Mary Allen
Especially in summer, it can happen that your cat gets an insect bite. The head or paw are usually affected. Read here what you as a cat owner need to watch out for if your cat has been stung by bees, wasps, and the like, and which measures are suitable as first aid.
The risk of an insect bite is of course greatest in cats that are allowed outside. But your house tiger can also be stung if, for example, it reaches for the wrong flying animal on the balcony or when running free. Acting quickly is now important – especially if your velvet paw is allergic to the sting.
How Do You Know Your Cat Has Been Bitten?
Most velvet paws cry out loud when they are bitten by an insect, run away, and want to hide. In this country, cats are stung in most cases by bees or wasps – both are very painful, which is why the animal will withdraw. She will lick, gnaw, and maybe scratch at the affected area. If your kitty’s paw has been pricked, it may limp because the thorn in the paw hurts.
To find out how bad it is, approach your cat carefully. Do not immediately touch the painful area, but gently stroke your cat. Once you have found the spot of the bug bite, check if it swells or how far around the sting the swelling has spread. Depending on how severe the cat’s reaction to the bite is, there are different treatment methods.
The symptoms of an insect bite in cats at a glance:
- Cat screams after sting
- Cat withdraws
- Puncture site swells
- Swelling can spread
How to Recognize an Allergic Reaction
Fast help is particularly important if your cat is allergic to the insect bite. This usually manifests itself in circulatory problems and shortness of breath. However, swelling that extends far beyond the puncture site or the formation of small, fluid-filled blisters can also be signs of this. In this case, go to the vet immediately.
Shortness of breath can also occur in cats without an allergy to insect venom if they have been bitten in the neck area. An insect bite in the mouth, neck, or lip can obstruct the airway, so go to the vet immediately.
First Aid: Treat Insect Bite in Cats
- Check to see if the spike is still in the puncture site. This is often the case after bee stings, for example. Use tweezers to carefully pull out the venom sac. Be careful not to spill the remaining venom from the venom sac as this would cause great pain.
- Cool the puncture site with a cooling pad or a damp cloth after your cat has recovered from the initial shock. If your kitty instinctively licks the puncture site beforehand, don’t worry – the saliva will cool you down a bit.
- If sensitive areas such as the nose or ears are affected, cooling gels are a suitable first-aid measure.
- Calcium in the feed can help with healing.
- Visit the vet as soon as your cat shows signs of an allergic reaction (see above) or the pain doesn’t go away.
Also for the Cat: Homeopathy for Insect Bites
If your cat does not experience any allergic reactions as a result of an insect bite, you can also treat the symptoms yourself homeopathically.
If the symptoms do not improve within 24 hours despite treatment with homeopathic remedies, or if they even get worse, you should definitely go to the vet.