Cat first aid

Kash

Hi API peeps,

My cat (10 years old) has come home with an abrasion on his left shoulder. It's about 2cm square, and he seems to be missing the top layer of skin/fur. It is oozing, but there isn't much blood, and doesn't seem to be deep.

It is causing him discomfort, especially when jumping or licking the area.

I won't be able to take him to the vet until tomorrow, so I was wondering what first aid I could give him in the meantime? (i've cleaned it, but it still has quite a bit of fur in it as he keeps licking more into it)

If it was a person it would need a bandage and antibacterial cream, but i'm not sure if germolene/sudacrem is safe for cats - or how to stop him licking it off!

He's normally an in and out cat - should I keep him in until it heals?

Nody

Keep him in until at least you've seen the vet; beyond cleaning it and giving him a warm spot to sleep, some good food etc. there's not much you can do (cats and dogs get those traffic cones on their head for a reason after all).

Pumpkinseeds

You could give it a gentle clean with a little salt in some warm water. Tepid water not boiling. If you dip cotton wool balls or pads in the water then clean it gently to keep it clean until you see the vet.

Kash

I got a good look at it under brighter lights, its bigger than I first thought, but clearly just the top layer of skin - so painful, but not immediately dangerous.

It's all cleaned now as well as I could, and he's curled up on the couch nearest the stove, after being hand fed his all time favourite food of roast chicken - he's purring away for himself anyway!

Lawrence1895

Pumpkinseeds wrote: »

You could give it a gentle clean with a little salt in some warm water. Tepid water not boiling. If you dip cotton wool balls or pads in the water then clean it gently to keep it clean until you see the vet.

I heard about washing a wound like that with cold and diluted camomile tea would be a good idea.

Pumpkinseeds

How is puss doing today?

Kash

I took him to the vet, as it looked to be getting worse instead of better, and he wouldn't stop licking - sandpaper tongue on open wound, not pleasant!

Turns out the wound continued further under the skin, so the vet has given him some antibiotics to ward off any infection, and a lovely collar for his head. And he escaped it three times in the vets office, so it's tied on and wrapped around belly and legs - he's basically trussed up like a christmas turkey. He's very unimpressed. I've to go back next week, and she'll decide then if it needs stitching, or if it will close on its own.

We've to try keep him as calm and as quiet as possible... and inside. He loves being inside, but as soon as he knows he's not allowed out, well... he's a bit of a Houdini at the best of times.

Loki, the lamp lookalike

Pumpkinseeds

Ahh, he's gorgeous. I remember when one of my cats had to have the cone on, you'd feel so sorry for them, although its for the best. At least your cats cone is fairly transparent and it should be a bit easier for him to navigate his way around, ours was opaque and he was bumping into things for days before he got used to it.

We had to use a bandage threaded through the loops on the cone and tie it to his collar. The antibiotics should do the trick and hopefully your chap won't have to wear it for too long.