FIRST AID FOR YOUR CAT

First Aid

Because it is a curious creature, your cat is likely to create an emergency situation. Even the best well-protected house cat is subject to dangers in the home. Although you can do your part by cat-proofing your home emergencies do arise.

First aid measures are not a substitute for veterinary care. If an emergency arises, always call your vet. In some cases, however, you may have to administer first aid before you can take the cat to the vet.

WOUNDS

Bites from other animals and cuts are probably the most common situations requiring first aid. The first step is to stop the bleeding and get the cat to the vets. The vet will clean the wound. It's hard to bandage a wounded cat without a helper to hold the cat, but do the best you can Aim for results, not for neatly applied bandage. To bandage a leg or tail, wrap a band of gauze around the wound. Bandage neck, chest or abdominal wounds with a many-tailed bandage a wide strip of cloth that has a fringe of one-inch wide strips. The length of strips is roughly a third of the length of the entire bandage. The bandage is secured by tying the strips together. If the wound is minor, you can clean it with hydrogen peroxide or a weak solution of water and salt or baking soda.

Dogs bites are usually lacerations (wounds with a torn or jagged edge), While cats bites are puncture wounds and often go undetected until the wound abscesses. Your cat will probably need antibiotics to ward off the danger of infection.

BURNS

A cat walking across a stove can accidentally burn itself, from the flame itself or from boiling water or cooking fat. Immediately dousing the burned area with lots of cold water will prevent tissue damage. A chemical burn from a caustic acid should be treated in the same way. Severe burns may send your cat into shock in which case treatment of the burn becomes secondary.

CHOKING

Try to prevent choking from occurring by keeping bones and small toys or objects away from your cat. If your cat is choking it will paw at its mouth, gag and drool. Open it's mouth and remove the object by holding your cat upside down and pressing in its chest with both hands. If that method does not work, try using a tweezers or needle nose pliers to remove the object. Exercise caution as the cats involuntary choking reflex could cause it to bite you. If you cannot easily remove the object, leave it to the vet. If your cat swallows the object, it may have to be removed surgically. Even if you successfully remove the object a trip to the vet might be in order as your cat's mouth or throat could be scratched.

BLEEDING

Jagged cuts or gashes, caused by contact with sharp objects on fences or walls or by animal bites, are responsible for most serious loss of blood by cats. ARTERIAL BLEEDING.

Arterial bleeding may be recognised by bright red blood which gushes or pumps out of the wound.

VENOUS BLEEDING

Venous blood is dark red or purplish, and either flows in a steady stream or oozes out.

FIRST AID

Apply pressure at once! most arterial and venous bleeding can be stopped by applying pressure directly to the wounds. Take a sterile pad, clean handkerchief or towel and place it on the wound; press down firmly. If you cannot stop the bleeding by applying pressure, apply a tourniquet if the wound is on the cat's leg. Use a belt, necktie, roller bandage or strip of strong cloth. A tourniquet about two inches wide is preferable. Apply the tourniquet close to the wound and between it and the cat's heart. Tighten the tourniquet sufficiently to check the bleeding. Wrap it around the cat's leg several times, knot it, and let it remain until the vet takes it off. Get the cat to the vets as soon as possible.

MINOR CUTS AND SCRATCHES

Most of the time, the cat can treat itself by licking minor cuts and scratches. When it cannot reach cuts or scratches with its tongue, you can treat them.

FIRST AID

Trim away any matted or bloody hair from around the wounds. Wash with mild soap and warm water. Apply an antiseptic powder or spray to the cuts or

scratches.

NAIL PUNCTURES

Nail punctures (orally punctures) are dangerous and should be treated by the vet. Punctures close up quickly, thus permitting tetanus bacteria to go to work. If a veterinary surgeon is available, take the cat to him right away. If not, you must clean the punctures. Restrain the cat. Wash the punctures with warm water. Open up the punctures in order to soak the wounds with the warm water. Apply an antiseptic, working it into the punctures. Get the cat to the vet as soon as possible.

BULLET OR SHOTGUN PELLET WOUNDS

Some persons shoot cats on sight. If your cat has been shot, restrain the animal and check for bleeding. Do not probe for bullets or pellets. Apply antiseptic and bandage. Get the cat to the vet as soon as possible.

DROWNING.

Although they don't like water, cats can swim and probably won't drown unless the water is rough or they tire. You can resuscitate a drowned cat by holding it upside down by the hind legs and vigorously swinging it to and fro between your legs. This should remove the water from its lungs and stimulate its breathing. If the cat does not start breathing you may have to give it artificial respiration and/or heart massage.

