nails or claws? claws or pincers?

[curiousmarcus]

For animals, do you refer to the nails as nails or claws in casual conversation?

Cat's nails or cat's claws?

Kitten's nails or kitten's claws?

Dog's nails or dog's claws?

Puppy's nails or puppy's claws?

How about crabs and lobsters? Is it claws or pincers in casual conversation?

 

[Tarheel]

Cats have claws. So do dogs. For crabs and lobsters I think you can use either claws or pincers.

 

[tedmc]

Not many animals have nails, the thin, horny covering on the fingers and toes. Only primates have.

 

[Raymott]

Birds of prey have talons.

 

[Rover_KE]

'Pincers' is rarely heard. Click here and then change lobster to crab in the search box.

 

[Skrej]

Technicalities aside, with dogs and cats (and puppies and kittens), you'll hear both nails and claws used, especially colloquially. In fact, you usually buy pet nail trimmers. However, we refer to getting cats declawed, not denailed.

With larger, wilder animals, I think most people would use the term claws.