The 5 Most Common Cat Injuries

Cat injuries are are common, and some are bound to occur if you don't take the necessary precautions. Here are five of the most common cat injuries. 

1. Torn Nails

Torn nails on a cat are a common injury that can be very painful, but not usually life-threatening. A torn nail may initially look like he or she has blood on a paw, which may be licked, and the cat may be limping. This type of injury can sometimes be treated at home if the cat is willing to accept one’s care. However, an infection can develop if the wound is not treated properly. 

2. Insect Bites and Stings

Insect bites and stings can be just as painful for cats as they are for humans. If a cat is stung, one should remove the stinger from the cat with tweezers and apply a cold compress to reduce any swelling. 

A number of items can help soothe the pain or itchiness from a bite or sting: a mixture of baking soda and water, milk of magnesia, an oatmeal paste or bath, aloe vera or ammonia topped with hydrocortisone.

Some cats may be allergic to insect stings. If a cat is stung on the face, watch for swelling. A cat may not be able to breathe if the swelling is significant. If a cat is bitten by a poisonous spider, take him or her to the nearest veterinary hospital immediately for treatment.  

3. Snake Bites

Cats, being curious creatures, may want to check out a new animal without the other party’s consent. Sometimes that other party is a snake that will bite the cat.

When a cat is bitten by a snake, one will see swelling right away and the biteif the snake is poisonouswill prove to be fatal within half-an-hour if immediate treatment is not sought.  

4. Punctures

Puncture wounds in cats most often occur when a fight has taken place or when a cat has come in contact with a pointed object. These types of wounds need to be washed thoroughly and have an antibiotic ointment applied to them. Without the proper care, the punctured site can become infected and oral antibiotics will need to be given to the affected cat.  

5. Eye Traumas

A cat can sustain eye trauma when an object, blunt or sharp, enters a cat’s eye. This type of injury usually occurs if a cat gets in a fight with another cat, comes in contact with branches or thorns, toys with jagged edges, or an object that was airborne hits a cat’s eye. 

A cat with eye trauma may blink a lot, squint, produce a lot of tears and even bleed from the eye affected.

Cats are prone to injury; hence the saying about them having nine lives. Injuries, however, need to be taken care of quickly and properly to help ensure a cat lands back on his or her feet in no time.

 

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