# Cat Callus (Growth on Paw Pad)



## LilaMiloMuffin

My husband and I adopted our cat Milo about 2 years ago from a lady that couldn't keep him anymore. At the time, he was 6 years old, and his previous owner told us that he had a growth on his paw pad pretty much all his life. The growth, which is hard and kind of looks like granola, grows from his paw pad and doesn't seem to stop. (When it grows about an inch long I usually soak his foot to soften it and pull it off, then it starts growing again.) 

She told us that she had taken him to the vet before to get it checked out, and they said it was a callus that is very rare for cats to have, but it probably wasn't harmful to him. Since then, I've taken Milo to the vet again to have it looked at, and my vet said that because the tissue of the callus was probably dead, the only way to test it would be to remove it completely, including his toe and part of his paw pad. I asked her if she thought I should go ahead with the procedure, and she said because it didn't seem to bother him and he's had it for a long time, it probably wasn't urgent to have it removed, but I was up to me. She said that if it started spreading, I should probably have it removed. It's not really spreading, but it continues to grow as it always does. 

My husband thinks that we shouldn't have Milo's callus removed because he doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain, so why cut the poor cat's toe off if it isn't anything.

My concern is that it's this huge growth, and after searching the internet, I have not been able to find ANYTHING that looks like what he has. Is there anyone on this site that has ever seen a growth like this on a cat?


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## laurief

There is a phenomenon known as "horned paw", but it looks like your boy has either an extreme case or something entirely different. If the vet doesn't think it poses a health risk, I wouldn't put the cat through an amputation just to remove it. I would, however, keep it trimmed as close to the pad as possible so that it doesn't interfere with the normal position and movement of the joints in his foot and leg. I wouldn't let it grow so long before trimming or soaking and removing it.

Laurie


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## librarychick

Im with Laurie. Trim it more often, keep it really short and clean, but don't do the surgery.

Torri has the horned paws Laurie mentioned. I'm posting from my phone so I can't find the page, but theres a website called Messybeast that has an article about it.

In Torris case, she has little callus/horn thingies that grow out of the tip or each of her front toe pads. They curve towards her nails, so if I don't trim them fairly regularly they create pitchers with her claws and she'll get stuck on EVERYTHING.

I just trim them about every other time I cut her nails. About every other month. Id suggest something like that for you. When its as big as it is in those pictures it has got to be uncomfortable for him, even just because its in the way.


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## laurief

Here's the link to the Messybeast page on horned paws:

Horned Paws


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## LilaMiloMuffin

I agree that it must bother him to walk on. You can hear him walking on the hard wood floor because it clicks every time he steps. The only problem is that it's too thick and hard to trim, so I literally have to pull it off of him. I feel so bad doing it because it must hurt even though it softens a little when I soak it. I know horned paws are common in cats and I've seen pictures, but I don't think that's what Milo has. But whatever it is, the consensus seems to be that it is probably not harmful to him, just maybe a little bothersome. I just wish there was a way to make him more comfortable without having to rip it off of him.


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## cat face

why not try using something like toenail plyers? They are designed for "thick" toenails, are very strong and sharp, so using them to cut something thick would be very easy, especially if you soak it first. I would think a whole lot easier then ripping it.


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## LilaMiloMuffin

I thought about trying the toenail clippers but I wasn't sure that would work. Maybe I'll try it next time his callus grows out.


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## gizmothecat

awww poor lil bugger...hug him for me. sorry have nothing to add.


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