When humans bite their nails, it’s usually dismissed as a nervous tick or merely a bad habit. At worst, it is thought of as impolite or unhygienic.
Cats chew their claws as a regular part of grooming – your cat enjoys cleanliness after all. Excessive biting can be a sign of an underlying problem, though. It could be a behavioral issue brought on by stress or anxiety.
Read on to find out why cats bite their nails and when you should be concerned.
Cats will chew and bite claws and toes to eliminate unwanted debris and detritus, like litter or sand. This is especially noticeable in cats that enjoy the outdoors.
Cats chew their claws sometimes to help discard the outer layer of their nails. Underneath, a fresh new layer awaits with added sharpness and shine.
It’s worth noting that you may not always notice when your cat is chewing. Your cat isn’t in view 100% of the time. And some cats like a bit of privacy when cleaning.
But if your otherwise healthy cat does not have proper facilities to claw, it may resort to excessive chewing. This is an easy problem to fix – try a high-quality scratching post or a horizontal scratching board (different strokes for different cats).
Beyond this easy fix, there are situations where nail-biting is abnormal. It may be a sign of one or more ailments that need more urgent addressing. Excessive nail-biting is usually ascribed to either a medical or a behavioral problem.
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