If you haven't paid attention to the fur under your cat's paws before, you should take a look now. Has it grown so long that you can't even see the paw pads anymore? If so, you should trim it immediately. If the fur under a cat's paws grows very long, it's very distressing for the cat.
1. Should the fur under a cat's paws be trimmed?
If a cat is relatively lazy or overweight, it may have difficulty grooming itself and often neglect to clean its paws. If owners don't trim their paw fur regularly, the long fur easily traps dirt and bacteria, becoming a breeding ground for bacteria. This can lead to inflammation of the cat's toes and nails, and in severe cases, can develop into onychomycosis (fungal nail infection) or paronychia, making it difficult for the cat to walk or even causing lameness. Therefore, regularly trimming a cat's paw fur is essential. 
II. What are the uses of trimming the hair on the feet?
First of all, cats don't have sweat glands on their bodies; their sweat glands are located on their paw pads. During hot summer months, careful owners will notice their cat's paw pads are damp, which is because the cat is sweating. Regularly trimming the fur on your cat's paws can help them cool down and sweat, preventing heatstroke.
Secondly, if your home has a relatively slippery floor such as wood or tile, you need to trim your cat's paw fur regularly. This is because a cat's paw pads have an anti-slip function. If the paw fur is too long, the cat is likely to slip or twist its leg while running. It may also be unable to stop in time while running and crash into a wall or furniture, causing a concussion.
Third, regularly trim your cat's fur to prevent them from easily taking litter out of the litter box and to maintain a clean home environment.
Finally, a cat's paw fur can easily pick up bacteria or parasite eggs while the cat is walking (if there are cockroaches in the house, they can easily pick up parasite eggs). When the cat cleans its paws, it will lick these bacteria and parasite eggs into its stomach, which can be harmful to the cat's health.
3. How do you trim the fur under a cat's paws?
1. Toes. Trim the hair on the toes with small scissors to a length that covers the nail, so that the tips of the hair just touch the ground when walking. Then use thinning shears to trim the hair growing between the toes into a natural round shape.
2. Front legs. Use a wooden comb to smooth the fur while trimming any excessively long fur with small scissors. To make it look more natural, do not cut all the fur to the same length; instead, adjust the trimming length according to the surface of the leg.
3. Hind legs. If the hair on the hind legs grows too long, it can give a heavy impression. It's fine to trim it into a natural shape with clippers. However, be careful not to trim too much and to maintain a completely smooth look.
IV. Timing for trimming paw hair
Long-haired cats need more frequent trimming of their paws than short-haired cats. For short-haired cats, owners can check their paws periodically and trim them slightly if they become too long. However, long-haired cats require more attention; their paws should be checked weekly and trimmed frequently to prevent them from becoming too long.
In addition, you must be careful when trimming the fur on the cat's paws, so as not to damage them. If you are not familiar with the process, you may want to take your cat to a pet store for trimming, which is safer. If you have already made a mistake, don't panic. Just stop the bleeding and disinfect the area. However, it will be difficult to trim the fur on the cat's paws again.
