First Aid for Cats: All about handling an emergency

Many people have first aid kits and emergency plans for their families. It's important to do the same for your cats. Getting organized and prepared now can help to alleviate some of the panic and pain when an accident or emergency occurs.

• Be prepared

If your cat is injured or sick, it's important to seek medical attention immediately.

• Keep the name, phone number, and office hours of your vet on hand.
• Keep the names, locations, and phone numbers of several emergency vets or animal hospitals, in case your cat needs assistance outside of normal vet hours.
• Make sure all family members and caregivers have easy access to this information.
• It's also a good idea to list the phone number for a pet poison-control center, such as the ASPCA's North American hotline: (888) 426-4435. (Fees may apply.)

Even though professional help is the best course of action, there are some things you can do to help your cat before you reach the vet.

The American Red Cross recommends putting these basic supplies in a first aid kit for pets:

• gauze pads
• gauze roll/bandages
• roll of cloth
• thermometer
• tweezers
• hydrogen peroxide
• antibiotic ointment
• cotton swabs
• instant cold pack
• rags/rubber tubing for tourniquet
• a first aid book.

The Humane Society of the United States offers a more detailed list for cat first aid kits on its website.

• Cat stats

Knowing some basic facts about your cat can help you to determine if there's a problem.

• First of all, a cat's body temperature should be between 100 and 103 degrees Fahrenheit. If your cat seems sick, you can try to check her temperature with a rectal or ear thermometer. (But don't be surprised if she won't let you!) Talk to your vet about the best type of thermometer for your cat and how to safely use it.
• A cat's normal heart rate is 150-200 beats per minute. Don't try to find your cat's pulse in her neck. Instead, find the femoral artery by placing your fingers on the inside of the cat's hind leg and sliding your hand upward until the back of your fingers touch the cat's abdomen. Gently move your fingers back and forth on the inside of the hind leg until you feel the blood pulsing. Count the number of heartbeats for 15 seconds and then multiply it by four to calculate the beats per minute.
• CPR and choking

If your cat's heart stops beating, you can use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help keep her alive until her heart starts again or a cardiac defibrillator can be used. Unfortunately, CPR has a low success rate, even when done by a trained professional.

Nonetheless, you should learn how to administer cat CPR from a qualified source to give your cat a fighting chance at those nine lives.

Most cats make that awful hairball hacking sound from time to time, but be aware of signs that your cat may be choking.

She may be choking if you see her:

• pawing at her face or throat
• acting frantic
• trying to cough
• or having difficulty breathing,

If this happens,

• remove her collar
• carefully look inside her mouth
• and remove any foreign objects.

But be careful not to stick your fingers too far into your cat's mouth. Cats have bones at the back of their mouths that support their tongues. Do not grab those bones and pull.

Also ask your vet about learning how to do the Heimlich maneuver on your cat. Do not attempt CPR or the Heimlich maneuver unless you've been trained and know what you're doing.

Having an emergency plan in place will help you to feel that you're doing the most you can do to help your cat in a health emergency.

• Keeping Kitty still

If your cat is hurt, you may need to muzzle or restrain her to protect everyone involved -- including her. Muzzling a cat prevents her from biting at wounds or people and can also calm her down by blocking out visual stimuli. To muzzle a cat, have one person hold her by the scruff of her neck to keep her still. Then you can slip the muzzle over the cat's face so that it covers her eyes. If you're alone and need to muzzle a cat, use one hand to scruff her neck and the other to pull on the muzzle. However, you should never muzzle a cat if she is unconscious, is having trouble breathing, or has a mouth injury.

A safe and effective way to restrain your cat is by wrapping her in a towel or pillow case so that her legs are held against her body. My vet calls this "burrito-ing" the cat. Alternately, you can purchase a product called a Cat Sack that will do the same thing. Restraining your cat in this way makes it easier to transport her and protect yourself from flying claws.

• The three bs

If your cat is bleeding, burnt, or has broken a bone, follow a few common sense procedures. If your cat is bleeding externally, apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or towel. If your cat has sustained burns, apply cold compresses. If your cat has injured her spine, ribs, or hip, gently place her on a stretcher and immobilize her if possible. You can secure a broken leg bone by wrapping the leg with cotton padding and then wrapping it with a magazine, rolled newspaper, towel, or two sticks to form a splint. The splint should extend to one joint above the fracture and one joint below. Secure the splint with tape, but make sure the wrap is not so tight that it constricts blood flow.

• Shock

Like humans, cats can go into shock after a traumatic event. Signs of shock include a weak pulse, shallow breathing, nervousness, and a dazed appearance. To treat shock, keep your cat restrained, quiet, and warm. If she is unconscious, keep her head level with the rest of her body.

Seeing your cat in distress can easily send you into your own state of mental shock. The best thing you can do if your cat is injured is to stay calm, have adequate supplies on hand, and have a plan. Get prepared today.

Jennifer McGuiggan writes about pet care for Care.com. She has a website at TheWordCellar.blogspot.com.