In times like these, we’re all having to adjust, and modify our normal tasks to one’s that are confined to the four walls of our homes. Taking care of our pets is no different. Whether it’s a cut, scrape, or bruise, it’s a good idea to get to know the basics of caring for your cat’s minor injuries. Being able to identify your cat’s wounds, clean and dress them correctly, and take the necessary steps to allow your cat to heal is key to keeping your cat safe and satisfied.
In this article we’re going to discuss:
- How To Determine If Your Cat Is Injured
- Treating Your Cat's Wounds
- Recovery Management
How To Determine If Your Cat Is Injured
Tell - “tail” signs to look out for
While some wounds may be visible, others are smaller or in areas, you might not see all that often. That’s why it’s important to know what behaviors to look out for as well as obvious physical signs that your cat has a wound. If you’ve got an outdoor cat, it’s a good practice to check your cat for injuries each time they return from their outing for the day. You never know what daring adventures your cat got up to as they spent time outside, so checking them once they get back is a sure-fire way to stay updated on whether your cat is hurt or not. Another way to stay up-to-date with your cat is taking note of irregular behaviors.
If your cat is showing any of these behavioral signs then they may be signs that your cat is in pain:
- Your cat is limping or having difficulty walking
- Your cat is licking a particular region
- Your cat is crying growling or hissing
- Your cat is showing signs of agitation
- Your cat is showing less rubbing towards people
- Your cat is reluctant to walk or move
- Your cat has a change in posture or gait
When inspecting your cat for some kind of wound, it’s very important to make your cat feel calm and still, and also to be very gentle so that you don’t hurt them.
Treating Your Cat’s Wounds
Steps towards healing your cat’s ailment!
First, you must address the seriousness of your cat’s injury. If your cat has a cut or scratch that isn’t very deep and isn’t bleeding very much, then you should have little to no problem patching it up. When dealing with minor injuries, oftentimes you can treat them on your own at home. But if your cat’s wound is bleeding profusely, or you don’t feel that you have the items necessary, or you feel that your cat’s injury requires the attention of a specialist it’s very important that you take your cat to a veterinary hospital so they can be treated appropriately.
For minor wounds, it’s fairly simple to clean yourself. If your cat has scratched itself on something like a rock or a tree branch, the first thing that you should do is clean the wound. You can do this by using some water, non-cotton medical gauze, and a diluted antiseptic solution to flush out the wound. For the antiseptic solutions you can pick up, you should opt for either chlorhexidine diacetate or povidone-iodine. These solutions are best because hydrogen peroxide or alcohol can actually damage your cat’s tissue.
After using these solutions there are a number of additional medicines that you can use to help your cat heal. Another important step in the process of healing your cat’s wounds is sealing the affected areas from becoming infected. While your first thought may be to use medicine like Neosporin on your cat’s wound, we would specifically advise against that. Neosporin is not a safe medicine to ingest, and it would be wise to be cautious of the fact that your cat may lick their wounds and ingest whichever medicine you decide to use.
A good medicine to fight off bacterial infections that you could use on your cat instead would be Fauna Care’s Silver Spray. The medicine is specifically targeted to promote skin healing and growth with its ingredients such as Vitamins A and B. Fauna Care’s Silver Spray is FDA approved, and is a great option for treating your cat’s shallow injuries. The Silver Spray is safe to ingest and also has bad-tasting ingredients that discourage your cat from licking their affected wounds.
Recovery Management
Keeping your cat’s healing process safe
Depending on your cat’s injury, it’s important to make sure that there are no factors to disrupt them from healing or factors that could make their condition get any worse. After treating your cat, one of the best things you can do is offer them a good recovery, and help nurse them back to health. You should continue to clean the wound and inspect it closely around 1-2 times a day for the first few days, but after that, it’s important that you keep a close eye on your cat so that they don’t, bite, scratch, or lick at their wounds. You should also make sure that the bandaging you’re using is clean and dry multiple times a day, just to make sure that your cat heals to plan.
Treating your cat’s wounds can be scary and daunting to do on your own at home, but when you have the proper tools and the knowledge you need it can also be a breeze. If your cat’s condition worsens, or you have serious concerns that outstretch the information you can find on the internet, again, please don’t hesitate to take your cat to see the vet. There’s no shame in doing so, and it’s important to make sure that you’re doing what’s best for your cat’s safety at the end of the day.
