Hello again. CAT Stanley here.
Today I’d like to talk to you about first aid for cats because April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month.
Would you know what to do if your cat had an emergency? My CATalyst Council co-workers have kindly put together these five great feline first aid tips. Cats, please make sure your people read them.
Here a few other things that I think are worth mentioning about pet first aid. All you cat people, please listen up.
- Be prepared. Put together a first aid kit and keep it in a handy location. Include things like cotton, gauze, sterile first aid pads, tape and scissors. A mild antibacterial cleanser should be included as well. A pair of tweezers often comes in handy too. A thick towel or blanket to wrap us in or to line our carrier with may be a good idea also.
- Be sure you have a cat carrier, preferably one with a top that can be removed easily and quickly. Never try to transport one of us without a secure carrier or box of some sort.
- Keep the telephone numbers for both your regular veterinarian and the nearest emergency veterinary facility handy. Lots of folks attach these numbers to their refrigerator with magnets. Programming them into your phone is a great idea too. Remember that if something serious does happen, you’ll need these numbers quickly and won’t have a lot of time to search for them. Notify your veterinarian’s office immediately if your cat is injured and transport your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible.
- I know that preventing emergency situations may not always be possible. Still, when possible, prevention is the best solution. Regular veterinary visits are important for all of us cats and can often detect minor problems, allowing treatment and/or resolution of a health issue before it does become an emergency that will cause panic and send you running off to the emergency veterinarian.
- Being aware of potential dangers and removing them from your household is also good practice. For instance, that Easter lily bouquet that looks so pretty and smells so nice is also a major danger for us cats. (Lilies are notoriously toxic for cats!) That sewing box that you used last night to hem up your favorite pair of pants has sharp needles and lots of thread in it. These items are much too tempting for a curious feline so keep them out of our reach. These are just a couple of examples of ways to cat-proof your house.
- Always keep an identification tag on us, just in case we sneak outside and get lost. Especially if we get hurt, knowing how to reach you is critical for the person who finds us. Many folks consider a microchip important too because identification tags can fall off. Something to think about.
Keep in mind, your veterinarian is your best source for health care information for your cat. Whether you have an emergency situation or just a routine question, your veterinarian will be able to give specific advice about your individual cat.
Tiffany April 25, 2012 at 6:39 pm
Recently I had noticed my kitty had been throwing up everyday for several days which is unusual.. I thought mayb he chewed onthe plants I had put in the window so I took them down and he continued to vomit.. He should no other signs of being sick he was still eating playing cleaning himself and not hiding.. I noticed he hadn’t pooped for a day and I brought him to vet because I just knew there was something wrong.. They found with an xray he swallowed a coin and it was in His stomach not intestines thank god! But they were worried it was a penny and pennies are made of zinc which can cause kitty to be anemic and b detrimental to his health so he had to be rushed to animal hospital where they performed an emergency endoscopy to take coin out.. My kitty was a trooper and they pulled out a dime instead of a penny!! He is doing well!! Thank the heavens for that hospital and modern medicine for animals!!the bill was expensive but there’s no price I wouldn’t pay for kitty kat he is my best friend.. So now you know that cats do swallow coins and pennies especially r dangerous for animals!! Cat proof your house!!!!
Catalyst Council April 25, 2012 at 6:43 pm
Thank you for sharing your experience, Tiffany. Hopefully, it will stop someone else’s pet from going through a similar experience!
mo' April 25, 2012 at 7:29 pm
a long time ago i picked up a couple of magnets from my regular vet with the nearest emergency vet info on them. they came in handy the day i was working on my car, spilled anit-freeze, forgot to clean it up when i was done, and let the cats into the garage to explore. got them to the vet within two hours and administered the antidote just in case. it was an expensive lesson (3 days, 2 vets and $2,300 to treat both of them) but well worth it. my little guy has some mild kidney damage. not sure if it’s from the anti-freeze or not, i still don’t know if either of them actually licked any of it. but the anti-freeze wouldn’t have helped! glad i had the number close by, and REALLY glad there’s an emergency vet nearby! the only thing i’d add to this list is be sure you know where your nearest emergency vet is. you don’t want to have to program a GPS or mapquest the directions when your kitty is having an emergency. luckily mine is right next to a wal-mart so it was easy to find. as stressed as i was, i still drove past it once and had to turn around.
Catalyst Council April 25, 2012 at 8:13 pm
Great advice, Mo’. Having those emergency numbers handy and knowing where the nearest emergency hospital is located is a really good idea. Thanks for contributing!