It can happen that an animal gets injured, but what are the most common accidental injuries in cats? And what are the possible risks for cats?
It is well known that cats are free and independent animals. They also love to stay indoors but their hunter and explorer instincts are indomitable. Suddenly they leave home and are able to return after days. Wherever they are, however, their impetuousness and curiosity could cause them accidental injuries. You should know what they may be to try to avoid the possible risks for cat.
Accidental injuries in the cat
How many times does our cat go to slip into dangerous situations that, just thinking about it, freezes the blood? So many. Many, however, could happen without looking for them.
Of course, there are such conditions that affect the mood of our cat, make him agitated, leading him to take risky actions.
Hormonal fluctuations, especially during the heat period, can generate a state of stress in the cat: we would see him meow screeching, often run away from home or jump on surfaces that are not very reassuring.
When an animal is highly agitated, it could:
- Cross a busy road;
- Get into tight places and get stuck in them;
- Fighting with other animals;
- Falling from a certain height;
- Get entangled with the collar;
- Swallow objects.
However, even staying in the house cat would be no less curious, where he has eyes, has legs and could:
- Drop a glass object and cut yourself;
- Burn yourself with the hot pot;
- Spilling boiling water on him;
- Drop a heavy object and injure yourself.
Really with our animals you have to be very careful and never let your guard down.
Our homes are not always safe for our cat and we have to think about them all to avoid risks.
Among the most common accidental injuries for a cat we have:
- Wound from a bite from another cat or animal;
- Cuts between the fingers;
- Abrasions;
- Burns;
- Ulcerations;
- Chest trauma;
- Brain trauma;
- Bone fractures;
- Pneumothorax;
- Respiratory or intestinal obstructions.
Surely we could not avoid many accidental injuries to the cat, we should be able to change its nature and deprive it of its being free.
However, the key factor is to act promptly and take the injured animal immediately to the vet.
Possible risks for Kitty and what to do
It is easy that, wandering through meadows and underbrush, the cat can injure himself with a stick or, worse, the needle of a syringe.
The wounds between the fingers are insidious and easy nest for bacteria: if a foreign body gets stuck in the wound, then it could even cause an abscess in the cat.
Yes, the worst risk for a cat is that a wound becomes infected: we may not immediately notice that it has a small bite from another cat and, if not disinfected, the wound becomes fertile ground for fungi and bacteria.
It is precisely because of a bite that FeLV or FIV could be transmitted to our cat : they are in fact viruses that are infected through saliva.
If the cat is injured in a paw, the only way to notice is to observe it: it licks often because it feels pain and, when the wound starts to become infected, it also itches.
In this regard, it is advisable to immediately disinfect the affected area, medicate it according to the doctor’s instructions and apply, for safety, a veterinary sock to the paw.
In this way the wound would be better protected not only from the cat’s saliva but also for further pathogens to colonize it.
One of our biggest fears is always that cat might break into the kitchen and get burned: in this case you really need to run to the vet.
It is hard to think which wound could be more risky for cat: all, if not treated, can involve risks for his health, one serious is septicemia in the cat.
Without a doubt, among the worst there are those due to road investments : traumas can only affect the bones or even the internal organs.
In these cases it is necessary, very slowly, to approach the cat, cover it with something warm, make sure that the head is at a lower level than the body and wait for help.
A cat that has been the victim of an accident is terribly stressed and frightened : it must be reassured but not moved or handled.
Really, cats are sometimes so unpredictable, they throw us off guard and it is not easy to try to budget their actions to limit the risks.
It also happens that, with the full moon, the cat feels as if he feels such a state of agitation that he can no longer control itself.
When this happens, it is better to keep the cat indoors and prevent it from coming out: the risk of it being run over or fighting with other animals would be too high.
At home it would be better to keep glass objects or mirrors out of his reach : if he jumped on them he could seriously injure himself.
Another thing to pay attention to is the collar around the cat’s neck : often due to its habit, the owner also ties a bell to it.
Well, it is not to be done: the continuous tinkling would stress the cat so much, it would lead him to run madly, risking that he gets stuck and tears his neck.
Anything that is not necessary for the well-being of the cat should be avoided. And if we wanted to have a house like a big bulletin board full of wedding favours then we couldn’t have a cat.
The greatest risks of cat suffocation are due precisely to the ingestion of jewels or various and colored objects: let’s not forget how curious this animal is.
If the cat, fortunately, did not suffer fatal injuries, it means that the veterinarian was able to treat him: however, our attention during the healing phase is equally important.
If the doctor were to prescribe antibiotics to the cat, for example, it would be up to us to administer them in the right way and at the right dose.
It is also advisable to ask the vet to explain how to disinfect small accidental wounds and to have a veterinary first aid kit at home.
We know how important first aid is and this applies both to us and to our beloved Cat.
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