Cat illnesses, injuries and common first aid

The purpose of first aid in cats is to preserve life by maintaining an airway for breathing and to stop any bleeding with direct pressure or a dressing. To help maintain an airway you need to keep the cats mouth open and pull the tongue forward to one side. You can only really do this if your pet cat is unconscious. The bleeding can be stopped by pressing a clean tea towel onto any wound and then dressing the wound if you can.

At all times, you need to stay calm and call your local veterinary practice to make sure someone can advise you and arrange for a vet to be at the practice if you need to take your pet there. Here is some first aid advice for different cat injuries and illnesses.

Road accident injuries.
Follow the above and if possible put the cat into a box/basket or soft sports bag if it is able to move and not unconscious. If the cat is aggressive due to pain then sometimes wrapping it in a towel or blanket to get it into a sports bag will help with getting it to the vet promptly. You may not be able to do any more than this due to the risk of being scratched and bitten.

Cuts and wounds
You can bathe any cuts and wounds if your cat allows with salt water. Simply add a teaspoon of salt into a mug of warm water and then apply to a dressing if the wound is on an area that can be dressed. You ideally need a dressing that wont stick to the wound, followed by a conforming wrap and then something like Elastoplast to hold the bandage in place until you can get you cat checked at the vet surgery if you think the wound may need stitches.

Burns
Hot water burns such as spilling a hot drink may burn the skin under your cat’s fur. Apply copious cold water, if your cat will allows to help cool the affected area. House fire burns will need checking by a vet as there may also be smoke inhalation but again cold water will help the burned area. Chemical burns caused by something being spilt onto your cat again need copious cold water flushing and checking by a vet.

Stings
If your cat has been stung on the body by a wasp, mix a 50/50 dilution of vinegar with water and apply to the affected area. Bee stings in cats are eased by applying a bicarbonate of soda solution and then removing the sting. Sometimes cats get stung in the mouth as they have chased and caught the insect and these stings are best treated by your vet with anti-histamine injections as swelling can occur. If your pet is allergic to stings it may develop breathing problems which will need to be looked at promptly by your vet.

Bones caught in the mouth
Bones can sometimes get caught on your pet cats teeth if it’s been scavenging in bins. You can often carefully remove these yourself. If you can’t manage to or think a bone is caught at the back of the throat and your cat is retching then go to your vet as it may need an anaesthetic to remove the bone.

Abscesses
These are often due to cat bites. If your cat is bitten bathe the affected area in salt water. You may also need antibiotics from your vet. If an abscess develops and bursts you can also bathe it to clean up the area and again take it to your vet.

Prolapse of the anus
Some young cat when they get diarrhoea strain so much that part of their rectum protrudes from the anus and swells. Apply Vaseline to keep the area lubricated and then take your cat to the vet.

Poisons on the fur coat
If you’re feline friend is covered in a substance such as engine oil, creosote, gloss paint. Try to stop the cat licking and ingesting the chemical. Wrapping in a pillow case, apart from the head, while you get to the vet will help. The cat will need the chemical removing often under anaesthetic by an appropriate method for the type of chemical on the coat.

Collapse or unconsciousness
If you’re pet cat collapses or falls unconscious, check the airway for any obstructions in the mouth. Help maintain the airway as in the introduction to this article and take to your vet promptly.

Low glucose levels in diabetic cats
If your diabetic cat becomes weak, disorientated or starts fitting it may be having a hypoglycaemic attack (low blood sugar). Have some glucose syrup in the house or honey and spoon into your cats mouth if it can swallow (not if fitting) and call your vet for advice.

Fly strike
Some longhaired cats can get fly strike (technically called myiasis) if their coat becomes soiled with faeces, urine or blood. Fly Strike occurs when flies lay their eggs on an animal’s body and these develop into maggots that start to digest the animals skin. If not treated quickly, these maggots can travel beneath the skin and the infestation can spread. If your cat develops fly strike, you need to wash your cat, trim off the hair and remove the maggots then have a vet check for further infestation.

In pretty much every scenario for a pet cat being injured or ill, you will find that you will need to pay a visit to your local vet. Over time these visits can become costly which is why it pays to have cat insurance cover.