Crumbling claws

Petit_chat_opi
Petit_chat_opi Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

-- First off, let's skip the "you shouldn't trim a cat's claws" comments – my little guy is an indoor cat, and due to some leg and hip issues, I really have to keep on top of them. --

So, following my vet's advice, it became necessary to give his claws a bit of a trim. I used human nail clippers at first, but I noticed they were splitting – a bit like when a layer peels off the top of our own nails.

I then bought some proper cat nail clippers (and obviously waited for the claws to grow back first), but I'm having the same issue...

Regarding his diet, he’s on a salmon-based dry food for neutered cats (could it be diet-related?)

Is this normal? What should I do?

Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Cats naturally shed their claw sheaths—it’s like an outer casing that protects the new claw, which will eventually become a sheath itself, and so on.

    Trimming their claws won’t change this process at all.

    When you’re clipping them, you might notice a bit of a blunt or frayed end; this is usually just the old sheath about to come off, with the new claw sitting underneath it.

    Best regards

    Translated from French
    Petit_chat_opi
    Petit_chat_opi Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    Thanks for your reply!

    Regarding his coat, it's shiny and sooooo soft, honestly incredible.

    As for the dry food, since I adopted him from a rescue, I’ve stuck with his usual diet so as not to unsettle him :/

    Translated from French
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, usually with a pair of nail clippers you should get a clean cut and the claws shouldn't be splitting. It's more likely down to a nutritional deficiency (probably Biotin/Vitamin B8). Is his coat also looking dry and dull? I occasionally give my cats a course of brewer’s yeast flakes; you just sprinkle them over their food, and it helps strengthen their coat and claws. Cats usually really like the taste. As for his dry food, for reasons beyond just his claws, grain-free and high-protein options are much better than brands like Ultima, which isn't great—much like most supermarket kibble.
    Translated from French

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