# Plucking paw fur?



## NosyKitty (Feb 3, 2010)

This isn't an obsessive behavior, but sometimes I will hear this strange repetitive "thumping" sound and look up to see Ninja biting the tufts of fur between his toe pads and pulling it.

I think I remember reading somewhere that "paw fur" can sometimes irritate cats and dogs. Do you think this is why Ninja is doing this? I haven't seen any symptoms of irritation and he is indoor only, so no fleas/ticks.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I've seen my girls do this and I think they're just cleaning their paws.


----------



## NosyKitty (Feb 3, 2010)

Yea, sometimes if he is clumsy in the litter box, he'll come out with some litter glued to his foot. Eww..

It just seems like he bites and pulls so hard, I thought it might be something more than cleaning.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

It might be. I've only noticed it recently because Charlee seemed to be going at it pretty good, and I thought it looked so weird that her toes were all splayed. 

If it's anything other than normal grooming, hopefully someone else will post about it.


----------



## Timmy Mac (Jan 11, 2010)

when my cat is doing that, he is usually grooming his claws

Edit: i read somewhere that when they pull really hard they are removing the outer layer of their claws to keep them sharp


----------



## Einherjar (Feb 10, 2010)

I have seen my cats bite at their paws, not really pulling the fur out when they do it.


----------



## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Timmy Mac said:


> when my cat is doing that, he is usually grooming his claws....


This was my first thought: is he grooming his toe-fur or grooming his claws? 
Our kitties will sort of nibble-chew the fur between their toes and sort of "comb" it through the short teeth between their long canines but the really strong biting/pulling is reserved for their claws. I really don't think they'd pull their toe fur that hard ... toes are sensitive and pulling hair there would be painful. _IF a kitty *is* pulling their toe fur that vigorously, I would suspect a problem with some sort of irritant or allergy._


----------



## NosyKitty (Feb 3, 2010)

Interesting, I thought it was the tuft of fur he was after, but maybe he is just a nail-biter :lol: 

I will inspect more closely next time to make sure which it is. Thanks


----------



## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

I keep misreading this thread title and mistaking the L for an H.


----------

