Featured

Stop, play, paws and rewind

A special friendship

Every day – at the same time – she waits for him. He comes… and they go for a walk…together 🙂

Ara Centauri

Hi, my name is Ara. I’m what you cat people refer to as a Torbie… and I got torbie-tude! For more info about me CLICK...

Semiramis

She’s Semiramis. And I’ll give you the story behind it. We wanted an Egyptian name, but Bast wasn’t quite cutting it, it doesn’t lend itself well to cuddly calling (or at least, that’s what we thought then). And earlier cats in our families had used up a lot of the Egyptian queen names. However, there’s a great hotel in Cairo named Semiramis (and it saved us one day, when we were walking across the bridge from Gezira island, and noticed a tummy explosion approaching), and she was a fabulous queen (though not in Egypt, she created the hanging gardens of Babylon). So Semiramis it was, and it fits, she’s definitely got a royal attitude to life. Or Cattitude. And, she just turned 16. Here are the two big cuddlerers in my life – my cat and my son – cuddled up together. Usually either the one or the other or both are cuddling me, but this day my son was worn out, he had a slight concussion, and when he stretched out on the sofa to take a nap, Semiramis jumped up to him. She usually only does that with me, but he’s obviously been approved as he’s calm enough. (And yes, that implies that my daughter is not). I would love to contribute to a cool kitties site, but not right now. Both my neck and right arm is acting up at the moment, so I don’t get as much computer work done as I would like to. But soon, hopefully. By Berte...

An Overview on Wound Treatment for Cats

Steps for Treating a Wound   Cats are just as susceptible to everyday minor injuries as any other animal. Many cuts (lacerations), bruises (contusions), and scrapes (abrasions) are not life threatening and will heal with little treatment. Other wounds can be severe enough to require sutures and more intense emergency care.   What to Watch For   Fresh wounds will usually show some or all of the following:   Bleeding Swelling Missing hair Cut, scraped or torn skin Limping Tenderness or pain   If a wound is not seen when it is fresh, it can become infected. In addition to swelling and tenderness, you may observe the following:   Discharge (pus) from the wound Abscesses (i.e., an accumulation of pus under the skin) and the resulting hole in the skin when the abscess break open and drain Signs of a fever (e.g., lethargy and ears that feel hot to the touch)   Primary Cause   Wounds can come from bumping or hitting hard or sharp objects, avoiding cars, attacks from animals, and other dangers.   Immediate Care   What you can do at home is ultimately up to your cat. Sometimes the only thing you can do is wrap your cat in a towel or put him in a carrier and take him straight to your veterinarian. There are, however, a few things you can do if your cat will let you, especially if it may be a while before you can get to your veterinarian.     If there is bleeding, apply direct pressure to the wound. The wound should be covered with sterile gauze or a clean cloth, and then pressure applied. It may take 5 to 10 minutes for bleeding to stop. Once it does, tape the gauze in place; removing it may remove the clot and bleeding will restart. Check for other wounds. If there is no bleeding and the cut (laceration) or scrape (abrasion) appears minor, try cleaning the wound. Use an antiseptic solution or plain water and gauze or a cloth (not cotton) to gently clean around the wound, and a syringe or similar device to flush the solution over the surface of the wound. Antiseptic solutions are made by diluting concentrated solutions bought at the store that contain either povidone iodine or chlorhexidine diacetate as the active ingredient. Do not use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the wounds, as these will actually damage the tissue. Povidone should be diluted to the color of weak tea; chlorhexidine should be diluted to pale blue. If the laceration is long or deep, or if it is a puncture wound, you can clean around the edges as already described, but do not flush the wound itself. Let the veterinarian do that. Once you have done all that you can, take your cat to your veterinarian.   Veterinary Care   Diagnosis   Your veterinarian will carefully examine your cat and evaluate all wounds that are found. Your cat will also be evaluated for indications of other problems. The cat’s hair will need to be shaved off for proper evaluation. Some wounds may require X-rays. Sedation may also be necessary to accomplish the examination.   Treatment The basic goals of treatment are to prevent infection and speed healing. Different types of wounds require different methods of accomplishing these goals. Most of the time your cat will require sedation or anesthesia to treat the wounds safely and without causing more pain.   Small scrapes and cuts often require nothing more than a thorough cleaning and maybe a little skin glue to hold the edges of the cut together. Long and/or deep cuts require careful cleaning...