16/08/2025
Manicure anyone ????
This photo was sent to me by a lovely cat groomer.
What is shows is a set of severely gnarly and overgrown nails in the forelimb of a cat. I didn’t even know that nails could get that bad.😳
But what it really shows is a story of “hidden pain” that the owner may not have noticed.
So yes the over grown nails will cause pain and lameness as a cat would have massive difficulty walking around.
But what I am thinking of is “WHY”?
Why did the nails get this way?
It is possible that the cat may have pain somewhere that limits their ability to access a scratching pole or surface……
Or
The cat may have difficulty reaching the paws to groom themselves and also perform the nibbling they they do to their claws.
Or
The cat may be too uncomfortable and not allow themselves to be picked up and checked by the owner.
In the end, there is PAIN of some sort that is limiting the animal’s ability to look after their claws. This will likely result in the cat moving less and less causing the nails go overgrow more.
As cats are masters of not showing pain , it’s a good idea that if your groomer points this out to you , that you go and see your vet to have your cat checked out.
If you look closer at the photo - the nails are so long they are digging into the paw pad………
Check their pads regularly and if you can’t , then find a professional who can for you.
