Red swollen paw.

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that Gruden is having this problem.

Most of the time if a cat's foot is swollen and red it is because of an infection. Does she go outside at all? Do you have another cat? If so, it is possible that she has been bitten by another cat. Or, she could possibly have a foreign object like a piece of glass or a splinter stuck in her foot.

Peroxide is helpful to clean a dirty wound but should not be used regularly. It will actually slow down healing.

This may sound silly, but check closely up the entire leg. I have seen cats who have a swollen foot because a child put an elastic band on the leg. It can often be hard to see.

It's also possible that a nail has grown around and is penetrating the skin.

It may help a little bit to fill a bowl with warm water and epsom salts and soak the foot regularly. However, if there is an infection then she will definitely need to see the vet in order to get antibiotics.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


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