Our vet david grant works his animal magic

Q My 12-year-old cat has been licking his paws, especially the front ones. I have been bathing them in salt water. Should I bother our vet about it?

A BOOK an appointment as although this is most likely a minor problem there are some quite serious diseases that begin with foot licking.

It could be contact dermatitis, caused by him treading in an irritant. Infection of the nail beds is another option. This would need a course of antibiotics as bathing with salt water alone is insufficient in these cases.

He is probably a bit too old to have developed an allergy although it is not impossible to be allergic to something in the food.

Alternatively, fungal infections sometimes start with foot problems but these are rare.

There are two other diseases that are also rare but worth mentioning. The first is pemphigus, where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues.

The nail beds are prone to be affected and it can cause painful paws. However I would expect to see problems elsewhere, particularly on the nose and ears.

Another rare disease is a tumour in the lung that spreads to the feet, particularly the front ones. X-rays of the lungs and feet will diagnose this.

David Grant MBE was a vet at the RSPCA Harmsworth Hospital for Animals. Write to him at Express Yourself, 10 Lower Thames St, London EC3R 6EN. He is unable to enter into individual correspondence.