shedding nails

I have noticed that my cat is shedding his nails, I have never seen this before and I was wondering if it's normal?

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Cats nails can shed a bit but it is often not noticeable except perhaps on a scratching post where you may see some nail pieces.  If this is a severe condition it could be due to nutritional deficiencies, or autoimmune disorders, such as Lupus.  Infectious diseases can also affect nails.  Cats can get nail fungus or nail infectious just as people do.

Gently push out your cats nails to investigate the quality of the nail.  Are they soft or split or feathery?  Do they grow in a crooked line rather than in a straight line?  Are they brittle, etc?  Is only one paw affected or are all four affected?  If only one paw has abnormal nails they may be the result of a past traumatic injury.  Since nails grow slowly the injury could have occurred months ago and it may take months for the nails to return to normal.  

Please have your vet examine your cat and his nails at your first opportunity.