Have you ever looked at your kitty cat and wondered if their breed affected the color of their paw pads? What does it mean if your cat has black paw pads? When should you be worried about a change in paw pad color?
If your kitty has black fur, odds are their paw pads are black. Any breed of cat that has black fur can have black paw pads. Common breeds with black fur and therefore paw pads are:
- Bombay
- Domestic Long Hair
- Domestic Short Hair
Today we’ll be taking a look at not only the most common breeds that have black paw pads but also interesting facts about it that you may not know about.
Most Common Breeds With Black Paw Pads
While the community of cat breeds is a fairly new one in comparison to dogs, there are a few that stand out as having black paw pads as a trait. What breeds are the most popular? How can you identify the kind of cat you have if you don’t know?
Quick Navigation
Bombay
This breed originated in Kentucky in the United States of America in the year nineteen fifty-three. The original breeder wanted a cat that looked like a miniature black panther. Characterized by its all-black coat and yellow or green eyes, this breed indeed lives up to the dream of having a miniature panther in the house.
With a short coat of velvety fur, this breed needs very little help grooming. Having a black mouth, black ears, and black paw pads is a requirement to meet breed standards. This breed is not known to be independent, preferring to spend a lot of time with their owner.
This breed was, in part, made up with the Domestic short hair, also called the American shorthair. A fairly new breed in comparison to the original breeds to make up this one, it still has gained much popularity among cat enthusiasts.
Domestic Shorthair
A breed that is found in many homes worldwide, one could say this is by far the most common breed of cats today. As its name suggests, this cat’s coat is short. It comes in many colors and patterns, with black being a fairly common coat color. A black domestic shorthair was one of the breeds used in the creation of the Bombay cat breed.
This cat breed is a medium-sized cat. With a round face and rounded eyes that can be yellow, green, or even blue, this cat has a friendly appearance. This cat breed is known for being a social one. The domestic shorthair is also called an American Shorthair by some circles.
Domestic Longhair
Due to having a rather muddy pedigree, this is not considered an official breed. However, many a cat owner argues for the domestic longhair to become recognized as a breed. This breed is not the same as a British longhair or maincoon, two standard breeds.
Having a black long hair is like having a piece of the night sky in your home. As they can have a variety of breeds inside their genetics, eye color is varied, as is the size of the cat. It truly depends on the individual kitty cat.
Paw Pads Turning Black
What does it mean if your kitty cat’s paw pads change color? As your cat ages, pigmentation settles in the skin. Sometimes injury or illness can affect a cat’s pigmentation in their skin. However, that is usually resulting in a loss of pigment rather than a gain. A kitten tends to change paw pad color as they grow if their pigments have not settled yet.
If you suspect the color change is due to infection, it may be caused by necrotic or dead tissue. This happens in severe and life-threatening health conditions, like infections. If you believe this to be the case, take your precious kitty cat to an emergency veterinarian immediately. It could be the difference between your cat living or losing your kitty cat.
Why Do Some Cats Have Black Paw Pads?
If your cat has a full coat of black fur, then their paw pads are probably black too. The term for an all-black animal is melanistic. This is due to the overabundance of melanin rather than having a regular amount. The absolute lack of pigment is called albinism. The term most people are familiar with is albino.
Certain breeds carry specific traits that lend to their coloring being uniform. In this next section, we will discuss the common breeds found to have black paw pads and what makes them so special.
Black Paw Pads On Cats
The average cat’s paw pad color is usually caused by their fur color. This is due to the genetics that governs pigmentation of the fur and skin. Often an all-black cat will have all black paw pads. A cat with black and other colors in their fur may have multiple paw pad colors, including black.
If you have a Bombay breed cat, they’ll have black paw pads as a breed standard. Black domestic short hairs and black domestic long hairs also have black paw pads. A black and white kitty cat will have some black on their digital and carpal pads as well as the large pad in the center of the paw, also called the metacarpal or metatarsal pad depending on if it’s on the front leg or back leg respectively.
When To Be Concerned About Your Cat’s Paw Pads
Usually, miss kitty has a sunny disposition and does not mind you touching her paws. Yet, today you notice she’s acting like a grouch and will not let you touch her paws. Often a cat can get a paw pad infection from a cut or even a fungal infection similar to a yeast infection. These are best assessed and treated by your veterinarian.
An injured claw can also cause paw pad issues if the injury reaches all the way to the digital pad. The best course of action is to take your kitty to the vet as soon as possible. Injuries and infections to the paw pads can lead to more serious health concerns as well as making your poor kitty cat feel miserable.
Interesting Facts About The Cat’s Paw
Here is a list of some interesting facts about your kitty cat’s paws.
- A cat walks on their toes rather than the full paw.
- A cat’s claws are attached to the bone rather than growing out of the flesh.
- Your cat’s paw pad color is directly linked to their coat color.
- A cat with more than four digits on the back paw and five digits on the front paw is called a polydactyl.
- A cat sweats between their toes when afraid
- Cats knead their scent into the things and people they love, as a way to mark territory.
- A cat’s paws act like shock absorbers when jumping from a great height.
Proper Paw Pad Care
In general, you won’t need to do much to care for your cat’s paw pads. Cat’s tend to be extremely good about self-grooming and cleanliness. But on the off chance you need to do some maintenance on kitty cat’s paws, here are a few tips.
A good lick safe lotion for dried and cracked paw pads is good to apply to your pet’s paw pads as needed. If you need to clip your kitty’s claws using cat claw, specific clippers is best so as to prevent cracks and splintering of the nail. For long-haired cats, trimming back the fur between toes helps to control cleanliness when they use the litter box.
Conclusion
As previously mentioned, the color of your cat’s fur will tell you what color their paw pads will be. Bombays are the breed designed to have black paw pads. Domestic shorthairs and domestic longhairs that are black also have black paw pads. Any cat with a black fur coat will have black paw pads because of their genetics.