The cat’s tongue is a cat’s most versatile tool. In addition to the obvious function of eating and tasting, you’ll also notice your cat using that tongue to clean itself. Cats also tend to lick their wounds, which begs the question, why do cats lick their wounds and should we let them? Cat owners worry that when their pets lick their wounds, it will interfere with the healing process, much like scratching an insect bite and making it worse. This concern and others are real and should be considered as your cat heals from a wound.
Wildlife care healing sprays can help your cat’s healing process. this article covers:
- why cats lick wounds
- Is it safe for cats to lick their wounds?
- how to prevent your cat from licking the wound
why do cats lick wounds?
If you’ve ever seen your cat’s tongue or felt it lick you, you know that a cat’s tongue has light barbs. that rough tongue is great for cleaning, as it can pick up and remove debris in their fur. As everyone knows, it’s important to keep a wound clean, so licking has its advantages. Additionally, cat saliva contains compounds that can aid the healing process. Some compounds contained in the cat’s saliva, such as opiorphin, peroxidase, lactoferrin and thrombospondin, act as analgesics and antibacterials. In conclusion, cats lick their wounds because that is their way of cleaning the wound and comforting themselves.
should I let my cat lick its wounds?
The problem is that cats tend to be overzealous about licking. they can lick and cause more discomfort in the long run. if it’s stitches they’re licking, they may be satisfying an itch, but there’s also a chance they’ll undo all the good vet’s work and reopen the wound. Plus, as good as all the healing compounds are in a cat’s mouth, there are harmful bacteria that go along with it, too. If your cat licks a wound, it can cause the wound to become infected, which is never a good thing.
Your cat is likely to interfere with the healing process, making for a much longer and more difficult road to recovery than it should be. Because of all the risks involved with just a few licks, cat owners are generally advised to prevent the cat from licking the wound. The next problem is how to keep your cat’s tongue away from the affected area.
how to prevent cats from licking the wound
To ensure the healing process goes well, you may need to sacrifice your cat’s comfort for a short period of time. The reason is that your cat is stubborn in licking that wound, and you will have to do a lot to make sure that he can’t do it. There are many types of wounds and they can be anywhere on the body, which means there are many methods you can try to avoid any interference from your cat’s tongue.
Elizabethan collar
The Elizabethan collar is often tried first, as it is effective at keeping the cat’s tongue away from most of the cat’s body. Unfortunately, your cat probably won’t take the cone of shame very well. many cats once put them on their owners go to great lengths to get them out of their minds. It can make some cats nervous, anxious and angry, causing them to move when they should be trying to stay still to let a wound heal. so if your cat has a reaction like this, don’t force it. If your cat doesn’t calm down after a while, you may need to give up the Elizabethan collar.
However, if you can get your cat to tolerate it, it will be much easier for her to avoid licking. With the Elizabethan collar, you won’t have to constantly watch your cat. make sure you get the right type of collar for it to be effective, which means it needs to be long enough that your cat’s head can’t reach it. be sure to fit it tight enough around the cat’s neck so that it cannot be pulled off. hopefully your cat will only need the Elizabethan collar for a few days.
bandages
You can try bandaging the wound to prevent the cat from licking. bandaging can be done from a purchased bandage or from an old towel. it should be wrapped lightly so as not to suffocate the wound, but tight enough so that the bandage stays on. a bandage may not be enough to stop your cat, as it may try to bite and lick the bandage. If you want to go a step further, you can try a cat licking deterrent. these sprays coat a bandage and give it a bad taste so your cat won’t want to put its mouth near it.
Overall, cat licks aren’t bad, and are actually helpful! however, when dealing with a wound, it is better to prevent the cat’s licking from interfering with it. When a cat experiences an uncomfortable and painful wound, he will lick himself too much and it is your responsibility to step in and make sure he doesn’t make the wound worse.
