Elderly cat with toe goo

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CarolC
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Elderly cat with toe goo

Post by CarolC »

That's the scientific term the vet used for a build-up of secretions between the toes when a cat stops grooming her paws. I have an elderly cat and she used to use one of those corrugated cardboard scratchers. At some point I noticed I wasn't sweeping up bits of cardboard like I used to, so I thought maybe she had worn out her scratcher, so I got her a new one. But that one went unused, too. I didn't think anything of it, then one day I noticed her limping. One of her claws had grown out and since she wasn't scratching or grooming between her pads, she needed a pedicure. Since then she's been getting a pedicure once every 3-4 weeks. She doesn't need her claws trimmed every time, but she does need her toes cleaned out between the pads with cotton and antiseptic lotion. I think she actually kind of likes it, and now we're doing fine. I changed to a litter that I hope will keep her feet pretty clean, it seems to be helping a little. The vet said if the feet aren't cleaned, they can develop infections from the build-up of secretions. I asked him why she quit grooming and he said he didn't know, sometimes they just do that when they're old, maybe they don't like the taste. As far as I can tell, she doesn't seem to have any serious arthritis or anything. Has anyone else had this with their senior kitty?
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critters
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Re: Elderly cat with toe goo

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Fungus in the claws can make them grow out straight or in circles (and into the pad) if they're not whacked, too. I've seen the black stuff on claws, and I think I heard that that's some kind of infection, too, but I've never had anybody have problems from it.
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CarolC
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Re: Elderly cat with toe goo

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She stopped using her scratcher over a year ago, then a few weeks ago she got a runny eye. I thought maybe she scratched it, and it began to get better so I didn't take her to the vet, and it seemed to clear up. Then a week after it got better, her other eye started running, so this time I took her to the vet. She finished a course of NeoPolyDex eyedrops which contain both antibiotic and steroid to treat infection or allergy. She seems to be better, but we're left not knowing what the condition actually was. The vet does not normally test for herpes and in my limited experience, I kind of don't think that's what it was. It finally occurred to me about 2 days ago that if she is washing her face with paws that are not strictly clean, how might that affect her eyes? Don't cats usually wash their paws, then their face? But I think she is washing the tops of her paws and it's kind of the wrist they use for grooming, right? All I can do is keep up the pedicures and be sure her areas where she spends the most time are wiped down regularly. If this has been going on for a year and she only got the eye problem a month ago, maybe it is unrelated. We are in a high pollen season right now.
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critters
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Re: Elderly cat with toe goo

Post by critters »

Most of mine are carriers for eye cooties and snots, and they periodically flare up, regardless. Typically they use more like the wrist to wash their faces, yes. For sure, I'd keep an eye on her claws for deformities; if they grow into the pads badly, it can be VERY hard to get them out. When they grow straight, it can be hard for them to walk.
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critters
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Re: Elderly cat with toe goo

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PS--I think some vet or another told me one time that you can use chlorhex or the like on gauze to clean the black stuff off the claws. I can't guarantee it, but I'm pretty sure that's what he/she said.
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