My cat has paw sores she keeps licking. How do I treat and stop it?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is hard to know exactly what is needed without an examination though this does sound severe enough that it warrants an evaluation by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check if further surgery is needed or possibly treat for a likely infection and most importantly start Selina on medications for pain as this is likely painful. In the meantime, you may use an e-collar to prevent licking. Good luck and have a great day!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It appears Precious may have sustained an abscess, probably from a fight with another cat. The abscess ruptured, & Precious has been licking the area to keep it clean. Her sandpaper tongue can actually cause more trauma to the area. You can clean the area with a little warm water & a disinfectant such as Betadine, & you may need to put an elizabethean collar on her to stop the licking. These type wounds do not always need antibiotics, but it would not be a bad idea to let your vet have a look at it just to make sure . Hope she well very soon.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The first thing you need to do, is to stop Milo from licking the wound. Head collar will be best. Then you should clean the wound with warm, boiled water 2-3 times a day. However, if the would is swollen and thickened (it does look a bit like that on the photos), your Milo may need to be seen at your local vets to get a course of antibiotics. It is hard to say what happened, it could have been a piece of glass, barbed wire, metal sheet that cut the skin.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. First of all, you need to stop Biscuit from licking the wounds. Head cone usually works best. You should clean the wounds with warm, boiled water twice a day until they scab up. If Biscuit becomes lethargic, off food or you notice that the wounds are hot to touch, painful or swollen, you will need to take her to your local vets.

That area looks pretty irritated, and abscesses (infections under the skin) are very common in cats due to the bacteria in their saliva. Misty will need to be seen by a vet in order to have the area cleaned, drained as needed, and a course of antibiotics given. You should also use an Elizabethan (cone) collar to keep her from licking the spot as it heals and causing further irritation. If you are having trouble affording veterinary care, this site may help give you some ideas to make it more affordable so Misty can be seen: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

If you can't treat her at home because she won't let you then you will need to get her to a vet for treatment. They may have to sedate her to provide treatment. If you want to try at home, you can soak the foot in warm Epsom salt water for 5 minutes 3 times a day (if she will let you). This should draw out the infection. The other option is to use this wound spray. She won't like the spray noise, so you can douse a cotton ball with the solution and then wipe it on the wound. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-cat-wound-and-skin-hydrogel ) If she is licking the foot you will need to get her a cone to wear. No matter what you put on this to treat it, if she continues to lick, it won't heal. Remember, the cone must be long enough to go past the end of her nose or she will still be able to lick the foot. You can buy these at your local Petco or other large pet shop. Also, keep her indoors until healed. Hope this helps.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lilly! Is the wound right by his penis? If so that is a very hard location to bandage without covering his penis. The skin around the wound is very swollen and red. i am concerned about an abscess or a warble/cuterebra, which is a fly larvae under the skin. I recommend that you take him to the Vet Monday to have the area evaluated and to start antibiotics. Otherwise he needs an E-collar or cone to prevent licking. Good luck!