Why are my Sphynx cat's paws peeling and what should I do about it?

Hi there, Cats can have this happen for a couple of reasons. Sometimes they have burns on their pads that then peel. It can also be caused by a condition called pododermatitis which causes the immune system to attack the feet pads and cause peeling. I would recommend having your vet check Gucci and give you a more definite answer. Your vet can then also prescribe medication to fix what's going on. I hope that helps and thanks for using Pet Coach!

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas, infection or mites.

First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment (advocate or advantage), then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation.

 If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy.

 Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollins, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I am so sorry to hear about your kitty's dry foot pads! There are a few reasons as to why your kitten could have dry pads. It could be due to contact with an irritant (disinfectants, bleach), an immune mediated condition (will further discuss), skin parasite like ringworm or trauma. Sometimes kittens get dry, cracked/or ulcerated foot pads and it can be a congenital or an immune mediated condition such as lymphoplasmacytic pododermatitis or hyperkeratosis. I recommend seeing your veterinarian to get a better look at the foot pads to determine if a course of antibiotics and/or a biopsy of the foot pad is needed. Good luck!

Phoenix's paw pads may benefit from a change in diet. Royal Canin diets are fortified with Omega 3 fatty acids which are good for the coat and skin. They make a diet for sensitive skin (you may need to look online for the product) and this one would be a good option. It will take about 4 weeks to see if they improve with a new diet. You could also try a product such as Baely's Paw Shield. This balm may help to heal the cracked skin. Lastly, avoid rough surfaces and dry the paws well when they get wet. If the skin starts looking red, bleeding, scabbing or if he seems bothered, have hime seen by his vet. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I strongly recommend a full vet check as soon as possibel - these are very unusual symptoms and require a full check up and possibly biopsy. If you could attach some pictures it may be helpful, and an omega fatty acid supplement can help both as a natural antiinflammatory and also to soften and repair skin surfaces but a full physical exam from a vet will stll be required

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. To be honest, the pictures of Kat don’t look that bad to me but I know that in real life things can be different. I’d first try about 300 mg per day of fish oil. This can take a month or two to really help but does often help with things like this. Brushing daily can also help with the greasiness. I see he is a little on the chunky side, so part of the greasiness may be that he is not able to groom that area easily any more. Brushing and weight loss can help there. Finally, there are true skin conditions (oil gland diseases, auto-Immune diseases, mites, infections) that can also cause skin problems like this so if it seems severe, gets worse in any way, or is not improving in 3 weeks, it’s time to see the vet. Best wishes to you and Kat!

I am sorry to hear about your kitty. It looks like she needs a veterinary visit. It looks like she could plasma cell pododermatitis aka pillowfoot. You can read more about this condition at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952090 . The hair loss on her front legs could be related or she could have allergies, a skin infection, skin mites, or another cause. I would recommend getting her in to see her veterinarian to start treatment for the feet if they do believe it is plasma cell pododermatitis and they can closely examine her legs to determine what could be causing the hair loss.