The Ultimate Cat First Aid Kit — Essentials Every Cat Owner Should Have

🏠 Why You Need a Cat First Aid Kit

• Quick care can prevent complications

• Many supplies double as human first aid items

🌡️ Must-Have Tools

• Digital thermometer (label for cats!)

• Plastic syringes (2–5 ml) for fluids or medicine

🩹 Basic Bandaging Supplies

• Gauze, cotton pads, paper tape, elastic bandage

• Gentle cleaning with lukewarm water or saline

🧴 Household Medical Mixes

Saline solution 9%

• 100 ml water + ¼ teaspoon fine table salt.

• Boil the water, add the salt and let it cool.

• Pour into a clean, tightly closed glass jar or bottle.

• Refrigerate after cooling.

• Shelf life: Up to 24 hours (best made fresh daily).

• Tip: Always re-boil water and make a new batch if using for eyes or wounds.

Saline can be used to rinse wounds safely. Unlike plain water, a properly made isotonic saline solution (0.9%) has the same salt content as blood, so it won’t sting. You can also use freshly made saline to rinse eyes, but for long-term use, it’s best to use sterile saline bought from a pharmacy. Saline is also great for cleaning noses and has a mild decongestant effect.

Glucose mix

• 50 ml boiled and cooled water + 10 g (2 level teaspoons) glucose or fructose.

• Mix together until everything is dissolved.

• Store in a clean, sealed glass container.

• Refrigerate if not used immediately.

• Shelf life: Up to 24 hours; discard if cloudy or contaminated.

• Tip: Warm to room or body temperature before giving to a kitten (never hot).

A drop or two of glucose solution can give a quick energy boost to kittens that need help regaining strength to suckle. Always give it at room temperature or slightly warmer—never hotter than body temperature.

Oral Fluid replacement:

• 200 ml water + 1 tea spoon sugar + 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

• Boil half the water, add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved, add the other half of the water.

• Store in a sterile, covered container.

• Refrigerate immediately.

• Shelf life: 24 hours, or up to 48 hours if kept chilled and covered.

• Tip: Warm slightly before giving; always discard leftovers after two days.

If your cat has diarrhea or vomiting, fluid replacement can prevent dehydration. Cats typically need 50 ml per day per kilogram of body weight, but this may double during illness.

Offer small amounts frequently—about 4 ml per kilo every hour if your cat can’t eat and is losing fluids. Always serve at least at room temperature, never cold from the fridge.

⚠️ Avoid These

Never use human painkillers (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin) — toxic to cats!

🐾 Pro Tip

Keep your cat’s thermometer, saline, and syringes together in a labeled container