Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean a Cat Wound?

Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean a Cat Wound? When you own a cat, you almost always have experienced a nick or a scrape. Just like there can be other cat scraps and misadventures that might result in injuries, as your pet owner, you know that you want to be there to tend for wounds and care.

You might instinctively go to pull out the classic, generic brown bottle that’s known as an old classic human, and you might assume your going to clean and sterilize that gash. However, I’m here as a vet to provide that this will the most frequent of errors pet owners commit in regards to their cats injuries.

The long and short of the matter, in short: No, do not put hydrogen peroxide on a cat wound. What makes sense for us as a go-to for human-wound hygiene should be totally avoided on your precious kitty’s delicate tissue.

Can You Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean a Cat Wound?

The Danger of Hydrogen Peroxide for Cats

Hydrogen peroxide is a mild oxidant. When placed on a wound, you will notice that hydrogen peroxide will fizz or bubble. While you may see this effervescence as a beneficial cleaning agent (in fact, it can be used to mechanically clean other animals wounds by other cats and dogs), for cats, this activity more than likely will hurt more than help.

Damages Healthy Tissue and Delays Healing

The main reason why vet’s warn away from hydrogen peroxide is that it’s not friendly to your tissue. While yes it will kill bacteria on the outside of the wound, the chemical is not selective and will wreak havoc on the cells and fibroblasts needed for your wound to heal. All that this process really achieves is delay wound healing and increase the risk of your cat developing the issue.

Risk of Severe Toxicity if Ingested

Cats groom themselves frequently. They will most likely attempt to lick a wound if you or some other person has applied hydrogen peroxide on it. Once a cat has ingested hydrogen peroxide it can cause health problems that are very serious, like inflammation in and ulceration in their throat and stomach and their intestines.

It has even been proven that it could cause death for intestinal bleeding.

Hydrogen peroxide: is commonly used at vet practices to trigger the vomiting reflex of dogs but one should never force a cat to vomit.

It Stings and Is Painful

Not to mention hydrogen peroxide will stung the crap out of Fido when you put it on. Unlike the newer kitty friendly antiseptics, this product can bring your pet much suffering when they are in so much already.

What’s in Your First Aid Kit May Not Be Right for Your Cat?

Scientific research even suggests that cats may be more susceptible to the harmful oxidative effects of substances like hydrogen peroxide. One study found that cat red blood cells are more vulnerable to oxidant-mediated injury than those of humans or dogs .

How to Properly Clean a Cat Wound at Home?

If your cat’s injury is superficial and doesn’t pose an urgent threat, you can apply some first aid in the comfort of your own home. But know that any injury (particularly a bite, a “puncture wound”) must be treated as a veterinary emergency because the wound can close before bacterial infection gets into it to cause a painful abscess.

Also Check: Why is My Cat Poop Watery and Foul Smelling?

Step-by-Step Safe First Aid for Minor Wounds

Stop the Bleeding: If the wound is bleeding, apply firm pressure with a clean, dry cloth or sterile gauze for several minutes until the bleeding stops .

Trim the Fur: Carefully clip the fur away from the wound using blunt-nosed scissors. This will help you see the wound clearly and keep the area clean .

Flush the Wound: One of the most effective ways to safely clean your cat’s wound is by flushing the site gently. You may flush the area with one of these safe and effective cat antiseptic solutions:

• The Saline solution: is very effective as it includes antibacterial components. It also feels like a very soothing and kind remedy. You can make your own by dissolving ½ teaspoon of salt into 1 cup of boiling water. Allow the solution to cool completely before using a syringe (without a needle) to flush the wound .
• Diluted Chlorhexidine: A 2% chlorhexidine solution is a highly effective and safe antiseptic for cats. It must be properly diluted according to the product’s instructions before use .
• Diluted Povidone-Iodine: This is another safe option, but ensure it is diluted to the color of weak tea before applying to your cat’s skin .

Pat Dry: Gently pat the area dry with sterile gauze. And skip any use of cotton balls or cotton wool, as the fibers will cling to your sore and potentially increase irritation .

Stop them from Licking the Wound: Licking of the wound is detrimental for cats, as bacteria on their tongue is a serious risk and may infect the injury to a severe degree. An Elizabethan collar (e-collar, or “cone”) is the most effective way to do this .

What to Avoid When Treating Your Cat?

What is important is also knowing what not to do. Never use these on your cat’s wounds:

• Rubbing Alcohol (Isopropyl): Extremely irritating and toxic to cats .
• Tea Tree Oil: Highly toxic to cats, even in small amounts .
• Soaps or Shampoos: Can be irritating and don’t have the right properties for open wounds .
• Phenol-based Disinfectants (e.g., Dettol): These are extremely toxic and potentially fatal to cats .
• Witch Hazel: It may be skin-irritating and is inappropriate for wounds that must be cleaned and protected against infection.
• Any antiseptic undiluted: Be sure to check the instructions as antiseptic comes in a variety of strengths; always use at the appropriate dilution.

When to See a Vet Immediately

You may be able to deal with small scrape-sized wounds from home, but most scrapes, cuts and scratches in your cat’s skin are a job for your vet. Your cat’s wound needs immediate vet treatment if:

• The wound is deep, large, or a puncture wound (like a bite) .
• Bleeding doesn’t slow or stop even after several minutes of applying pressure – Wound appears red, warm, swollen, smelly, or has discharge.
• Cat seems overly painful, depressed, have a fever, or no appetite.
• You do not know how severe the injury is.

Conclusion

I know what you’re thinking “but he always gives it to us! What’s the problem?”. But in reality the desire to clean your kitty cat’s hurt comes from love, but it’s still dangerous for cat skin, slows the wound healing, damages perfectly healthy cat tissues and can be lethal when your cat licks some on their own, all because it burns healthy skin.

The best cleaning for your furry buddy’s wound that you can safely do by yourself at home are just saline solution, or some kind of cat antiseptic diluted 1:10 with water (if the antiseptic can be diluted with water and if it’s safe for cat skin – but check with your vet first about specific antiseptics like Chlorhexidine as it’s usually safe but should be diluted 1:20).

When the wound’s surface is just a little broken skin it is not much of danger, but to put it in larger wound is not a smart idea because then you have cat’s body fighting not against the cause of the wound but for healing itself which can prolong the process. But the best thing you can do about cat’s skin damage, is to see a cat. Let your vet worry about his skin. It’s there for a reason and a way for him to protect himself.

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