You should never forget that your beloved cat is still a predator and its body has perfectly evolved for hunting. An example of this are its paw pads: a cat's foot pads are very sensitive, and this allows them to measure the temperature of a surface when they walk on it and to evaluate the texture of their prey, among other things.
Consequently, a cat's foot pads are very resistant in order to protect the animal and help it withstand punctures and tears while walking or jumping. Interestingly, you may see changes in the color of the pads depending on the cat's kind of coat.
Foot pads are undoubtedly highly important for your pet; this AnimalWised article will show you how to heal wounds on a cat's paw pads so that you can always give it the best care.
Check your cat's paw pad
Cats with more contact with the outside environment and who love to explore are especially susceptible to getting wounds on their feet. Therefore, you should check your cat's paw pads when you notice the main warning signs of a wound:
- Limping
- Signs of pain
- Difficulty moving
Shallow wounds or burns can be treated at home with first aid. Otherwise, you should take your cat to the vet so that they can heal them properly and without any further risk.
How to heal a wound on a cat's paw pad
If your cat has a small wound on its pad, you should heal it as soon as possible by carrying out the following steps:
- Clean the paw pad using just warm water. Rinse it thoroughly so that the pad is clean and you can make a proper assessment of the injury.
- If you see that there is an object stuck in it, remove it with tweezers.
- Soak a sterile dressing in hydrogen peroxide and thoroughly moisten the entire pad with it. The hydrogen peroxide will act as an antiseptic which will prevent any possibility of infection.
- Apply pet-friendly chlorhexidine digluconate, in either spray or gel form, to the wound.
- Wrap the wound in a sterile dressing and fix it in place with hypoallergenic tape.
- Repeat this procedure every day until the wound is completely healed, making sure your cat can walk normally again.
If you want a more natural remedy, you can simply substitute the chlorhexidine digluconate for natural pure aloe vera pulp. The pulp of this succulent plant helps reduce pain and inflammation. It also accelerates the healing process and tissue repair.
Monitor the progress of the wound
When caring for your cat's wound, you should take note of the progress of the wound regularly. If there is any bleeding that doesn't stop soon, or if you can't see any improvement, you should go to the vet immediately. Sometimes, small operations are necessary that only a trained veterinarian can perform.
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This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Healing Wounds on a Cat's Paw Pads, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.