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My cat has a swollen leg or paw. Can I treat it at home first?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Longhair | Female | 3 years and 9 months old | 10 lbs

Our cat has swollen leg paw. Not sure what happened. Can we give her anything to see if swelling will go down before taking her to vet?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on November 5th, 2017

Unfortunately there are no OTC medications for this issue that would be safe to give Boots. The swelling could be caused by many things, including a small fracture, muscle strain, puncture wound, infection, insect bite reaction, problems with lymphatic flow, etc. Check her skin and between her pads for any punctures, wounds, or bruises. You can try gentle massage to help move any fluid present and an ice pack wrapped in a thin towel for 15 minutes at a time. If the swelling doesn't go down soon, she should be checked out by a vet.

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