# Growth/skin-tag around cat's claw/paw?



## Sayrah (Dec 12, 2014)

Hey,

This is my first post on this forum so bare with me 

I was just petting my cat (Jack, 10 years old) today and realised that he has this odd skintag/ingrown claw type thing growing out one of the pads on his paw.

He doesn't seem to flinch when I touch it, but it was awfully hard trying to get a picture! I'm not too sure what it is exactly, and was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction?

I'll attach some pictures below, its not the nicest thing to look at but I have no clue what it could be other than an ingrown nailhack/skintag. His claws are desperately needing clipped, which could possibly be a factor to this.. thing.. that's growing, and he is no use at the vets so I'll have to clip his claws myself but don't want to aggravate it. Any advice if there's anything out there for this?














































Thanks!


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

Sayrah said:


> Hey,
> 
> This is my first post on this forum so bare with me
> 
> ...


Hello hello and welcome!

I couldn't see the photos on your post but I checked the URLs. 

This is a cutaneous horn. We do see them from time to time; the first time I saw one I thought it was a bit of claw stuck in the pad!

The cause doesn't appear to be well known at this point in time. Genetic factors and viral infections - including FeLV - seem to be involved in some cases. Unfortunately, in older cats where just one paw is involved, we worry about an underlying SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) as well.

They can be trimmed down and softened with Vaseline etc, but tend to regrow. Surgical removal is also possible.

I'd give the vet a call and pop him along to see them, as this may require some testing rather than just a nail trim.


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

imgur: the simple image sharer

imgur: the simple image sharer

imgur: the simple image sharer

imgur: the simple image sharer

imgur: the simple image sharer


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## bingolitle (Dec 6, 2014)

Thank you for this - now I know what the funny thing on my cat's toe was. My vet didn't know.

All pieces of information are useful eventually!


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## GingerNinja (Mar 23, 2014)

I knew that I'd read something on this and managed to find it! I could never find anything on the old forum, so this is a plus 

Anyway I have found something sounding identical on Gipsy's back foot. I wasn't too worried until I read @Shoshannah post about cancer 

I am assuming that it wasn't there when she had her op in November as the vet clipped her claws whilst she was sedated.

Perhaps the cancer has/had spread and this is the result :Sorry she has been doing so well and surely I would have seen a deterioration in her health if it has spread


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Are you able to post a photo GN?


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## GingerNinja (Mar 23, 2014)

I will try and get one but not sure how it will come out with her colouring.. I shall go and accost her in the garden!


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## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

GingerNinja said:


> I knew that I'd read something on this and managed to find it! I could never find anything on the old forum, so this is a plus
> 
> Anyway I have found something sounding identical on Gipsy's back foot. I wasn't too worried until I read @Shoshannah post about cancer
> 
> ...


Please don't be worried, GingerNinja. Sad as it is, cancer is on the list of possibilities for just about every symptom a cat can show, ever. But it's not a common cause of lumps and bumps.


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## GingerNinja (Mar 23, 2014)

Here's a pic. In the second one you can see it's on two pads.







￼


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## chloe1975 (Mar 17, 2013)

@GingerNinja I would try not to be too alarmed by these. Custard developed it about 5 years ago. He has one on the outside pad on each foot, some grow longer than others. They don't bother him. When the first one appeared I thought he had something stuck in his paw, it was only through googling that I found out what it was. As Shosh says yes sometimes they can be caused by something, sometimes they aren't. We and the vet never found a cause and he isn't bothered by them. They haven't got any worse or appeared on any other toes, we call them his 'horny feet' lol.


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## GingerNinja (Mar 23, 2014)

Thank you shosh and chloe.

Gipsy had her mammary cancer removed at the end of last year and the vet advised that if it had spread there is not much more we can do so I do worry


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## Reets (Feb 19, 2014)

Don't worry too much. Our girl Amber who had mammary cancer had these long before her mammary cancer and we were advised it was not at all related. They used to grow quite long and then drop off. We used to call her 'Warty Paws' sometimes.


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