Hi there,

Thanks for your question.

I won’t be able to give you a diagnosis given the information you’ve provided. The area will need investigation to achieve an answer. I strongly suggest you have your veterinarian investigate it but in the meantime, here are some things you can do:

• Investigate the area thoroughly. Spread the toes apart and look for any lesions such as redness, growths, or hair loss. You may find the source of the problem.
• Check the nails and nail beds. Make sure that a nail is not growing in a direction where it is irritating the toe and that there is no indication of infection at the nail base.
• Monitor your cat’s behaviour and what it does in the home. If it occasionally jumps down from a high counter or plays with something very aggressively on occasion which could cause repeated injury, then restrict access to it.
• Most of all, I would recommend you have a physical exam performed by your veterinarian. They will be able to recognize things from experience that others can’t.

Good luck. I hope this helps.

Dr. Clayton Greenway