and can be a gateway to infections, since, in addition to fungi, cats' nails can also be infected by bacteria. In that case, treatment with the specific antibiotic will be needed.
Tumors
The folds of the nails and the area between the skin and the nail of cats can be places for the formation of neoplasms or tumors. The tumors that can develop in the nails are:
- Melanoma.
- Squamous cell carcinoma.
- Mastocytoma.
- Lymphosarcoma.
- Keratoacanthoma.
- Osteosarcoma.
- Adenocarcinoma.
- Fibrosarcoma.
- Neurofibrosarcoma.
Signs associated with tumors are infections, erosions, redness, swelling and ulcers. The treatment will consist of extracting the affected area, always doing a chest x-ray beforehand to see whether or not there are metastases in the lung. It is also recommended to remove the prescapular lymph node and analyze the removed tissue by histopathology.
Immune-mediated disease
The nails of our little felines can also be affected by diseases of immune-mediated or autoimmune origin. These disorders include:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus.
- Pemphigus vulgaris.
- Pemphigus foliaceus.
- Bullous pemphigoid.
- Cold agglutinin disease.
The treatment will be specific to the process in question. In any case, drugs that suppress the immune system, such as corticosteroids, are widely used.
