If your cat has a broken paw and you can't go to the vet right away, you need to splint it yourself. Ask someone to help you, because two heads are better than one and four hands are better than two, especially if your "hairy patient" is conscious.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Prepare the Bandages and the Cat
Step 1. Remove all bandages from their packaging
Although it may seem like a minor step, it is actually very important. Cellophane bags are harder to open when at the same time you have to hold down an injured and very angry feline. Once opened, place all the bandages on the table or workstation next to the table itself: this way you can quickly grab them, while you bundle the animal's paw.
It is worth arranging the material in the order in which you will use it. If you are right-handed, you must lay the items from left to right in the following order: cotton wool, gauze bandages, splint, adhesive gauze, cotton balls, final bandage and wide medical tape
Step 2. Prepare the table you will work on
It should be at a comfortable height and should be wide enough to hold all of the material listed above (plus the cat itself). You have to make sure it is a sturdy surface; if it sways or tilts, the animal could become frightened and angry even more, causing the situation to precipitate.
Step 3. Make some rolls of cotton wool
These will serve as padding to be inserted between the toes of the injured leg at a later time. To make them, tear off a quarter of a cotton ball and shape it with your hands to make it thin like a cotton "sausage".
Make four rolls that you will use to keep the cat's claws from injuring the tissues of the other fingers
Step 4. Cut strips of adhesive gauze
This will make the paw wrapping process much easier. Each strip should be long enough to wrap around the cat's splinted paw twice. Make four strips and attach one end to the edge of the table, where you can quickly grab them as you work.
Step 5. Ask someone to hold the animal still
The presence of a helper makes the whole procedure easier and less painful for the cat. If someone is in charge of restraining your feline friend, you can work with both hands free to wrap the cue.
Step 6. Place the animal on the table
When you have found an available assistant, gently lift the injured cat and lay it on the table, so that the broken paw is facing up. For example, if it is the left front paw, have the cat lie on its right side.
Step 7. Hold it still
Don't be offended if he tries to wriggle or bite you. He is in great pain right now and is certainly not as sweet as usual. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance to be especially cautious to prevent yourself or your helper from getting hurt. Ask your assistant to grab the cat by the scruff (the fold of skin at the nape of the neck). This technique prevents the cat from biting and will keep it still; It is also a painless way to hold it back, as cat moms grab their kittens just like this.
If your dog is very aggressive and does not even calm down by the scruff of his neck, then gently place a cloth over his head. This trick should calm him down - and protect your helper from bites at the same time
Step 8. Extend the injured paw
The person helping you should hold the cat by the scruff of the neck with one hand, while with the other, gently stretch the broken limb. The exact way to do this depends on which leg is injured.
- For the front legs, the assistant should place their index finger behind the cat's "elbow" and gently push their hand towards the animal's head to lengthen the limb.
- In the case of the hind legs, the helper should anchor the front of the animal's thigh with their index finger, as close to the hip joint as possible. At this point, he should apply gentle traction in the direction of the tail to lengthen the limb.
Part 2 of 2: Splinting the Cat's Paw
Step 1. Put the rolls of cotton wool between the toes of the paw
To do this, take the "sausages" of cotton wool that you prepared and insert them into the spaces between your fingers. Repeat the process for all spaces. The cat's paw will look funny, but at least you will avoid the claws from sinking into the flesh of nearby fingers when you wrap around the limb.
Step 2. Make the first layer of bandages
This should be applied directly on the paw, to create a sort of padding between the skin and the splint, which will not create too much discomfort. Use your dominant hand to wrap the blindfold. Start at the tip of the paw and work your way up to the body. Place the loose end of the bandage over the cat's toes and secure it by wrapping the paw once. Try to tighten enough to stop the bandage. Continue wrapping the paw in a spiral motion moving gradually towards the animal's body.
Each coil should overlap the previous one for about half of its width
Step 3. Evaluate how tight the bandage is
The compression you exert as you wrap your leg is important. The bandage should be tight, but not too tight. If it were loose it would slide off the leg, but if it were too tight it would prevent blood circulation to the limb. Try to get a bandage that tightens as tight as a tight sock to your leg or as women's tights.
Step 4. Lock the second end of the bandage
When you have carefully adjusted the compression of the bandage and have reached the top of the cat's limb, cut the bandage with a pair of scissors and insert the end into the last coil to hold it in place.
Step 5. Choose the right cue
The best should be stiff but light. You can buy a plastic one, but in an emergency you can improvise it with wooden sticks or another similar rigid object. The splint must be the same length as the broken bone plus another segment for the animal's "foot".
For example, if your cat has fractured its foreleg, you need to splint it from the "elbow" to the tips of your fingers
Step 6. Secure the splint in place
Rest it on the lower part of the bandaged limb. Line up one end with the animal's fingertips. To lock the splint to the paw, take a piece of adhesive gauze that you cut earlier and place it in the center of the splint itself, perpendicular to the bone. Wrap the adhesive strip over the bandage and around the leg, applying some tension so that the splint stays snug against the limb. Repeat the same process by placing an adhesive strip at each end of the stick.
Use the fourth strip to reinforce the splint where you see fit
Step 7. Add some padding between the splint and the leg
It is important that the cat feels as comfortable as possible after all the hardships it has been through. To stuff the splint, take a roll of cotton wool and, just like you did with the first bandage, wrap it around the paw starting with the toes and spiraling towards his body. Remember that each coil must partially overlap the previous one. You can tighten this bandage without fear, as it will tear without resistance if the compression is too much.
Step 8. Secure the end of the batting and add another layer
When you reach the cat's hip or elbow (depending on which paw you are treating) cut the end of the wadding roll. Start over with your fingers and repeat the process until you have applied at least three layers of padding.
Step 9. Add the finishing touches
Once the wadding is applied, you need to add another bandage and finally a layer of wide medical tape. Wrap both using the same technique you have used so far: start with the fingers and work your way up the paw in a spiral motion until you reach the hip or elbow. When finished, cut the bandage and secure it by slipping it into the last loop.
Step 10. Confine the cat in a confined space
The purpose of the splint is to immobilize the broken bone so it can heal. However, even with the splint the animal is able to walk or jump, it could move the bone and delay or even stop the healing process. For this reason, leave it in a small room or in a pet carrier.
