How to Wash a Cat’s Wound

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This article was co-written by Jean Johnson. Jean Johnson is a cat expert and contributor to the blog KittyNook. Jean specializes in cat health advice, how to play with cats, general information about cats and cat breeds.

There are 9 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 81,680 times.

Cats sometimes have minor injuries. They may be scratched during fights or scratched while exploring the neighborhood. If your cat returns home with a puncture, cut, scratch, or more serious wound, you should promptly wash the cat’s wound to reduce the risk of an infection or abscess.

Table of Contents

Choose a solution to wash the wound

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Purchase sterile saline solution. A sterile saline solution (as commonly found in first aid kits) is ideal for cleaning contaminated wounds. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Penn State Extension Go to source} Washing removes bacteria and grit, and a saline solution with a pH equivalent to that in body tissue helps limit tissue damage .

You need to apply a generous amount of saline solution and continue rinsing until the wound looks clean.

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Boil water and let it cool before rinsing the wound. With a dirty wound full of grit and mud, you can use cooled boiled water instead of salt solution to clean the wound.

There is a slight risk of tissue damage when you use water instead of a saline solution: Water does not have the same composition as body fluids, so fluid in damaged tissues is drawn out upon contact. water. However, medical studies have shown that using tap water to wash wounds does not have a large impact on the risk of infection. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Add salt water. Salt water has natural antiseptic properties and is a great prophylactic solution for cleaning cat wounds. To make brine, boil a pot of water, measure out 1 cup of water, and add half a teaspoon of salt. Stir in salt and let cool.

The saline you’ve just mixed is similar to tears and body fluids, so it’s also less damaging to tissues than commercially available disinfectants or unsalted water.

Choose an antiseptic solution

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Buy an antiseptic solution that is safe for pets. There are many disinfectants on the market to wash pets’ wounds, the most common are povidone-iodine and chlorhexidine. Consult your veterinarian if you want to purchase one of these products in case your cat gets scratched.

Don’t forget that not all antiseptics are safe for cats. Products containing phenp are toxic to feline animals. You need to carefully read the drug label to see if the product contains phenp to avoid use. Another sign that a product contains phenp is that the solution will become cloudy when water is added. If in doubt, you should avoid that product and look for another.
With povidone-Iodine solution: dilute 1 ml of povidone-iodine with 100 ml of water. ^{[3] X Manual of Canine and Feline Wound Management and Reconstruction. Fowler and Williams. BSAVA} Use the prepared solution to wash away impurities on the wound.
With chlorhexidine solution: mix 2.5 ml of chlorhexidine with 100 ml of water to obtain the appropriate concentration for wound washing. ^{[4] X Reference Manual of Canine and Feline Wound Management and Reconstruction. Fowler and Williams. BSAVA} Chlorhexidine is the active ingredient in many surgical antiseptics, such as Hibiscrub. This is a pink soapy solution that must be diluted with water. Chlorhexidine is highly antibacterial and has a sustained effect, i.e. it still kills bacteria even after it dries.

Disinfect the wound

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Ask another person to help you hold the cat. Your cat may be in pain or shock after being injured and may scratch and bite when you touch his sore spot. This is true even for ordinary cats who are inherently docile. Therefore, you should try to get a friend or neighbor to help hold the cat so that you can focus on cleaning the wound.

Try wrapping your cat in a large towel and leaving only the wound open. This is a great way to calm your cat and reduce the risk of being bitten by a scratched cat. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Wash the wound with a syringe. Pour the selected wound wash solution into the bowl. Use a syringe to draw the solution and spray it on the wound to wash and clean the wound. Spray several times on the wound until you feel the wound is clean.

New wounds must be washed and disinfected to reduce the risk of infection. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Scratches when your cat is hit by a car or falls from a tree can become contaminated with dirt and bacteria. Thorough washing of the wound to remove dirt will help reduce the risk of complications, such as infection or poor wound healing.

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Use a cotton ball dipped in the solution to clean the wound if you don’t have a syringe. If you don’t have a syringe, you can dip a cotton ball in the solution and squeeze it to get the solution into the wound. If the wound is too dirty and this method cannot remove the dirt, you can dab a cotton ball on the wound to clean it.

After each dabbing on the wound, you need to get a new cotton swab to avoid re-contamination. Continue washing the wound until you see that the cotton pad is no longer dirty, then pour the solution on the wound.
If your cat has an abscess, the wound can ooze quite a bit of pus. Use cotton, gauze or blotting paper to wipe away the pus. Gently press around the abscessed wound, pressing in and toward the tooth mark from which the pus is draining. It is important to remove as much of the pus as possible, as this is a permanent source of infection.

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Use disinfectant. You can use an antiseptic after you have washed away the dirt. Follow the instructions on the package for correct use.

The goal here is to rinse the infected area until you can see healthy and uncontaminated tissue before applying an antiseptic.

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Determine if a bandage is needed. Most wounds should be exposed to air, so don’t try to bandage or cover minor injuries that aren’t serious. However, if the cat keeps trying to lick or bite the wound, you need to bandage it. In these cases, the wound may take longer to heal. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Some people think that licking a wound is a good thing, but a rough cat tongue can actually damage tissues instead of healing.

Wound detection

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Observe the cat for signs of injury. It is important for cat owners to understand their normal behavior. This will help you realize if something is wrong. Observe changes in your cat’s behavior, which include (but are not limited to) changes in eating, movement, and communication habits. ^{[10] X Research Source}

These changes can be a sign of many diseases, including trauma.
If your cat’s behavior or behavior changes suddenly for no apparent reason, take your cat to the vet. These changes could be a symptom of a health problem.

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Look for injuries if you see or hear cats fighting. If you hear a cat scuffle, or your cat limps when you get home, check the cat for signs of trauma. One sign of a fight is tufts of fur sticking together. Look for clumps of fur that look messy or stand up at an unusual angle. ^{[11] X Research Source} Gently examine the cat by parting the cat’s coat and observing the underlying skin.

In addition, you can find hairless spots caused by cats being pulled by opponents when fighting. These places may have wounds. You may also see blood stains or swelling. ^{[12] X Research Source} White or light-haired cats are the easiest to find wounds. For a black cat, gently stroke the cat’s body and observe its response to pain or feel for wounds, bumps, or scabs.

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Regularly check your cat for injuries. You don’t always see cats fighting or see markings in their fur. Therefore, you need to regularly check your cat for injuries. This is especially important if your cat is out and about a lot.

The times when petting the cat is a good opportunity for you to do this. Keeping the cat calm, gently stroke the cat’s body and observe the cat’s skin beneath the coat.
Old wounds can become infected with swelling, crusting, hair loss, and blood or pus oozing from the wound.
Old broken abscesses often have a lot of pus coming out, causing the hair to stick.
In addition, the skin above the abscess will die and leave a large hole through which exposed muscles or tissue can be seen.

Warning

You can wash minor wounds at home and watch for signs of infection. Larger and more severe wounds that penetrate even thick skin or expose underlying structures should be treated by a veterinarian. You should also take your cat to the vet if there is a puncture above the joints due to the risk of bacteria entering the joint and a short course of antibiotics may be required to prevent septic arthritis.

Steps

Choose a solution to wash the wound

Choose an antiseptic solution

Disinfect the wound

Wound detection

Warning

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