Cat gnawing at her paw pads

J
Jadian Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

I noticed a few weeks ago that when my girl is licking her paws, she starts pulling at them with her teeth. At first I thought she was just getting out bits of grit or cat litter. However, I realised a couple of days ago that her pads look really dry and crusty, so I think it's a result of her chewing at them. Does anyone know why she might be doing this and how I can stop her before she hurts herself, please? Thanks!

Translated from French
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4 answers
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    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there,

    If their paw pads are dry, you can massage them with some sweet almond oil!

    That should help!

    Translated from French
    Blue_Cat
    Blue_cat Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, The behaviour you’re describing sounds like a cat grooming its claws by pulling at them with its teeth. It’s an instinctive habit to keep their claws sharp and ready for hunting in the wild. I don’t believe there’s any link between the action you’ve mentioned and dry skin on the paw pads (which is usually nothing to worry about).
    Translated from French
    ProvetoJuniorConseil
    Provetojuniorconseil Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi,

    I think you should take her to the vet so they can prescribe something to soothe the irritation. Your cat is licking the area, which is making the skin even more sore and stopping it from healing. This obviously bothers her even more, so she licks it even more – it's a bit of a vicious circle.

    You also need to make sure she doesn't have anything stuck between her pads or some kind of parasite. The vet will be able to check for all of this during the appointment.

    Have a nice day,

    Kind regards,

    Solène

    Translated from French
    G
    Grandchat Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi there, Are you sure she’s damaging her paw pads herself? It could be that her pads are just dried out from walking on the tarmac if she goes outside and you live in a city. Could you share a quick photo so we can have a better look?
    Translated from French

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