My cat's paw is smelly and painful. Do I need a vet or home remedy?

Poor kitty, that looks a bit painful in the pictures. My biggest concern here is the smell you are describing. This smell could be due to infection, but without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. I do think the best thing to do is have her seen by a vet. If the nail is infected, then the vet can prescribe pain medication. Give her vet a call now to make her an appointment. I hope this helps.

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.

This presentation may be compatible with a infection and the weird smell may come from the presence of pus. A picture would be extremely helpful to confirm it. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Hi there. It looks like Mae ripped off her nail while she was out and about. There isn't much to do for that other than let the nail grow back. If she'll tolerate it, you can try soaking her feet in warm water with some epsom salts sprinkled in, this can be very soothing. Otherwise, I think you are fine to just monitor at home and see the vet if there are any changes. I hope that helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

It is hard to tell by the picture. I would recommend taking him to a vet to have it looked at since it smells. Odor can be a sign of infection and need antibiotics. It is also possible he has pillow feet This is were the paw pads tear and bleed.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Remy. Yes, I do recommend that he sees a veterinarian as there may be an infection present. The paw will be cleaned with a disinfecting solution to evaluate the pad under the scab. If a wound is present, antibiotics may be necessary. I hope this information helps!

You can try disinfection with different solution like hibiscrub or betadine ones. Unfortunately antibiotics seems to be needed, so I would recommend an immediate check up if disinfection is not working as infection could be a major risk. A picture of the lesion could help to determine underlying cause more specifically.