# Cat's paws with weird calluses.



## MizzFroggy

I've had two vets look at my cat's paws, so this is not an emergency. I just want to see if _anyone_ out there has cats with this... it would be reassuring.

I got my kitten when he was 11 weeks old. He's 8 months old now. He had this problem already when I got him.

The first vet I asked about it was the one who vaccinate him. She told me she only very rarely saw this, and always in elderly cat. She told me that it would probably go away through normal activity (running around, scratching) and suggested some scratching toys and a scratching post.

The second vet I asked about this was our regular vet. I had my kitten tested for kidney problems due to the fact that he had eaten about five or six pouches of the recalled food (luckily he had never liked them). This was about two weeks ago. The vet told me he has NEVER seen a young cat with this amount of growth on the paws, but that there wasn't much that could be done about it.

I've tried clipping these things (they are dry/flaky inside, like a callus or just dry dead skin), but they grow right back very quickly. And it's impossible to clip them off completely, so there seems to be no point.

I don't know why this bugs me so much. I guess just the fact that it seems to be so unusual that even the vets have no experience with it.

He uses the scratching post and is very active in general, but it doesn't help.

He has this on ALL of his paws, on all the pads including the big one in the middle of the paw. They're slightly smaller on the hind feet.

Here's a picture. Isn't it awful? My poor mutated kitty.

http://i5.tinypic.com/3160l61


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## doodlebug

I've never seen anything like that, don't know what to suggest other than if they don't seem to be bothering him and the vet doesn't think it's an issue then just letting it go.

I'll move this thread to Health & Nutrition for you, this forum is for technical help with using this message board.


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## catnip

I've never see anything like it either. Perhaps a fungus or virus like athletes foot or warts in people :? Or maybe an allergy of sorts?

Are they bothersome to the cat? Does he pick at them?


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## Heidi n Q

Looks like he's trying to grow claws out the ends of his pads! 
It doesn't look like he'd be able to wear them down with walking because they look like they grow above the level weight bearing plane. You may just have to keep clipping as they get long...
h


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## jonsgirl

It does look like claws, I've never seen that before. I tried googling it and found this page about 'cutaneous horns': http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/cfoot.html. 
Maybe you can ask your vet about other tests if you think that is what he has. If everything checks out ok maybe he just has a little more to love. :wink:


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## coaster

I guess you just have a very unique kitty. :wink:


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## MizzFroggy

catnip said:


> Are they bothersome to the cat? Does he pick at them?


They're not bothering him as far as I can tell. He never pays any attention to them. They can get a bit sharp, and that's when I clip them, since like I said they're not worn down by any normal activity like using the scratching post.




doodlebug said:


> I'll move this thread to Health & Nutrition for you, this forum is for technical help with using this message board.


Thanks. I realized I clicked the Thread button in the wrong forum... shouldn't have so many windows open, I guess...  




jonsgirl said:


> It does look like claws, I've never seen that before. I tried googling it and found this page about 'cutaneous horns': http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/cfoot.html.


He's been vaccinated against everything, and he's been tested specifically for feline leukemia, so hopefully it isn't related.

I guess he's just weird. *sigh*


Thanks all.  

By the way, here's the kitty himself:


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## coaster

He's a very handsome kitty.....looks like a real snuggebug.


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## Nell

Sounds like some odd genetic thing. Its definately unusual... I've never seen anything like it either. It doesn't really look bad though, just different.

He's an adorable little kitty, so I wouldn't dwell too much on his unusual paws


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## Woodsman

It looks genetic to me too.

I am not a vet or anything close, but I would guess if it were warts or a fungal infection it wouldn't look so symetrical and the same on each foot.

Could be the next leap foward in cat evolution :wink: .


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## coaster

Oh no!! They're already ahead of humans!! 8O 

Well, in SOME ways, anyway :lol:


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## estelle58

My Keiko has one of these things on one of her toes... she was not even one year old when it grew... the vet took it of but it grew back... now I just clip it with a nail clipper when it gets a little too long but it doesn't seem to be bothering her... the vet said it was just a callus...


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