Bears when first born are shapeless masses of white flesh a little larger than mice, their claws alone being prominent. The mother then licks them gradually into proper shape. Pliny the Elder
And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws. Maurice Sendak
A harvest mouse goes scampering by, With silver claws and silver eye; And moveless fish in the water gleam, By silver reeds in a silver stream. Walter de la Mare
The rat knows full well that, if the cat is old and feeble, its claws are not. Haitian Proverb
When one is taking a chicken from its roost, the hen is bound to attack with at least its claws. Nigerian Proverb
Cats hide their claws. English Proverb