What To Keep In Your Cat’s First Aid Kit

Would you know what to do if your cat came home with an open wound on their head? Or with one eye swollen shut? A designated kitty first aid kit is great for minor bumps and scratches at home, and can even help you keep your cat stable in the event of a serious medical emergency.

Is Your Cat Prepared For Emergencies?
As you’re putting together a first aid kit, you may also want to create an emergency kit in case you ever have to evacuate with your cat. Your cat’s emergency kit should include some shelf-stable cat food, bottled water, collapsible travel bowls, a disposable litter box, extra medications, and a small, portable version of their first aid kit.
The last thing you want to do during an emergency is struggle to get your cat into their carrier. Teach your cat to love their carrier, and it will be a safe space for them. Keep your cat’s carrier in their living space, furnished with a soft blanket. Hide catnip, toys, and treats inside. As cats love safe, enclosed spaces, it shouldn’t take long for your cat to warm up to the idea of hanging out in their carrier.

What To Keep In Your Cat’s First Aid Kit
Cuts, scrapes, and wounds are common in cats, especially those that spend time outside. Cats that roam outdoors often get into altercations with other animals, rub up against thorny plants, and get scrapes from squeezing into tight spaces. Whether your cat spends most of their time indoors or out, it’s a good idea to have supplies to clean and dress a minor wound. Contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to use a harsh disinfectant like peroxide to clean a wound, just use sterilized tweezers and/or scissors to carefully remove debris and hair from in and around it, then rinse with tap water or saline. Apply wound dressing ointment to prevent infection and keep the wound moisturized to promote healing. Then, apply gauze and secure with bandaging tape.
For eye injuries, seek emergency veterinary treatment, as your cat may be at risk for permanent vision loss. While you await care, you can flush the eye with saline solution, if needed, to keep it clean and clear of debris. It’s also a good idea to put your cat in a cone to prevent them from rubbing their eye.
Learn to check your cat’s vital signs so you can gauge the severity of an injury or illness. Keep a designated thermometer in your cat’s kit, along with lubricant, sterilizing alcohol wipes and gloves. Normal body temperature for cats is between 100°F and 102.5°F. Their resting heart rate, on the other hand, can vary from 140 and 220 beats per minute. As you prep their first aid kit, check and write down your cat’s heart rate so you know what is normal for them.
Even the most gentle cats can become difficult to control when they’re sick or hurt. You can include a thick pair of gloves and/or a towel to help restrain your cat and protect yourself against scratches and bites.

Cat First Aid Kit Quick Checklist

• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Gauze
• Bandages/Vet wrap
• Thermometer
• Saline solution
• Wound ointment
• Alcohol wipes to sanitize tools
• Cone
• Liquid Bandage
• Kwik Stop Styptic Powder
• Disposable gloves
• Vaseline or lubricant
• Generic Benadryl
• Extra medication
• Carrier
• Thick gloves or towel
• Cat first aid guidebook
• Vet & emergency vet phone numbers & addresses