Knowing how to give a cat an injection is very important to prevent the animal from becoming stressed. In specific cases, veterinarians are called upon to take action. However, if you need to give your cat injections more frequently, whether for treatment or to treat a chronic illness, this knowledge is even more necessary.
When your cat needs medication, administering it can be a challenge. That’s why it’s important to know how to prepare yourself to act correctly. Want to know how to safely give your cat an injection? Check it out below!
Create a routine to prepare the kitten
Every cat owner knows how important a routine is. Prepare the medicine corner with a den so your cat feels safe. Sprinkle some synthetic pheromone on it to calm him down about half an hour beforehand.
Place the cat in the corner and give it a little sachet so it associates the place with something good. Pet it and just touch the area where the injection will be given. This initial moment is just for it to get used to the new routine.
You need to know where to inject your cat in order to handle the site correctly. This depends on the type of injection, i.e. it varies depending on whether the medication is injected under the skin (subcutaneous) or into a muscle (intramuscular).
Subcutaneous injection is the most common. If you want to learn how to give a cat an injection yourself , ask your veterinarian where to inject the cat. Since there are areas of your pet’s body that are less likely to become inflamed, it’s worth asking for instructions to be more assertive in the process.
Attention! Veterinarians recommend that, in case of intramuscular injection for cats , the owner takes the pet to a professional for treatment. This type of injection requires greater knowledge of the animal’s anatomy.
Sanitize the application site
Now that your cat is used to the medicine corner, it’s time to learn how to give a cat an injection. The first step is to clean the area of the cat’s body that will receive the medication. To do this, take a piece of cotton, soak it in alcohol and wipe it in the opposite direction of the fur.
Distract the cat
All an owner wants is for the animal not to suffer from the procedure, right? In this sense, it is possible to distract the cat to alleviate the stress and pain that the injection can cause. All of this is part of learning how to give a cat an injection correctly.
Give your cat a little more of the sachet just before the injection. While he eats, move the area where the injection will be given. During this process, the cat will begin to tolerate the snacks and pay attention to the treat, allowing you to insert the syringe.
Still unsure? Start by training the application
It’s completely understandable that first-timers may feel insecure about giving a cat an injection . If that’s your case, how about giving it a little practice before getting your hands dirty?
Cats’ skin offers a certain amount of resistance, so it is important to know how much force you need to use to pass the needle through it. To simulate this, choose a piece of cotton cloth and fold it in half twice. Now, take the syringe, as if you were going to give the cat an injection.
“Apply” the injection to the folded cloth. The force you used to do this is similar to the force you would use to pass the needle through the cat’s skin. Since the injection is subcutaneous, you need to insert the syringe at an angle of between 5º and 10º in relation to the pet’s body — a greater angle could affect the muscles.
Subcutaneous injection step by step
Check out the step-by-step guide below to give a subcutaneous injection to a cat . Before anything else, stay calm. It is essential to reassure your pet at a time like this. Here’s how to do it:
- locate the area indicated by the vet. Pinch it and offer a treat;
- Hold a piece of the pet’s skin between your thumb and index finger. The needle should be inserted almost parallel to the cat’s body, avoiding unwanted punctures;
- You don’t need to put the entire needle into the skin. If you feel it under your fingers, that’s enough;
- To inject the medicine, continue holding the pet’s skin with your fingers and press the plunger all the way down with your thumb.
The injection speed can be as fast as possible. If it were administered intravenously, the speed would depend on the medication. However, there is no danger on the skin. In fact, the sooner it is over, the better for the cat.
The application of medication takes around 30 seconds, between cleaning the skin and removing the needle. In the case of subcutaneous application of serum, the procedure takes around 5 minutes.
After application, if your pet doesn’t run away, try to compress the area with cotton to prevent the medicine from coming back up. Pulling the skin and shaking it a little helps reduce reflux, which occurs mainly with serum.
Did you enjoy learning how to give a cat an injection? Only do the procedure if you are comfortable and confident enough. Otherwise, you can take your cat to one of the Petz stores: the veterinarians at our Seres Veterinary Center will administer the injection quickly and easily for you and your pet!