O que significa a expressão "one's claws are showing"?

Imagine you went for a night out with your girl friends last night and now as usual you're gossiping about every little detail of the party. That's when one of your friends starts speaking ill of this mutual friend of yours that's not even around to defend herself. She insults the way she was dressed, the way she behaved, talked, pretty much everything about her and you're not sure you're comfortable with that situation. So you say: Hey, my dear, I think your claws are showing.

When you say someone's claws are showing, it means they're saying spiteful and cruel things. Just think of when a cat feels threatened and then suddenly it shows its claws as a way to prepare for attack. Figuratively speaking, that's what happens when someone's using hurtful words as a weapon to attack somebody else. Their claws are showing. That's a humorous way to tell someone they've gone a little too far with the gossip or the insults, but it doesn't mean necessarily you don't agree with what they're saying. That's it for now. See you around!