Signs Your Cat Has Interdigital Dermatitis

1 Signs of Feline Interdigital Dermatitis

I. Common Causes of Feline Interdigital Dermatitis

1. Prolonged moisture between the cat’s toes. The fur on the cat’s toes easily harbors bacteria brought in from outside; if the interdigital area is also moist, this creates good conditions for bacterial growth, leading to infection.

2. The cat’s paw is punctured by a foreign object, causing infection.

II. Determining Whether a Cat Has Interdigital Dermatitis

Feline interdigital dermatitis generally has the following 4 characteristics; owners can identify it by these:

1. When a cat has interdigital inflammation, its gait is unnatural. If blisters also form, the cat walks like we do with blisters on our soles — limping and afraid to put weight down.

2. The affected cat keeps licking its injured paw, because the discomfort from the wound makes it involuntarily try to relieve it with saliva, same as when a cat licks its wounds.

3. When owners approach or hold the cat, they can usually smell an unpleasant odor, because the bacteria on the paws usually include mold, giving off a bad smell.

4. Upon checking the cat’s paws, owners can see small papules, some of which may have developed into purple-red nodules that burst when squeezed and ooze bloody discharge.

If a cat shows the above 4 symptoms, it is very likely suffering from interdigital dermatitis.

III. How Owners Can Handle Feline Interdigital Dermatitis

With interdigital dermatitis, there is a wound of a certain size between the toes, but to treat it well, first shave the fur on the paw, cutting away the fur between the toes that hides bacteria, for subsequent treatment. Then prepare the following items: hydrogen peroxide, erythromycin ointment or Chuangdet spray, medical breathable gauze tape and cotton swabs, etc.

1. First, clean and disinfect the affected cat’s paw. After the moisture dries, apply erythromycin ointment to the wound. Make sure cleaning is thorough and application is complete; after applying, wrap with gauze and secure to avoid secondary infection. Spray treatment is similar.

2. If after the above treatment the cat shows no sign of improvement after two days, we suggest taking it to a veterinary hospital for professional treatment.

Summer is a season when pets are more prone to interdigital dermatitis, and treatment is relatively troublesome then, so owners should do preventive care in advance, such as regularly trimming the pet’s fur and nails, reducing the conditions for bacteria to hide at the source. Also, when the owner returns with the pet cat from outside, check the cat’s paws promptly; if there is moisture, dry it in time.

Tip: If owners normally notice their cat has paw odor, please check whether there is any abnormality on the cat’s paws. Normally, a cat’s paws have no odor! Unless it has been too long since the cat was cleaned!