My cat's toe is swollen and red but she seems fine. Vet or wait?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If you are able to get to a veterinarian right now, I would do so. Waiting until the morning would mean that she is in a lot of pain until then. If you get her seen right now, she can receive appropriate pain medication to help relieve this discomfort. This may be a fractured bone and not having any pain medications until the morning would mean that she is in extreme discomfort until then. I would recommend having her seen as soon as possible so that she is not in pain. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to an infection of the nail beds. However, this can be seen with a number of conditions even cancer being one of the possibilities. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check more specifically what may be wrong so that therapy can be recommended accordingly. Best of luck!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Isla! If she is indoor/outdoor it could be a bite wound or abscess. If she is 100% indoors it could be a foot infection or a puncture wound. You can start with taking her temperature rectally, 103 F or higher is a fever. If her temperature is normal you can wait to have her seen when your vet opens. I do think she needs the foot examined. Good luck!

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.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would have this looked at by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend having x-rays taken of the toe to make sure the toe is not broken. If there is no broken bones, then I worry about a bacterial infection and he may need to be placed on oral antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Since he goes outside, he could also have an abscess/infection in his paw or he may have an injury. He should definitely be examined by a vet to determine the exact cause. He may need an antibiotic or an anti-inflammatory to treat. Your vet can also take an x-ray, if needed, to help diagnose. There isn't much you can do at home until we know the exact cause of the swelling. Hope he feels better soon.

Unfortunately there are no OTC medications for this issue that would be safe to give Boots. The swelling could be caused by many things, including a small fracture, muscle strain, puncture wound, infection, insect bite reaction, problems with lymphatic flow, etc. Check her skin and between her pads for any punctures, wounds, or bruises. You can try gentle massage to help move any fluid present and an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel for 15 minutes at a time. If the swelling doesn't go down soon, she should be checked out by a vet.