soot on coat - any advice??

[Nicola (RockysMum)]

Have now discovered (because my long suffering other half went exploring Jakes haunts!!) that there is an empty house nearby with a large overgrown garden with the remains of 2 bonfires. lots of soot about and some pawprints.

I'm really hoping that the bonfires didn't contain anything toxic but am hopeful that I don't need to panic so much as it's at least not motor oil or anything like that.

[Kay and Penny]

I can't advise you, Nicola, but would urge you to keep a sample of this black substance in case it needs to be analysed - your vet might know what it is, but will need to see and smell it

[Nicola (RockysMum)]

Hi all,

the past 2 nights Jake has come home with black staining all over his paws right up his flanks both front and back. I'm particularly worried because before my other cat rocky had to be pts due to kidney failure, he had come home covered head to toe in similar stuff about 4 weeks previously. the vet couldn't say for definite that this was a cause but it was a possibility.

It's very hard to get off and stains the fur grey/black, although i managed to hold jake and wash as much as possible off with a cloth dipped in warm water with a little fairy liquid. I feel awful because he's such a gentle timid wee guy and gets so nervous about anything unusual never mind me washing him. especially 2 nights in a row!

It isn't oily to touch, but is dark grey/black and completely dry on his fur. Almost like a black powder that's coated him and left a stain.

Any ideas what this could be? Will washing it as much as i could have helped? I'm now really paranoid in case i've just spread it around or diluted it and as he's now frantically grooming his paws...could i have made it worse? or am i just being neurotic??

Nicola