Cat eats nail sheds?

[mycatpaulie]

Hi everyone, I have just started to trim my cats nails because taking him to the vet to get it done was stressful but I'm having a little problem.  When I trim his nails you know the little pieces that shed off, he trys to eat them.  As soon as I'm finished triming I try and play with him and his stracher so they come off without him eatting them but sometimes there is more left on is nail that he trys to lick off.  Does anyone know if this is harmful?  Is there a starcher that works best for any of you that will help pull of the extra pieces so he doesn't eat them, he doesn't like the sisel ones only the ones that look like really short outdoor stair carpet.  Please help if you can. 

 

[Willowy]

It's not dangerous. . .they sell cow hooves for dogs to chew on and they're made of the same substance as cat claws. Cats will always bite the sheds off their own claws but I think most will just spit it out. Just a funny little quirk he has, I guess :lol3:.

 

[mycatpaulie]

That you so much for that info!  I'm going to try an djust cut the very tip of each nail next time and maybe they won't shed as much.  Thanks so much again for your help!

 

[rad65]

What works for me is to not trim every claw at the same time. When your cat has all of his claws trimmed, he's going to feel vulnerable and go and scratch until he has a new set of sharp claws. When I cut the one or two worst claws, the ones that stick me when my cats are kneading, my cats hardly notice and don't try to sharpen all their cxlaws incessently. I get long periods of no sharp claws, and I don't have much of a claw shedding problem. I'll find a husk every couple weeks, but no more than that.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thank you for that advice.  Do you think I'm doing somthing wrong, when I cut the nail it seems to not make a perfect edge, ut sheds at the end where I cut it and then he licks his nails and there are some pieces that come right off.  Should I try cutting it faster to make a perfect cut?  Thanks again for your help.

These are the clippers I have...

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3931208&lmdn=Cat+Grooming

 

[mycatpaulie]

sorry to keep posting but just wanted to make sure you knew it's the shards of his nails that he eats and they're sharp, is this still ok I'm really worried. 

 

[rad65]

Stray and feral cats eat mice whole, and sometimes alive. A mouse struggling down a cat's throat is going to be sharper and cause more damage than some little claw husks. I wouldn't worry at all.

 

[luvmyparker]

My cat sits there and bites at his nails all the time and eats the layers that fall off. I am guessing its natural. He has never had any problems from it.

 

[mycatpaulie]

Thanks so much for that information!  I'm glad your cat has never had a problem.  I couldn't sleep last night thinking that it was going to be a problem.  We already went through her having a block once and that was terrible, the vet said on the x-ray she could see little white flecks but we never knew what caused it.  We think it might have been the tail off one of her mouse toys.  I was worried that it could have been pieces of her nail but if they digest in her stomach I feel so much better.  I found this web site....

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/why-does-my-cat-eat-his-nails-after-i-trim-them.html

Thanks for your help!

 

[mycatpaulie]

Guys I don't know what to think today Paulie woke up and urinated twice alreayd and had two bowel movements one of which was very soft, this is what her symprtoms were before she had the block last time.  Should I call the vet?