Anyone who has a cat knows that, due to its curious and exploratory character, it is very easy for them to make a wound or scratch. You should avoid cat fights, as someone is always injured, although this is not an easy task. You should also be well informed about healing a cat's wounds, in case it happens.
You will find that when your cat has a sore, he often licks and scratches that area. Don't worry, it's normal behavior as felines are very clean animals, but this can lead to complications in healing and wound healing. So if you want to know how prevent your cat from scratching a wound, keep reading this PeritoAnimal article where we'll give you some advice.
Steps to follow: 1
It may be that your cat likes to explore or play with others and ends up getting a scratch or a wound, either in play or in a fight. When you detect a wound on your cat, must disinfect it and, depending on its severity, you may have to take it to the vet.
So when your furry friend has a wound it's critical to make sure the wound is as clean and disinfected as possible. You should also do the cleaning and dressing as the veterinarian indicates.
But if you want the wound to heal as soon as possible, it's very important prevent your cat from touching the wound. Otherwise, it will do worse and contaminate the wound, despite your intention to take care of yourself. In case your cat has undergone surgery, it is important to avoid scratching, licking, biting or rubbing the wound in order to heal well.
2 Preventing a cat from reaching any part of its body is an almost impossible task, as they are very elastic. But there are some ways to do this, or at least to avoid direct contact.
For example, one of the most common ways to prevent a feline from scratching a head wound, or to prevent it from actually biting a wound elsewhere on the body, is to Elizabethan necklace. You must measure very well what size collar is needed for each cat and you will have to adjust it as it is likely that the cat will try to take it off more than once.
It's very important to help your feline get used to collaring with positive reinforcement. But if, as the days go by, you see that the collar actually causes problems and stress for the cat, instead of helping it, you should remove it and look for another way to avoid contact with the wound.
3 You can consult with your veterinarian the use of any healing ointment to help speed up the healing process of a wound. This way the cat will suffer for less time.
This helps to speed up the healing process, but it won't prevent the curious feline from scratching or licking your wound. Therefore, it is good that the healed ointment is used at the same time as an Elizabethan paste or other solution. You should clean the wound and apply the ointment as often as the veterinarian indicates.
4 Another very good option is to make a bandage in the wound area. You will need to clean the wound thoroughly, place gauze over the wound and then bandage it. It is always better to ask the veterinarian first and teach him how to be able to change at home as often as necessary.
The problem with this solution is that, for sure, the cat will tear off the bandages if it bothers them. That's why it's good to be always watching. So if that happens, you'll have to clean the wound again and get the bandage back on as soon as possible. As always, it's good to help your cat feel better about the new situation, whether it's an Elizabethan collar or a bandage, you should always use positive reinforcement.
Instead of using a bandage, once the wound is covered with gauze, you can dress the cat with clothes.
5 There are lotions and ointments that serve to relieve itchy wounds in the cats. These are mostly antihistamines or cortisone products to reduce inflammation and reduce itching and pain.
You should consult your veterinarian to find out if there is any lotion or ointment that can help reduce your cat's discomfort. That way you'll get him to scratch a lot less or you'll avoid him scratching completely.
6 Also, it's important to make sure your partner has the clean and cared nails. So even though it is scratched it will do less damage. If you open the wound, with the nails clean and cared for, it will make less dirt and cause less problems.
You should cut your nails with special scissors and make sure they are neat and clean. Although this is not to your liking, you should try to keep your nails like that until the wound is healed. Then you can use scratching again to sharpen them well.
7 The most important thing is to have a review and care routine, for as long as the wound heals. Therefore, you should clean the wound as the veterinarian indicates and re-cover it or put on the Elizabethan collar after doing so. You can also apply ointments that alleviate itching and pain, as well as healing creams that your veterinarian recommends. Try to see that the cat is not constantly trying to remove the bandages or collar, or trying to scratch the wound, positive reinforcement will be essential for this.
With this care and patience, your feline will soon be cured and will be able to return to its normal activities without any collar or bandage to bother it.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.