Ingrown claw in cats: why the claw ends up in the paw pad, and how to prevent it

An ingrown claw in cats almost always comes from a claw that's no longer being worn down: it keeps growing in an arc, curls under the toe and digs into the paw pad. The dewclaw — the fifth claw on the front paws, which never touches the ground — goes first, and no scratching post will file it down.

Which claw becomes ingrown first in cats?

The dewclaw becomes ingrown first: it's the fifth claw on each front paw, set back on the inner side, a little above the wrist.

Your cat has five claws on each front paw and four on each back paw, eighteen in total. Sixteen come into contact with the ground or with whatever they scratch; the two dewclaws, practically never. CatWatch, from the Cornell Feline Health Center, singles out these very claws: “the ones on dewclaws and extra toes that may not make contact with the ground or surfaces being scratched”.

With no wear, growth doesn't stop: beyond a certain length, the tip curves back towards the pad.

Does a scratching post really prevent an ingrown claw?

A scratching post doesn't protect the dewclaw. It's the most widespread false sense of security: a cat who scratches every day can perfectly well have a dewclaw that's starting to curl.

A scratching post works on the claws that hook into the material. The dewclaw hardly takes part: it stays folded while the other four do the work. It sometimes catches when your cat grips on to climb, but never enough to wear it down — CatWatch writes that these claws “may not” make contact, not that they never do.

The post is still well worth having for everything else: marking, stretching, sparing the sofa — all covered in the guide on how to choose a scratching post. Even a low, sloping scratcher like the scratcher lounger only maintains the claws that land on its side. Prevention happens elsewhere: by looking at the paws.

Why are older cats most at risk?

Older cats are most at risk because they stop scratching long before anyone notices. Arthritis makes the full, paws-outstretched stretch uncomfortable; the cat cuts it short, then gives it up — and the wear stops along with the movement.

This pain is almost invisible. In a 2020 radiographic study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, of 101 cats brought in for arthritis screening, 74.26% showed signs of arthritis in their limbs — only two owners had noticed any lameness. A skewed cohort, since screening had been requested — but the gap between the X-rays and the human eye is still the lesson.

CatWatch describes what sometimes happens next in senior cats: the outer layers “are not being shed normally and just keep building up”, and the claw stays thick from base to tip. The risk also applies to “any cat that is not getting much exercise”: a sedentary young cat goes the same way. Above all, the same source names three underlying conditions behind these thick claws — diabetes, hyperthyroidism, arthritis. So a claw that splinters when you trim it instead of cutting cleanly isn't just a matter of an abandoned scratching post: it's something to raise with the vet, as International Cat Care also advises.

A cat who stops scratching rarely does so in isolation: it goes hand in hand with a cat who no longer climbs their cat tree and changes their sleeping spot. The three signals should be read together.

A cat who no longer stretches needs a scratcher they can still use.
Your cat scratches the Pelux scratcher lounger along its side, without having to reach up above their head, and it doubles as a sloping bed the rest of the time. See the scratcher lounger →

What signs come before the pain?

The first sign of an ingrown claw isn't limping, it's a claw that no longer retracts fully. Your cat isn't in pain yet and will let you handle them: that's the window to seize.

• A claw visible when the paw is at rest. In a relaxed cat, no claw sticks out: a tip that's permanently out is too long.
• Your cat keeps getting caught. International Cat Care describes senior cats who struggle to retract their claws, “so you may find they get caught in furniture and carpets”.
• A regular click on hard floors. Cats walk silently: a clicking sound on wooden floors or tiles means the tips are touching the ground all the time.
• They lick one paw more than the others. Persistent licking of a single paw is among the signs CatWatch lists, along with limping.
• A small whitish callus on the pad. The pad builds up extra keratin where the pressure falls: it “will look like a little callus, usually whitish in color”, and feels harder than the rest.

Blood, discharge, swelling, unusual heat or a claw embedded in the flesh: see a vet. Don't try to free the claw yourself; a wound on a paw pad gets infected quickly.

How do you check the claws in twenty seconds?

Twenty seconds is the time it takes to check the two dewclaws, not all eighteen claws — a full inspection takes two to three minutes. The dewclaws come first.

1. Pick the right moment. A half-asleep cat curled against your leg will let you get on with it; a cat on their feet will pull their paw away.
2. Extend the claw. Thumb on top of the toe, index finger under the pad, gentle pressure for one second.
3. Look at the curve, then feel. The direction of the tip matters more than the length: if it's pointing at the pad rather than forwards, there's not much margin left. A finger run underneath can feel a hard spot before it can be seen.

Once the claws start curving towards the pad, CatWatch recommends trimming “every other week or so”. For a cat who no longer jumps, the visual check goes up to once a week. Having a vet show you how avoids cutting into the quick.

Which scratcher should you choose when your cat no longer stretches?

A cat who no longer stretches needs a scratcher that's low, stable and ideally sloping. Our scratching post guide ranks height as the first criterion, and that order still holds for an able-bodied cat. For a cat with arthritis, a perfect scratching post they no longer use wears nothing down. For a low option, a sisal scratcher laid on the floor doesn't ask them to stretch up; its back isn't sold as non-slip, so check it stays put under their paws.

Our corrugated cardboard scratcher house, 31 × 33 × 50 cm, is scratched on its walls: a good choice for an able-bodied cat and for a kitten. For a cat with sore shoulders or hips, it's the wrong buy: it asks them to stretch up, which is exactly the movement they're avoiding.

If a scratching post is being snubbed by a cat who's nowhere near senior, the cause lies elsewhere, and the five-cause diagnosis will find it quickly. Whatever you buy, no scratcher files down the dewclaw — but on the other sixteen claws, a cat who starts scratching again wears them down themselves: “Most active cats keep their nails worn down by walking and sharpening them on scratching posts”, writes CatWatch. The scratching post takes care of the working claws; the visual check takes care of the dewclaw.

Frequently asked questions

Can a cat who goes outdoors get an ingrown claw?

Yes. Tarmac, soil and bark wear down the claws that carry the cat's weight. The dewclaw, though, stays set back outdoors just as it does indoors: a cat who goes out is at less risk on the other toes, not on that one.

Do the back claws become ingrown too?

It's rarer. Cats have no dewclaws on their back paws: the four rear claws touch the ground and wear down with walking. They're still worth checking in a cat with limited mobility: cats maintain them by nibbling, something a cat with a stiff back gives up early.

Is a polydactyl cat more at risk?

Yes, proportionally. CatWatch recommends trimming claws regularly, “especially the extra toes on polydactyl cats”: these toes play no part in bearing weight or scratching, and every extra toe is one more claw growing without being worn down.

My cat has shed a claw sheath — should I be worried?

No, it's normal, and the mechanism is explained in the guide to choosing a scratching post: scratching loosens the dead outer sheath. What matters here is where it ends up: a hollow shell on the floor, near the scratching post. Finding them is a good sign — your cat is still scratching. It's when they stop turning up that you should take note.

Key takeaways

• The dewclaw, the fifth claw on the front paws, doesn't carry the cat's weight and is barely worn down by a scratching post: it's the claw that becomes ingrown first.
• A cat has eighteen claws, sixteen of which are worn down by contact. Checking the two dewclaws takes twenty seconds — once a week for a cat who no longer jumps. Trimming, meanwhile, is needed every two weeks or so once the tip starts to curve.
• The early sign isn't limping but a claw that stays out, snags on fabric or clicks on hard floors, and a whitish callus on the pad.
• Blood, swelling, a claw embedded in the pad or a thick claw that splinters when trimmed: see a vet — CatWatch links these thick claws to diabetes, hyperthyroidism and arthritis.