© Pelaqita Persians
You never know when an accident will happen or an emergency involving your cat, keeping a cat emergency kit at your home is a good idea. You can put a first aid kit together yourself and buy the items separately or buy one ready-made. If you make one yourself, use a small plastic tub with a tight fitting lid to store the following items:
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Phone Numbers |
Bandaging Materials |
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Veterinary clinic phone number and directions to the clinic |
Square gauze of various sizes (sterile and non-sterile) |
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Emergency clinic phone number and directions |
Non-stick pads |
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Poison control center phone numbers |
First aid tape - both paper (easily comes off of skin) and adhesive types |
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Equipment and Supplies |
Bandage rolls - gauze and Vetwrap |
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Muzzle |
Band-Aids (for humans) |
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Magnifying glass |
Nutritional |
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Scissors |
Rehydrating solution (i.e., Gatorade or Pedialyte) |
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Tweezers |
Nutritional supplement such as Nutri-Cal, Vitacal, or Nutristat |
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Nail clippers and metal nail file |
High sugar source: Karo syrup |
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Styptic powder or sticks, Kwik Stop, or cornstarch |
Medicines ** |
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Penlight |
Wound disinfectant (Betadine or Nolvasan) |
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Eye dropper or oral syringe |
Triple antibiotic ointment for skin |
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Feeding tubes of various sizes (consult veterinarian for proper usage and training) |
Antibiotic ophthalmic ointment for eyes (e.g., Terramycin) |
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Cotton swabs |
Eye wash solution |
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Cotton balls |
Sterile saline |
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Clean towels (cloth and paper) |
Antidiarrheal medicine such as Pet Pectate (should NOT contain salicylates) |
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Rectal thermometer |
Cat laxative in paste form (e.g.; Doctor's Foster & Smith Hairball Remedy, Laxatone) |
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Lubricant such as mineral oil, Vaseline, or KY Jelly (without spermicide) |
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for allergic reactions (obtain dose from your veterinarian) |
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Disposable gloves |
Cortisone spray or cream (i.e., Itch Stop) |
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Syringes (various sizes) |
Ear cleaning solution |
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Needle-nose pliers or hemostats |
Hydrogen peroxide (induce vomiting - only use as directed by a veterinarian) |
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Grease-cutting dish soap (Dawn - original formula [blue]) |
Activated charcoal to absorb ingested poisons (consult your veterinarian before using) |
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Bitter Apple or other product to discourage licking |
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Pet carrier |
** Check the expiration dates on any medication, and replace as needed. |
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Towel or blanket to keep your cat warm during transport (some pharmacies and camping outlets carry a thermal blanket) |
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Cold packs and heat packs (wrap in towel before using) |
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Stethoscope |