My cat has something embedded in its paw. Is it an emergency?

The pus indicates infection. You will need to take Poupou into the vet in the morning to have the rest of her ingrown claws removed. The vet can treat the infected areas and prescribe antibiotics. I hope this helps.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, Alina! I can see that James has an ingrown claw on one of his paw pads. This can be painful and result in infections of the paw pad which can be very serious. Unfortunately, James should be seen by a vet for this, because when the nail is cut the tissue that it punctured can bleed profusely. There are vets who do house calls, so you may want to search for one in your area. I hope this helps and that all is well with James!

It looks like your cat’s toenail has been sheared off, probably from an injury, fight or being hit by a car. My best recommendation is to take your car to the vet where they will be able to fully clean the area around the nail, trim the nails if necessary, and give your cat an antibiotic and pain medication if needed. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Please keep in mind that without seeing Eartha in person I can't say this for sure, but I'm wondering if what you are seeing is part of her bone. It may be that she injured the area leading to opening of the skin and the bone sticking out. The claw doesn't grow back when it's removed, but it could be that all of the claw wasn't removed properly and that's what you are seeing. The pus indicates it's infected. I would have her seen by a vet for this as soon as possible. She will need antibiotics for the infection, and the vet can diagnose exactly what you are seeing and how best to treat it. Keep her foot as clean and dry as possible until you see a vet, and put an Ecollar on her to keep her from licking her food (I will put a link below on how to make one at home). Don't squeeze it again, and keep her indoors if she is allowed outside. You might want to tape a sock over her foot to keep litter from getting into the area. I hope this helps! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ffR-LzyW1M

I would have Jake seen by a vet tomorrow morning. This nail will have to be cut, but it may need to be done under sedation as it will likely be painful to him. The vet can sedate him to do this, and can remove the ingrown nail. I would not feed him tonight or first thing in the morning so he has an empty stomach and is able to be safely sedated.

Oh goodness, that looks like a deep infection. It could be bacterial or fungal, but I suspect more likely bacterial. He needs to see a veterinarian for an examination and treatment plan. However, in the meantime if he will allow you to soak his foot in warm water and Epsom salts that may be soothing and beneficial. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Thank you for including pictures of Tommy's feet! The nail bed could just be dirty causing the brown color. My own cat gets this build up on his nail beds as well, and I used a soft cloth and some warm water to clean it off. You can try that to see if the helps. As for the thing sticking out of his pad, it could be a nail that has broken off in it or it could be a benign growth. I would have him checked out by a vet for this, but I wouldn't considered it an emergency because his pad doesn't look swollen or painful.