Cat has claw missing. Advice please.....

[bomb]

My Cat, ( a tabby and white male, approx. 4 years old), has a claw missing from his right rear paw.

He has been asleep all day and we only noticed a very slight limp this evening.

He has not eaten his food ,( very unusual !), and just wants to lie alone on the bed upstairs where its quiet.

Its NOT bleeding, and he is happy enough just 'resting'.

Advice please - Will it be prone to infection ? Will it grow back again ( like a human toe nail ) ?

Anything we need to do or will he recover in due course.

Thanks in advance.

[ali_kat]

How much is missing?

[bomb]

the whole 'nail' is missing, and looks like its been ripped out. Adjoining 'toes' are fine.

He is licking it clean.

[Thevet]

If no bleeding and no sign of penetration, then it will probably be similar to you or I pulling a nail slightly off its bed. If the nail bed starts to get red swollen or painful then it is a trip to my kin that is needed, but if not then nature will probably heal as it usually does. Most awkward thing is the incessant licking that nature seems to encourage....it can cause its own set of problems.

[bomb]

he is lying quietly on the bed and seems OK.

I will keep an eye on it and see how he goes.

[mph1977]

as 'thevet' said - how would you feel if you'd ripped a nail out ...

[Mobile Chicane]

Vet, tomorrow. Wounds in cats can rapidly turn manky.

It will need an antibiotic shot as a minimum.

[bomb]

OK - advice noted. Thanks for that.

[bexVN]

Mobile Chicane said:

Vet, tomorrow. Wounds in cats can rapidly turn manky.

It will need an antibiotic shot as a minimum.

They can but they are also much better at healing than eg dogs. The risk in this case is a nail bed infection esp if licking, so yes there is a chance a'bios will be required.