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Swollen Foot

15:24:00

Question
My kitten has a swollen foot, he is an outdoor cat. He has no visible wounds but he seems to be limping around quite a lot and holding the swollen paw up as well. He seems to be in quite a bit of pain when somebody touches it only slightly. I am taking him to the vets in the morning, but I am just wondering if you have any suggestions on what i can do to make him a bit more comfortable? Thank-you.

Answer
Hi Chantelle.  If there is no visible wound, then the only safe thing you could do to help right now that may reduce pain is a cold compress.  An ice pack wrapped in a cloth held to his paw for 5-10 minutes can help reduce swelling.  Not too many kittens are very cooperative with it, though!  No warm compresses on a closed swelling unless a vet directs you to do so, as this can make swelling and inflammation worse.  Other than that, just try to limit his mobility if you can.  If you have a place to keep him inside, try to make sure there are no high places he can jump from to further injure his foot.  Also, discourage play for now.