First Aid Kit

• The most important contents are telephone numbers:

Family veterinarian: The Cat Clinic of Stillwater 405-377-2287

Emergency Service: Oklahoma State College of Veterinary Medicine  405-744-7000

Poison control: 1-888-426-4435 (charged a fee per case)

• Towel, blanket and leather gloves – even a docile cat will bite/scratch when hurt/scared

• Carrier for safe transport to the hospital

• Gauze or small clean cloths

• Latex gloves

• Forceps/tweezers to remove foreign material or parasites (thorns, ticks, etc.)

• Sterile saline to rinse wounds or flush eyes

Rule #1:  Protect yourself.

If you are hurt, your cat will not get the needed care.  Never put yourself in the middle of a cat fight or cat and dog fight, put your fingers in a choking cat’s mouth, run into a burning building, or touch an exposed electrical cord. 

Rule #2: Keep your cat calm.

Always approach a hurt cat slowly, and speak calmly while gently wrapping him/her with a thick blanket or towel and place in top of an opened carrier, box or basket.  Do not attempt first aid until your cat is calm.  Bleeding will decrease and breathing will improve when a cat is quiet.

Bleeding: Using sterile gauze or clean cloths, apply direct pressure over the wound. Do not remove the gauze to check the wound as this will disrupt the blood clot and prolong bleeding.

Bite wounds:  Saline or water may be used to rinse debris from the wound.  DO NOT use hydrogen peroxide! Wrap any large open wounds with a clean cloth to keep them clean. 

Fractures: Gently wrap your cat in a thick blanket/towel, avoid putting pressure on the injured area, and place him/her in a carrier.

Seizure: Move away all objects that might hurt the cat.  Do not attempt to pick up your cat or restrain him/her while they are seizing. After the seizure stops, keep your cat warm and quiet and contact your veterinarian.

Choking: Protect yourself first – choking pets are usually frantic and more likely to bite.   You may be able to clear the airway by removing the object with pliers or tweezers; just be careful not to push it further down the throat.

Heat stoke: Move your cat out of the sun.  Apply a cool wet cloth to foot pads, ears and belly.

Toxin exposure: (Ingestion) Call poison control and your veterinarian immediately and provide information about the exposure (name of product, how much consumed, time and date of exposure). Do not induce vomiting unless instructed to do so.

Toxin exposure: (Skin or eyes) Check the label of the product and follow instructions for washing with soap and water or flushing with water.

Taking appropriate action immediately after an accident might save your cat’s life.

It is just as important to know what not to do as it is to know what to do since inappropriate actions could make a bad situation worse.

• Do not give human medications

• Do not induce vomiting

• Do not put ointment on burns

• Do not put hydrogen peroxide on deep wound

Emergency treatment and first aid should never be used as a substitute for veterinary care, but being prepared can make the difference between life and death.