Q: What should I keep in a cat first aid kit?

Start a separate Cat First Aid Kit, and check it regularly.

Medical emergencies — with the kids or the cat — make you hope everything you need is in the right place. That’s the veterinarian on the phone, not the pediatrician, and the vet won’t be talking about baby aspirin.

Here is the “Materials and Equipment” part of well-equipped Cat First Aid Kit:

Gauze bandages, 1” and 2” rolls (1 each); gauze dressing pads (8); adhesive tape. 1” roll; roll of cotton wool; triangular bandage; rectal thermometer; cotton balls (6); tweezers.

In the “Medications” section of your Cat First Aid Kit, you should have: 3% hydrogen peroxide; milk of magnesia tablets, 5 gm (10)’ activated charcoal tablets (20); Kaolin mixture; and antibacterial ointments (one type for eyes, one type for skin).

Medications should be used under direction of your veterinarian. Your library should include an easy-to-use manual, such as “Pet First Aid” from the American Red Cross and the Humane Society of the United States. If your local Red Cross chapter offers a class in First Aid for Pets, that’s a good investment of your time.

A normal heart rate (pulse) for a cat is 160-220 beats per minute. Learn where to take the cat’s pulse now, before an emergency occurs.

Thumbs Up: 1 | Thumbs up!