Cat First Aid – Always Be Prepared

It’s always good to know some cat first aid and be prepared for those little emergencies and accidents. Cats are inquisitive by nature and inevitably this can lead to little accidents and mishaps. Add this to their natural territorial instincts and therefore catfights and the subsequent scratches and bites and as you can see it becomes vital that you know what to do in these situations. It goes without saying that if you suspect that your cat is in considerable pain or is very ill then a trip to the vets is your first consideration and should be carried out as soon as possible.

Cat first aid checking for injury

 We all have off days where we just feel a little off colour and our cats are no different. They may have a slight cold or infection or just be in a particularly quiet mood. Usually this is nothing to worry about and as long as they are back to normal within a few days no cat first aid need be carried out. However if you do suspect that something is wrong then carry out these few simple checks to try and find out what the problem might be, make a note f anything you notice so that you can accurately inform your vet.

• Check cat’s recent behaviour: are they eating, drinking more often, unable to urinate or defecate, suffering from diarrhoea or vomiting.
• Feel the cat gently all over and see if they flinch anywhere in particular or can you feel a lump.
• Is your cat limping or holding its body awkwardly.
• Are they breathing heavily or gasping for air.
• Check their eyes, ears and nose for any discharge or wound.

Common ailments and injuries

Abscesses – These are little lumps filled with pus, normally caused by a bite or wound. Clean the area with a gentle antiseptic; an antibiotic may be required to fight off any infection that your vet will prescribe.

Choking – this can happen if a piece of food like bone or fur becomes trapped in the airway and your cat is unable to breath. Open the mouth and if possible remove the obstacle with your fingers or with tweezers. If this is not possible and there are no other injuries, hold the back legs and swing the cat in a downward motion (avoiding the floor of course). If you successfully remove the obstacle but the cat is still not breathing then place your lips over the cats nose and blow two or three times, repeat as necessary.

Fits or convulsions – Make sure the cat is away from any sharp edges or other harmful items and wait for the fit to subside. Place the cat in a dark quite place for a while as they may be disorientated for some time afterwards. Do not excessively handle the cat but ensure that they are able to breath. A vet needs to be consulted to find out the cause of the fits as they may be suffering from epilepsy or may have ingested some form of poison.

Limping – gently feel the leg to see if you can feel any bones broken. Then check the feet by pressing gently to splay the toes to see if there is anything embedded in the pads or if any claws have become damaged. Often you will be able to remove any foreign bodies caught in the foot yourself with a pair of tweezers. If it is too painful of is too deep then seek medical attention immediately.

Stings – Just like us cats can get stung by insects too, usually on the mouth or paws. If visible remove any remaining sting and wash with antiseptic. Swelling should only last for a day or so, but always keep an eye on your pet for signs of an allergic reaction. If this happens and their breathing becomes laboured then take them immediately to the vet.

Bites and wounds – For shallow wounds or scrapes wash the area with an antiseptic. For wounds that are bleeding badly, clean the area the best you can and cover with a light dressing before taking them to the vets. Bites can easily become infected due to the bacteria carried in a cats mouth, it is usual for the bite to swell, however as long as the cat is not unduly worried by it and doesn’t seem in distress, wash the wound with antiseptic and keep out for any signs of infection which would require antibiotics. This is where cat first aid leaves off and professional care is required.

Nursing at home and giving medicines

Most Vets will be able to give you advice concerning how to give medicines they prescribe especially if injections are required. However the best techniques for giving a cat a pill is:

• Hold the cat’s head firmly but gently and pull the head back until there mouth opens (you may have to pull the jaw down gently as well).
• Pop the pill to the back of the cats tongue and close the mouth
• Still holding the head back, stroke the cats throat to encourage them to swallow.

Liquid medicines:

• Hold the head firmly with one hand
• Using a clean syringe push the end of the nozzle into the side of the cats mouth through the lips.
• Slowly push the plunger allowing the cat to swallow the medicine as it goes in (if you do it too fast it may go into the lungs)

The Cat First Aid Kit

It is good to make sure you have a separate cat first aid kit available at all times. A pet first aid kit is availble form our Happy Cat Store, page two.

If making up your own kit, it should include:

• Vaseline (petroleum jelly)
• Antiseptic solution (make sure they are suitable for cats and should not contain phenol, cresol or related products as they toxic to cats)
• Cat eyes drops
• Clean syringes
• Blunt scissors
• Tweezers
• A fur ball remedy
• Cotton wool
• Bandages
• Sticky plaster to secure bandages
• Non-adherent dressings

Top of cat first aid page