What To Do If Your Cat Has Ingrown Claws
Posted on: 31 December 2018
Not every cat will experience ingrown claws in its life, but if you discover that yours has, you need to take action. Knowing what to do when a cat's claws grow into their own paw pads is a must if you want to keep your cat healthy and comfortable. Read on to discover how you should respond when this problem occurs.
Cutting
Cutting your cat's claws regularly can help to prevent this problem. However, if it's already happened, you shouldn't attempt to cut their claws.
Applying any pressure to the claw itself can force it further into the paw pad, which can increase the risk of infection and hurt your cat even more. Unfortunately, even if you could cut the claw without adding more pressure, pulling it out could potentially tear your cat's paws, also increasing the risk for infection. Instead, leave them alone and focus on taking care of your cat until it can be helped.
Keeping Restrained Until Vet Visit
The more your cat walks around with their claws like this, the further they'll be driven into the paw pads. This is likely to hurt your cat and make the problem worse, but cats will still try to get up and move around if you allow them to.
If you have one, keep your cat in a kennel or another large cage until it's time to take them in for a veterinarian appointment. This will help reduce the amount of space they have to move, so they'll be more likely to stay off their feet. Make sure that they have food, water, and access to a litter box at all times.
Visiting the Veterinarian
Going to an animal hospital is the only way to be sure that your cat gets their claws taken out of their paw pads without making things worse.
Your vet will examine your cat's paws and determine how deeply the claws are embedded into the pads. They may tranquilize your cat to help ease their discomfort and anxiety. Then, they'll carefully trim the claw above the surface of the pad and gently pull it out. Your vet will then wash out the wound and treat it with antibiotics to prevent or treat an infection.
Depending on the severity of the wound, your cat may be sent home with paw bandages or they may need to stay at the veterinarian's office overnight. Check with your vet to find out which of these is more likely for your cat.
If you need help keeping your cat's claws trimmed, don't be afraid to ask your vet for help. They can schedule a regular appointment for your cat to have their claws trimmed so that this never happens again.
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