Nail Injury - Possibly no more Quick?

[allisonlovesanimals]

Hi! My cat has previously broken her nails on our carpet as they grow very quick. I do trim them regularly, and those nails have now healed. However, a couple of weeks ago she was startled and it resulted in her taking her nails out as a defense and puffing up her fur. I noticed one paw was weird, and when I checked, it was a nail that had gotten stuck and began to drip blood. I quickly helped stop the blood with some powder. It’s been a while since then, I’ve been cleaning the wound with something I got from Petco. Now that it’s finally clean and I can see my cats nail, i’m confused because her nail never fell out and I wonder what caused the bleeding. I took some pictures, and I notice that her “quick”, which is a blood supply where you normally stop cutting the cats nails so it won’t bleed, is gone and the nail is like hollow. What should I do? I was thinking to cut the nail off and let it heal better.

Also sorry about my nail and the color chipping off.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! I think I would let it grow out before messing with it, as long as it is not bothering her - and, as long as nothing changes to indicate some sort of infection is brewing that you can't see right now. Once you get past the quick the toe bone is pretty much right there, so if it were me, I wouldn't want to try to cut anything away.

It can take months for a nail to grow back completely.

 

[IndyJones]

The quick is still there. The fleshy thing above her toe and just under the claw is the quick. Looks a bit like when Indy ripped her claw out
Claw ripped off

Note that indy's quick got infected, thats why it is red and gooy in those images. Her claw grew back perfectly normal after a course of antibiotics.

 

[IndyJones]

Forgot to meantion, an epsom salt dip once a day might help to keep it clean if she will allow it. Otherwise just dab it clean with a damp sponge gently. The qick is the same thing as our nailbeds and is just as sensitive as if you slammed your fingers in the car door.

 

[iPappy]

I had a German Shepherd Dog do something that looks very similar to what happened to your cat. Eventually, it healed, but keep an eye on it. Did she resist you handling the foot/pressing a little on the toe digit for the photo you posted?

" Also sorry about my nail and the color chipping off. "
No worries, you're speaking my language! I have a date with a bottle of nail polish remover soon!