POISONING

The cat's finicky nature protects it from gobbling up a poisonous substance the way that a dog does. However, a cat can poison itself by licking a poisonous rat or mouse. The treatment for poisoning varies with the type of poison, but even if you know what your cat has swallowed an emetic (used to induce vomiting) will do no good unless administered within a half hour. IMMEDIATELY call your vet he or she will tell you if you should give an emetic. If the situation warrants an emetic, suitable ones are a teaspoonful of hydrogen peroxide, mustard and water, or strong salty water. NEVER give an emetic to an unconscious cat. Poisoning may result in shock.

SHOCK

Shock usually follows an accident involving severe injury. It is caused by interference in the blood supply to the brain. Look for shock after car accidents, burns, snakebites, ect, In case of severe injury, treat for shock as a matter of routine, but only after you have checked serious bleeding or applied artificial respiration, as the case demands. A cat in shock may or may not be conscious. Its eyes will be glassy and it will have a vacant stare. It will shiver or tremble, its breathing will be shallow and irregular, often with long breaths alternating with short gasps. It may also vomit. A cat in shock loses heat rapidly and should be kept warm by covering it with a blanket, coat or sweater. If possible, slide a rug or newspaper under its body. Lower it's head to assist the flow of blood to the brain. You can do this by placing a rolled coat or blanket under the front part of its body, with its head hanging down. If the cat is conscious, keep it quiet. Get it to the vet as soon as possible.

HEAT EXHAUSTION

Cats suffer from excessive heat and should not be left in hot rooms or cars. Symptoms of heat exhaustion in a cat are heavy and laboured breathing, vomiting, prostration and eventually coma. Remove the cat to a cool place. Wet it thoroughly with cold water. especially its head. When it regains consciousness, give it a teaspoonful of black coffee. Do not give it any liquids while it is unconscious. When it is revived, take it to the vet.

FIRST AID TECHNIQUES

Artificial respiration and heart massage should only be considered as a last resort. If performed incorrectly, artificial respiration can cause injury

ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION

If your cat has stopped breathing and its airways are blocked with liquid (for example, vomit or water from drowning). try swinging the cat by its hind legs. This helps to clear the lungs and stimulates breathing. If this method fails to work, place the cat on its side, open the mouth and pull out the tongue. Make sure the airway is clear and then press down firmly on the chest with the palm of your hand to expel air. You will need to press hard enough to see the chest move. Immediately release the pressure to allow air to re-enter the lungs. Repeat about 20 times per minute. An alternative method is mouth to mouth resuscitation. Again, place the cat on its side and make sure the airways are clear. Put your mouth over the nose and mouth of the cat. Blow hard enough to fill the cats lung with air (you should see the chest rise),but keep in mind that a cats lungs are small and won't hold much air. When the chest rises, let it exhale. wait a few moments between giving your cat's puffs of air.

HEART MASSAGE.

To perform heart massage, lay the cat on its side. Place the heel of one hand over the cats chest and then place the palm of your other hand of the first hand. Pump firmly, about 70 times per minute. Artificial respiration is usually needed at the time, so you will have to alternate the two methods. Excess force or incorrectly applied pressure can produce fatal bleeding or lung damage here, so make sure you have experience or know what you are doing before trying these procedures.

MOVING AN INJURED CAT.

If your cat has been injured in a car accident or a fall, it may have internal injuries. Move it gently with one hand under the chest and the other hand under the hips. Avoid twisting the body and place the cat on a towel, blanket or in a box.

FIRST AID KIT FOR YOUR CAT

In emergency situations, it simplifies matters to have a cat's medicine kit, with these things in it:

Bandage materials: absorbent cotton, gauze and adhesive tape.

Rectal thermometer. A cat's normal temperature is 99.5-102.5 degrees fahrenheit.

Tweezers, blunt ends

Rectal thermometer

Surgical spirit

Absorbent cotton

Roller bandages, 2-and-3-inch widths

Sterile pads

Adhesive tape 1-and-1/2-inch widths

Small scissors, blunt ends

Nail clippers

Sandpaper boards

Brush and comp

Eyedropper

Spoon

Small medicine bottle or baby syringe

Mineral oli,light e.g.liquid paraffin

Vaseline or commercial ointment for burns

Golden eye ointment

Cotton swabs

Glycerine

Insect powder

Antiseptic powder or spray

Milk of magnesia

Calamine lotion

Epsom salts

Bicarbonate of soda

Diarrhoea medicine

Malt-flavoured petroleum jelly for hair balls

Hydrogen peroxide

Snakebite suction apparatus, if in poisonous snake region.

Do not include aspirin in the cat's medicine chest as a painkiller. Aspirin is toxic for most cats. The reaction of a cat to aspirin is similar to that of a child who get an overdose. At first, the cat shows signs of abdominal pain, with laboured breathing. its pupils dilate to the point where the animal is almost blind; there is delirium and the cat may die. Researchers have found that cats fail to eliminate aspirin from their systems as fast as other animals; hence, there is a tendency to accumulate or store up aspirin in the body.