Like people, cats aren’t immune to accidents and injuries. Knowing the basics of first aid can help you keep your cat stable and comfortable until you reach the vet, and sometimes it can save its life. But first aid is only a stopgap: it never replaces proper veterinary treatment.
In any emergency, call your vet or the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic first. Save both numbers in your phone today. If your cat may have been poisoned, you can also call an animal poison hotline: in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661; in the UK, the Animal PoisonLine at 01202 509000 (a fee may apply).
Preventing Accidents
The best first aid is prevention. Some of the most common emergencies in cats are poisoning, falls and road accidents:
- Keep toxic plants, especially lilies, as well as medicines, cleaning products and antifreeze out of your cat’s reach. Read more about poisoning in cats and plants that are poisonous to cats.
- Cats are curious and love walking along balcony railings and windowsills, but falls from height cause serious injuries. Fit secure screens to windows and balconies.
- Keep your cat indoors at night, when road accidents are most common, or consider a secure catio.
- Put away string, ribbon, rubber bands and small objects your cat could swallow.
Handling an Injured Cat Safely
An injured cat is frightened and in pain, and even the gentlest cat may bite or scratch. Approach calmly and speak softly. If you need to move your cat, gently wrap it in a thick towel or blanket, keeping it as still as possible, and place it in a carrier or a sturdy box. Support its body, and don’t lift it by the scruff. Keep it warm and quiet on the way to the vet.
Wounds
Wounds can be deep or shallow and can occur anywhere on the body.
- Minor scratches and grazes. If the wound is small and shallow and isn’t a bite, you can gently rinse it with clean, lukewarm water or sterile saline and pat it dry. Don’t use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, tea tree oil or human antiseptic creams: they can damage tissue or be toxic if your cat licks them. Stop your cat from licking the wound, and call your vet for advice, especially if the wound is red, swollen, oozing or not healing.
- Bite wounds and deep wounds. Cat and dog bites often look small, but they push bacteria deep under the skin and very often turn into abscesses. Any bite wound, and any deep or gaping wound, needs to be seen by a vet, ideally the same day. Cover the area with a clean, dry cloth or gauze and take your cat to the clinic.
Bleeding
- External bleeding. Press firmly on the wound with a clean pad of gauze or cloth, and hold it there for at least five to ten minutes without lifting it to check, as this can restart the bleeding. If blood soaks through, add more gauze on top rather than removing the first layer. Don’t use a tourniquet. If the bleeding is heavy, or doesn’t stop, keep pressing and get to a vet immediately.
- Internal bleeding is dangerous because you can’t see it. If your cat has fallen from a height, been hit by a car or had any serious accident, take it to the vet even if it seems fine. Signs of internal bleeding include fast or labored breathing, cold paws, very pale gums, weakness, collapse and coughing or vomiting blood. This is an emergency.
Broken Bones
Fractures can be open, with a wound and sometimes visible bone, or closed, with no wound. Signs include pain, swelling, a leg held at an odd angle and refusing to put weight on a limb.
- Keep your cat as still and calm as possible, ideally confined in a carrier or box lined with a towel.
- If there’s an open wound, cover it loosely with clean gauze or cloth.
- Don’t try to straighten the limb or apply a homemade splint: you could cause more damage.
- Never give your cat painkillers from your medicine cabinet: many human painkillers are deadly to cats.
- Go to the vet straight away.
Burns
Burns can be caused by heat (hot water, stoves, fire), electricity (chewed cables) or chemicals. They’re very painful and easily become infected.
- First, stop the source of the burn. For an electrical injury, switch off the power before touching your cat.
- For heat burns, cool the area with cool (not icy) running water or a cool, wet cloth for several minutes.
- For chemical burns, rinse the area with plenty of lukewarm running water for 10 to 15 minutes, and stop your cat from licking it. Take the product label to the vet.
- Don’t use ice, butter, oils or creams. Cover the area loosely with clean, damp gauze and take your cat to the vet: all burns need veterinary attention.
Electrical burns from chewing cables can also cause breathing problems hours later, so always see a vet. If your cat seems overheated rather than burned, read about heatstroke in cats.
Insect Stings
Signs that your cat has been stung include sudden pawing at its face or mouth, swelling, redness and licking a particular spot.
- If you can see a bee sting, scrape it out sideways with a fingernail or a card, rather than squeezing it with tweezers.
- A cool compress wrapped in a cloth can ease mild swelling.
- Watch your cat closely. Facial or throat swelling, hives, vomiting, drooling, weakness or difficulty breathing can be signs of a serious allergic reaction: go to the vet immediately.
- Don’t give antihistamines or any other human medicine unless your vet tells you to.
Be Prepared
A simple first-aid kit for your cat, your vet’s and the emergency clinic’s numbers and a secure carrier can make all the difference. Many organizations, including the Red Cross in the US and pet charities in the UK, offer pet first-aid courses and apps.
We sincerely hope you never need to give your cat first aid!
