PamPered Pets

QMY 10-year-old cat has developed soft swollen pads on her feet. Our vet says it is to do with plasma cells and that I should just keep an eye on her as she is an indoor cat. What do you think?

ATHIS sounds like plasma cell pododermatitis, a fairly rare disease that I see only a few times each year. This usually affects larger pads although I have occasionally seen it in all of them.

Affected pads feel very soft, like a marshmallow. When pressed they leave an indent but aren’t painful.

They also often have a violet colour instead of the normal pink.

The pads are full of plasma cells which produce antibodies so the likely cause is a problem with the immune system.

In a few cases the problem extends to the soft palate and kidneys.

I agree with your vet’s approach to keep an eye on your indoor cat.

Regular observation with check-ups is a sensible course of action with non-painful diseases that are not life-threatening.

With outdoor cats the problem will nearly always worsen as the pads are prone to ulceration and infection due to contact with hard surfaces.

For these cats there are various treatments including steroids and long courses of antibiotics, both with possible side effects.

Alternatively surgical removal of affected pads is sometimes advised.

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