Cat First Aid and Emergency Care

                                                                                         

Cat owners are sometimes faced with emergency situations involving
their cats without the presence or guidance of their
veterinarian.  Animals can get sick or require first aid any
place at any time. If you as a cat owner have the knowledge of basic
pet first aid, then the care, treatment and prognosis for your pet will
improve significantly. The following is a list of guidelines you can
use when presented with an injured or ill pet. 

Breathing Problems
Brain damage can occur if breathing is interrupted.  It is not
recommended you waste valuable time performing artificial respiration
or CPR on your cat unless you are positive you can administer them
expertly to restore normal breathing and heartbeat.  It is
much safer to seek immediate veterinary care.

Broken Bone
Never try to set a broken bone yourself. Control bleeding, if any, and
restrict your cat s movement while transporting her to the
veterinarian.

Choking
Open the cat s mouth by pressing on either side of her jaw to see if
the object is visible.  Do not tilt the head backwards. Use
tweezers to remove obvious obstruction.  You may use your
fingers also but be careful of being bitten. If the object is not
visible do not poke inside her mouth since this may cause the object to
become lodged further. Instead, hold the cat upside down and press
sharply on her chest with both hands. Even if you remove the object
your cat should be checked by the veterinarian  for any damage
to the mouth or throat.

Electric Shock
Playful cats, especially kittens that are teething, may chew on
electrical cords and this can lead to electric shock. 
Electric shock can produce burns on the tongue, palate, lip folds and
corners of the mouth.  Your cat may salivate profusely or have
problems breathing. Never touch an animal that is touching an exposed
electrical wire. Turn off the current then use a dry stick to get your
cat away from the wire. Get veterinary help as soon as possible.

Eye Injury
For all eye injuries, take your cat to the veterinarian promptly. Do
not let your cat rub her eyes. Do not place medicine in your cat's
eyes, unless instructed by your veterinarian.

Frostbite
Your cat can suffer frostbite on her ears, feet and tail. Symptoms
include: pale, glossy skin which then reddens and becomes painful to
the touch. Immediately take your cat into a warm place. Thaw out
frostbitten areas slowly by applying, moist towels that are changed
frequently. Continue until areas become flushed. Check with the
veterinarian to the severity of the frostbite since it can result in
damage to the affected areas.

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Idham Effendi
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