Why is my cat licking his red, inflamed paw? Is it infected?

No, I do not think that bathing in saltwater is enough. This is a very painful abscess that really needs to bee seen by a veterinarian. Your kitty will need antibiotics and pain medicine. Sometimes this can be caused by an autoimmune disease. cancer or an injury.

Anything you apply will likely be licked off and ingested. This could further complicate his condition. If a vet visit is not possible now, you can try soaking the paw in a diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) solution twice daily. Dry it thoroughly afterwards. An e-collar (cone) is your best bet at preventing licking which could delay healing. If this doesn't work, Thor will need to be seen by your veterinarian. He may need antibiotics to resolve any infection and pain medication to manage discomfort. Do not medicate him at home without the advice of your veterinarian.

This looks very inflamed indeed, probably infected as well. i would actually suspect a condition called Eosinophylic Granuloma that is quite common in cats and can look like this, if this is the case Boston will need steroid treatment for a few weeks and probably a course of antibiotic as well. i strongly advise that you take him to the vet ASAP in order to get treatment.

It looks like this may not be a simple infection. You should talk to your vet about a possible immune-mediated disease or a biopsy for a resistant infection or fungal infection. The vet may need to check his blood work and test for FIV/FeLV to see if there are any abnormalities which could affect healing.

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!

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.

If it's not bleeding I would recommend getting an e-collar in order to put it around his neck, that will prevent him from licking it. take him tomorrow to the vet in order to get it checked as he might need a course of antibiotics to prevent an infection.