What Causes Dry Cat Paws

Many pet food brands have a skin and coat formula that targets dry skin redness and irritation caused by your cat s environment.

What causes dry cat paws.

Dry and cracked paws can be painful and put your pet at a risk for infection. Other causes can include the rituals you may have for bathing your cat. However extreme weather conditions dry air and excessive licking can contribute to dry and cracked cat paws. Some of the causes of dry cat paws include dry air excessive licking exposure to rough surfaces and extreme weather.

Cat paw pads have many nerve receptors that provide vital information about a cat s surroundings. Facts about cat paws we know that cats use their feet for standing walking running and pouncing and it takes a set of healthy paws in order to allow any and all of those things to take place. According to the oakland veterinary referral services cat paw pads act as shock absorbers so they need to be tough. Paws pads can become dried out and cracked just as human feet can.

Usually cracked paw pads respond to home treatment and the avoidance of unhealthy conditions although in certain cases veterinary help should be sought. Using the wrong shampoo or using water that is too hot can cause dry skin says integrative veterinarian carol osborne. They recommend that you try moisturizing them with olive coconut or another food quality oil that will be safe for her to lick. If your cats absolutely paw sitively won t drink water put them on a diet of mostly wet food.

Cracked dry paws can come from a variety of causes. Treating dry cat paw pads. If your kitty s paw pads become dry irritated or cracked contact your vet. You may want to confine her to a bathroom while the oil absorbs to keep her from tracking it through the house.

Most canned foods are packed with moisture to naturally hydrate finicky cats. Apply a moisturizing. Cracked paw pads can be treated with over the counter paw balms and protective clothing socks booties etc. Treating your cat s dry paw pads is usually fairly easily done however especially when you can identify the underlying cause of dryness.

If your cat s paws become dry cracked or irritated you should consult your vet for the right treatment.