Sloths use their claws to hang onto branches while they feast in the leaves that other animals can't reach. Sloths have long claws about 3-4 inches, which help them live and climb high up on trees rather than on the ground. Sloths look like a big, furry, oversized cat, with small beady eyes and a dirty grayish brownish color. Their niche is to eat the leftover leaves higher up in the rainforest trees that the other animals can't reach.