Toe-fur. Does it hurt?

So my boyfriend was playing with Kippers "Toe-furs" (the furs that are between the foot pads of long-haired cats), and his mom said "STOP! THAT HURTS HIM!" So he stopped...But I said "no..It doesnt, why would that hurt?!"
And she didn't have an explanation..So I figured somebody on here would know.
Does playing with cats toe-furs hurt them? I think it just tickles them. Kipper even likes it sometimes if it comes with a little leg rubbing.

How was he playing with the toe fur? If he was pulling it, which I doubt thats it but just playing with it won't hurt. Many cats don't like their feet touched and they are probably pretty sensitive but I think it would just tickle them is all and make them shake their feet.

My cats will stretch their toes so I can scratch in between them for them and boomer loves it if you massage his feet pads, so unless he was being rough I can't imagine how it would hurt them.

No, he wasnt pulling or anything.
He was just tickeling them, and kipper would bat at him playfully.
But when she said that it hurt him, We couldnt imagine how it would hurt Kipper. MIL's are never right about anything..Especially if they're nutty.

Besides, cats are good at letting you know if you are hurting or annoying them.

Its just extra ticklish. It definitely dosne't hurt because we would cut this fur off of Clover. He is an outdoor cat and it made it easier for him to keep this fur short.

I wouldn't think it hurts. I just can't imagine them liking it! I hate it when people mess with my feet. Esp between my toes! It tickles!

I wouldn't think it hurst, but I know Reilly hates it when people try and touch his feet (probably tickles)

Maybe dear MIL had a swat from a foot-sensitive cat once, and assumed it had to be pain that made the kitty act ugly.

I have 4, and 2 like their feet/toes played with gently. The other 2 have to be asleep before they will let me trim a claw or 2 at a time

My Isabella is an odd-eyed Turkish Angora...She has a ton of toe tufts!!! They're prescious!!! I like to tickle her feet when I groom her- lol she's such a little princess, that she immediately begins to clean herself (because humans are icky and should never touch a clean kitty )- I don't see any reason to think that your boyfriend was hurting Kipper by tickling him Your MIL was probably just misinformed