Are wrinkled paw pads on my senior cat a sign of aging or dehydration?

This is an unusual behavior, especially in a cat as old as yours. I have seen cats who "drink from their paws" from a young age, and I think it can be normal then. I'd be concerned that in a senior cat this could be her way of telling you she's trying to get more water - that's called "polydipsia", and it can be due to a number of conditions. Usually you'd see them also urinating a larger volume, and/or going more frequently. If this is the case your vet can run tests to determine whether her increased water consumption is causing her to urinate more, or vice versa. Possible causes include kidney disease, some kinds of cancer, a hormonal disease called hyperthyroidism, and liver disease. I would certainly recommend that you get Gizmo in for a checkup with your vet and some tests to see what might be going on.

Those aren't inherently concerning signs, so I think it's ok to just keep an eye on him for any more changes at this point. If he starts to get thin, while asking for more food, I would be concerned about hyperthyroid disease. Or if he just seems wrong and you can't put your finger on it, that's also a good reason for a general check up. Good luck!

Hello, thank er you for using PetCoach. I would not necessarily be "concerned" but it would be good for him to drink more water. Two good ways to get more water into a cat are: 1. Feed canned food and 2. Get a water fountain for him. Cats tend to drink more from a source of running water. If he eats canned food it obviously has a higher water content than dry food. I suggest you do those two things and see how things go from there. ( https://www.amazon.com/s?k=cat+drinking+fountain&crid=1UT6TC4LCPX9I&sprefix=cat+drinking+founta%2Caps%2C327&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

peeling paw pads can indicate a diet not high enough in fatty acids, allergies or something more severe like an autoimmune condition. I recommend to play it safe and have Gracey examined by the veterinarian to look into a medical condition. If the vet thinks this is likely related to nutrition, you can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can also wash her in a moisturizing type shampoo for cats though you will them want to keep her from licking the paws (which means she will need to wear an elizabethan collar). Don't use any lotions or creams because she will lick them and they are not meant to be consumed. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Based on your photos, this looks like pigmented areas of the paw pad, which can be normal in some cats. If the areas are not raised or painful then this is likely the case. If, however, the colored areas are a different texture/raised or seem painful/sensitive then a veterinary exam is recommended.

The paw swelling could be due to an injury to the paws, build up of fluid from the lymphatics systems, or an infection. Sweatpea sounds like he's pretty ill right now, and I think he should see a vet immediately. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

Ideally a cat's paw pads should be smooth. If they are cracked, it could be because they were exposed to harsher conditions (which I would expect if Toothless was outside for 4 weeks). Paw pads should return to being smooth with better conditions and a good diet. If the cracked areas are bleeding, Toothless is licking them, they are swollen or he is limping on them, then I would recommend having your veterinarian examine him. Otherwise, hopefully they will heal on their own. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.