Black Inside Claw

[jellycatfish]

Happy has some black thing inside 2 claws, first one is on his thumb and the second

on the first digit of his other paw. These 2 claws are in the process of "shedding". The black substance looks solid on his thumb. At first I thought he only had some material from the rug stuck around his claws.
I took some pictures, but he has some fur entangled around the thumb claw near the black portion so the pictures aren't clear. I tried really hard to take good pictures but kind of... Failed.
Is this a sign of claw fungus? I'll call the vet first thing tomorrow morning and see if I can get an appointment, but I just wanted some insight first, if possible. The claws themselves aren't sore, he let me do whatever I wanted with his paws.
P.s.: I wrote this post on my cellphone and one of the pictures is showing twice. Sorry about my bad editing skills.

 

[Antonio65]

I don't think you have to worry about it. My cats, both the one I still have and the one at the Rainbow Bridge, has had claws with dark stripes on them. Sometimes it's on the outer sheath, other times it appears inside the claw itself.
I have always thought it was just how the claw grows.
But I'm curious to know if others have a different and interesting point of view.

 

[jellycatfish]

Antonio65 actually, I'm also scared of trimming his claws because there's like triple layers. The first picture shows the claw is really thick but it looks like his nail is split. I wish my cellphone would cooperate by taking clear pictures *sigh*

 

[Antonio65]

Cats' calwas have multiple layers. When the outermost sheath or layer falls, then a new and fresh layer is rady to face the world. Sometimes cats do tear the outer sheath on their own. It's when you find those strange thing around the house.
Sometimes the outer sheath doesn't come off competely and forms like a "broken" calw, with irregular shape and tip.

Coud I ask you if you ever trimmed your cat's claws, or you go to the vet?
Where the calw is dark it is safe to trim, then you see a pinkish core inside the claw. That is the live part and if you trim there it can be extremely painful for tha cat and it will bleed.
Sorry if I'm telling you things that you know too well.

However I am waiting for more expert replies

 

[jellycatfish]

I trim them myself; I am aware of the pink part. I know their claws always have more than one layer but now it's many many layers, a bit like a bamboo stick that has split at one end. I think he may have hurt his claw last time he climbed down from the bathroom door; he had trouble to go down and refused my help for the first time. Actually I think he never tried to jump there since that time .
I am aware some cats have dark claws, but Happy never had them and his claws are clear. It almost seems as if a foreign object/material went inside or is stuck in his claw, same for his thumb.

 

[Antonio65]

Could a splinter for the door wood have stuck inside the claw, between two layers?