First Aid for Cats by Dr Justin Wimpole

Author:Dr Justin Wimpole [Wimpole, Justin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: First Aid for Cats
ISBN: 9781741104752
Publisher: New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd
Published: 2009-09-22T07:00:00+00:00

Carefully feeding a cat with a syringe.

Cats love to play with string, sewing thread, wool and ribbon. Sometimes cats will ingest this, which can cause a serious problem because it can cause the intestines to become bunched up on themselves, which can lead to an obstruction. The string can eventually cut through the intestines, causing leakage of intestinal contents into the abdomen. This can be life threatening. Sometimes sewing thread that your cat has ingested will have a needle attached and this can be even more serious. If you suspect that your cat has ingested some string or ribbon, you should take it to your veterinarian, especially if it is vomiting or unwell. If your cat has a string or thread coming out of its mouth or anus you should NOT pull on it as this can cause internal injury. Instead take your cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible. Also do not cut any string that is exiting from your cat’s mouth or anus as this can make its removal more difficult for your veterinarian. You should discourage your cat from playing with string, ribbon or thread and keep these items out of your cat’s reach.

If you feel that the vomiting or diarrhoea is not or not yet an emergency, the best thing that you can do is to feed your cat a bland food such as lean boiled chicken or a commercial feline gastrointestinal diet available from your veterinarian for 3–7 days. If your cat continues to vomit or have profuse diarrhoea despite being fed only a bland food or if it is not interested in food, you should take it to see your veterinarian. I do not recommend that you fast your cat for prolonged periods, because cats require a constant source of nutrition; they should not be fasted for more than 12–24 hours.

If the problem seems to have resolved, you can then gradually reintroduce your cat’s normal diet over the next seven days.

Other treatments for vomiting and diarrhoea should only be used if they are specifically prescribed by your veterinarian.

Vomiting can also cause a problem if your cat is on regular oral medication. This is because when a cat is vomiting you cannot be sure that it is receiving its medication. This may be especially dangerous if your cat has a heart condition. So if your cat is vomiting and has a life-threatening condition requiring long-term oral medication, you should take it to a veterinarian as missing even one dose may be dangerous. Your veterinarian may be able to give the medication or an alternative medication as an injection rather than orally.

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