Why Does My Senior Orange Tabby Have A Red Spot On His Toe Pad? (Vet Answered)
This question has been answered by a vet
Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats and garden!
The Question
He has a tiny spot on the end of his front paw toe pad that looks like kitty litter stuck in it, but it's a little red behind it. I'm not sure what it is but he doesn't seem bothered by it
Quick Info about Oliver
Oliver 's profile pictureHi Shelly, thanks for writing in.
It's interesting that Oliver doesn't seem bothered by it - it looks sore to me!
It's hard to say for sure what this little lesion is - it could be a graze or a bruise, a burn, or the start of an ulcer. There are a couple of immune-mediated conditions affecting cats that can produce inflamed lesions on the paw pads, including eosinophilic granuloma complex, which is also responsible for causing rodent ulcers in cats, and plasma cell pododermatitis, also known as pillow foot, so it's worth keeping a close eye on it.
What I would suggest is to gently clean the foot with warm water and pat it dry. Keep an eye on the lesion, and if it changes, becomes painful, or is still there after a couple of weeks, I would book him in for an examination with your regular vet.
I hope this helps,
Dr Karyn