Furbabies
Cat Care Site

First aid following an emergency has three main aims: to keep the animal alive, to prevent unnecessary suffering and to prevent further injury.

Keep calm. Stressing out will not help the situation.

Contact your vet as soon as possible - the advice they give you over the phone could be life-saving for your cat.

Avoid injury to yourself - a distressed or injured cat may scratch or bite.

Control bleeding/haemorrhage - excessive blood loss can lead to severe shock and death.

Maintain an airway - failure to breath can lead to brain damage or loss of life.

Store your first aid kit in a suitable labelled (labeled) container so it is readily accessible in an emergency.

Clean dirty items after use and replace or restock items as needed.

Check the kit every 6-12 months to test everything is still in good working order.

Adhesive tape - 2.5cm wide (1" wide)
Artificial tear gel (to lubricate eyes after flushing with saline)
Betadine solution (dilute 1:10)
Cotton balls or roll of cotton wool
Cotton buds/Q-tips
Dishwashing liquid (to wash the cats skin and coat if it is contaminated by poisons or toxins)
Eyedropper - plastic
Flashlight
Gauze swabs/pads
Gauze bandage - 2.5cm or 7.5cm wide (1" or 3" wide)
Hairball remedy (commercial or white petroleum jelly)
Hydrogen peroxide 3%
Saline eye solution (to flush out eye contaminants)
Scissors
Syringe - plastic - 10mL or 20mL
Teaspoon
Thermometer (digital is best)
Triple antibiotic ointment
Tweezers (forceps)

Carlson DG & Giffin JM, Cat Owners Home Veterinary Handbook, New York: Howell Book House, 1995

Hawcroft T, First Aid For Cats, Sydney: Lansdowne Publishing, 1994

Page S, The Complete Cat Owners Manual, Australia: Readers Digest, 1997

Furbabies Cat Care