Mary Allen
If a cat has burned its paw, the extent of the injury will depend on the source of the burn, how hot it was, and how long the contact lasted. With a bit of luck, the house tiger will get away with a fright and a hot paw, with bad luck it has suffered a bad burn that needs treatment. You can read here how you as the owner should react in this situation.
First Aid With Cold Water
If your cat has burned its paw, you should immediately cool the affected area under cold (but not freezing!) running water. Soothe your furry friend in a low voice. However, if your pet cannot be held and is scratching and biting aggressively in pain, it is better to go straight to the vet – trying to cool the painful area would only mean more stress for the animal in this case. You could also get hurt yourself.
Step By Step: What To Do If The Cat Burned Its Paw
The following tips will help you through the stressful situation when your cat has burned its paw:
- Cool the paw under cold running water for about ten minutes.
- Wrap a cooling pad in a kitchen towel and hold it against the affected paw.
- In the case of open wounds or if fur or skin is coming loose: cover the injury with a sterile cloth or – even better – a sterile wound dressing from the first aid kit.
- If available: Put a collar on your cat to prevent it from licking the wound.
- See a veterinarian as soon as possible, who will take care of further treatment.
You should completely refrain from creams, healing ointments, and home remedies because the cat would most likely lick them off and thus be exposed to another health risk!
You should also never pierce burn blisters, as this could cause bacteria to get into the wound.
When Do You Have To Go To The Vet?
Clearly: always with burns! In cats, the extent of the burn is difficult to assess and, as with all injuries, it is better to visit the vet more often than not enough so that your fur nose can be treated professionally as quickly as possible. The vet will usually apply a bandage to prevent infection of the wound and prescribe pain medication for your pet.
If you have Bach flowers ready, you can use them to make your pet’s trip to the vet less stressful.