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Cat Health 101: How to deal with illnesses and accidents - Part 2: Burns & Open Wounds
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Burns and scaldings are relatively common injuries to cats inside a home. Never leave your cat unattended in a kitchen during or after cooking something on the stove. Cats are curious by nature and may jump onto the hot burner and burn their paws. Or they may knock a pot with hot liquid or worse, a frypan with oil, down and ontop of them. Always make sure when using a deep fat fryer to keep the cord from hanging down over the counter. There are units available that have magnetic breakaway cords to prevent the fryer from being pulled down if someone accidently pulls on the cord. In the summer when you BBQ outdoors you may want to keep your cat in the house to keep her away from the hot grill. Always use caution with candles or incense burners as well; not only can the cat get hurt but it may also start a fire. Small burns that do not appear to be deep and did not break the skin may only require an antibiotic ointment or burn ointment to prevent infection and lessen pain. After a burn injury your cat should drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. If necessary you may need to give your cat water with an eyedropper. For large or deep tissue (2nd and 3rd degree) burns you need to take your cat to the vet right away. In serious cases your cat may go into shock.
Electrocution is another way for cats to suffer potentially fatal burns. Pay attention, especially with a kitten, when your pet is around any electrical cords. Cats are playful and may find a dangling cord an enticing toy to bat at or chew on. A feline that bites into an electrical cord may suffer serious burns in the mouth and/or receive a potentially deadly shock. If your cat has been electrocuted make sure there is no current flowing still. Always use caution and think of protecting yourself, especially if the cat is still attached to the cable. You will be of no help to your pet if you fall victim to the electricity yourself and you may put yourself in mortal danger. The best way to deal with the situation is to cut the power to that area of the house, then put on some rubber gloves and carefully pull the cat away from the cable. If the cat is unconcious check for a heartbeat and wether or not the cat is still breathing. Call a veterinarian immediately!
Cats that go outdoors are more susceptible to injuries requiring first aid than indoor cats. They face additional dangers, such as being hit by a vehicle or suffering bites from other animals such as dogs. While minor cuts and scrapes are the most common and can usually be treated by the owner, more serious or even life threatening injuries sustained in traffic accidents should always be handled by a veterinarian. If the cat is in danger of bleeding to death you can try and administer first aid and then follow up with a veterinarian as soon as possible.
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The first step in administering first aid should always be to check for vital signs and to stop any bleeding if necessary. The wound should then be carefully cleaned with water and hydrogen peroxide and if necessary bandaged. This can be tricky, and if the cat is combative it can pose a danger of personal injury to the owner as well. It is not easy to bandage an injured cat and you may need to enlist the help of another person to hold the cat. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be neat as long as you can manage to get the wound covered and for the bandage to stay reasonably in place until you can get the cat to a vet. Just try and do the best you can. It is best to use a combination of gauze bandages and first aid tape to secure the bandage. Finger bandages work well for injured cat paws and tails. Cats usually don't like being adorned with bandages and will most likely try and rid themselves of them as quickly as possible.
Large or deep, open wounds, internal injuries or broken bones should be treated by a veterinarian. Call your vet immediately so he or she can give you advice on what to do. In some cases the veterinarian may not want you to move the cat unless it is at risk of potentially suffering additional injury or death (if it is on a busy roadway for example). Always be cautious not to put yourself in danger however.
Small surface wounds should be carefully cleaned with Hydrogen Peroxide, treated with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and then covered with a sterile gauze compress and bandage. Sometimes such lighter injuries heal best if left open so they can build a scab. If the wound keeps oozing for a prolonged time and doesn't appear to be healing you should consult a veterinarian.
For more information: First Aid for your cat (has detailed pictures on how to apply bandages)
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