Do you know what to do if your cat is gets injured? Chances are, you will need to be prepared ahead of time so you can help your kitty when she shows up with cuts and bruises. Even if the injuries are serious enough for you to go to the vet, you still need to know basic first aid to keep your cat in as good a shape as possible. Here then is an overview of first aid treatment for your cat.
If your cat has sustained an injury, you will probably notice bleeding, swelling, or limping. Less noticeable warning signs include hair that is missing, cuts, and areas of sensitivity. If the wound gets infected, then you might see pus, or an abscess, which is pus swelling under the skin. You might also notice that your cat is feverish, with hot ears and sluggish behavior.
When your cat is injured, sometimes your own pet will refuse all treatment except draping a towel around them and taking them to the veterinarian. If your cat will allow you to, however, there are several things you can do to treat a wound:
If you notice bleeding, then stop this by pressing sterile gauze or cloth against the wound. You may have to wait five to ten minutes for the flow to stop. Once you no longer need to apply pressure, then leave the gauze there by taping it; if you try to take the gauze off, it could peel away the clotting and the wound could bleed afresh.
Once you have stopped the bleeding, make sure that there are no other injuries that need to be addressed. If you see a scrape or cut (also known by the fancier terms of "abrasion" and "laceration"), then see if you can clean it out. If you antiseptics or water, use a non-cotton clean cloth or gauze to carefully wipe the area around the injury, then you can take a syringe for instance, and pour the solution directly over the wound. DO NOT use hydrogen peroxide or alcohol—this could kill harmful substances, but it also kills things such as healthy tissue. If you use povidone or chlorhexidine, they need to be diluted well. However, if the wound is a deep gash, then do not wash the wound out with anything at all. You need to leave this for the vet. In fact, once you have tended to the wounds as best as you are able, it may be time to take a trip to the vet.
Your veterinarian can go through X-rays and other examinations, and then clean out the wounds, ward off infection, and get your pet on the road to recovery. Once your vet has done all that is necessary, it will again be up to you to care for your pet as they heal up in the weeks to follow. Usually, this only means a week or two of recovery.
You will need to keep an eye on your pet to make sure your cat does not lick or scratch at the injuries or bandages. In fact, you may need to look into a conical collar. Then you need to carefully follow the vet's instructions when it comes to giving medicine, and also to replacing the bandages, which you may need to do a few times a day to start. You might also want to apply antibiotic cream if your cat will not lick it off. If when changing bandages, your cat gives you trouble, you may need the vet's help getting them off.
Once your cat has healed up, you can help keep it from getting injured again by trying to keep your cat from situations where they can be struck by cars, come in contact with sharp objects, or meet strange animals. This could mean keeping the cat inside or in supervised areas. But of course, adventures will happen, and when your cat gets hurt, you and your veterinarian can be there for them.