Stressed cat with worn down claws

by Vicki
(Northampton)

Hi,

My cat was behaving oddly yesterday. He had been out all day while my partner and I were at work. When I got home, I found my cat panting upstairs in our bedroom doorway (my partner had let him in). I assumed he was very hot and got him a bowl of water which he drank a lot of.

However, he's been very growly and grumpy and kept hissing and running away every time we went anywhere near him. My cat can be a bit like this anyway, being a bit of a haughty tom cat, but this was a little extreme.

So I checked him over in case he was hurt, and it appears he has damaged his claws. On my cat’s hind legs, most of the claws are completely gone and quite bloodied and on my cat’s front paws they are broken and bloodied.

He seems to be walking around ok and eating ok. What should I do?


Dear Vicki,

It is likely that your cat experienced some sort of trauma while outdoors, which could have been anything from sliding down a tree to running or being chased on pavement. Ideally, you should bring your kitty to the vet. If it is not possible for you to do so right now, you could try soaking your cat’s sore paws in warm water and keeping them as clean as possible, as the cat injuries may heal on their own. However, should you see any signs of infection, such as an odor, swelling, redness, or pus, your cat should be examined by a veterinarian immediately.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely