The Concerning Reason Your Cat's Paw Is Very Warm To The Touch

There's nothing better in the world than a good ol' set of kitty toe beans. Those little pink pads are endlessly cute, but cat paws don't just exist to make our hearts melt. They are extremely important tools for self-grooming, temperature control, hunting, climbing, and more. That's why, as a cat owner, it is essential to inspect your cat's toe beans every so often to make sure everything looks and feels normal.

There are numerous cat paw diseases known to afflict kitties, and one sign that something may be amiss is an unusually warm or swollen paw, which could indicate an injury of some kind. There may be other obvious signs, like limping, excessive licking, or bleeding, but not necessarily — your poor kitty's paw may just be hot and tender to the touch.

Bee stings, broken glass, ingrown nails, and sharp metal objects are just some of the causes of injured cat paws. Broken bones and torn ligaments can also cause an abnormally warm paw. That being said, there are other reasons your cat's paws could be warm that don't indicate an injury, and some of them are perfectly normal.

First and foremost, cats' normal body temperatures are higher than those of humans, landing between 99.5 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, so your kitty may always feel slightly warm to the touch. If your cat's paw feels a little warm but there are no other symptoms, chances are that's totally normal. Cats also release heat through their paws if they get too hot. After lounging in a sunny spot all day, their paws may get warm when they need to cool down, and that, too, is nothing to be concerned about.

However, if your cat's paws feel hot and they are panting, sweating, and grooming themselves, that could indicate heatstroke, a medical emergency. In cases of heatstroke, you want to get to the vet ASAP. Hot paws may also occur if your cat has a fever, but the only way to know for sure if your cat has a fever is to take their temperature with a thermometer, which is often easier said than done. A fever may also be accompanied by other symptoms, like lethargy, loss of appetite, and hiding. In those cases, again, placing a call to your vet is going to be your best bet.

Since there are so many different reasons your cat's paw could feel hot to the touch, it's really important to get to the bottom of the issue. If they've been lying in a sunny window all day and seem like themselves otherwise, it's probably okay to wait and watch them to make sure they are just releasing some heat from their toe beans. On the other hand, if your cat has symptoms consistent with an injury or heatstroke, get your cat to the vet as soon as possible to prevent further infection or other complications.

Make sure to keep an eye on your cat's toe beans regularly, as much as they will let you. It's important to watch out for redness, unusual warmth, and tenderness, but it's also important to give their little beans a smooch and tell them how cute they are.