What to Do if Your Cat Is Sprayed by a Skunk

Skunks are native to North and South America and are related to such critters as badgers and otters. Many closely related species are able to create their very own pungent musky odor in their scent glands but skunks are the only ones with the ability to forcefully spray it up to 15 feet.
Cat owners may unfortunately become aware of the discomfort and inconvenience of a skunk spray situation. It may surprise some people to hear that cats also get sprayed by skunks from time to time. The debate on whether or not cats should be allowed to roam outside or not can get pretty heated in some circles and I wont get into the detailed pros and cons of either side in this article.

However if you allow your cat to roam outdoors you should stay aware of things that your cat may encounter that an indooronly cat would not and that includes skunks.
What Is Skunk Spray?
Skunk spray is produced in the anal glands of the skunk and used for selfdefense. It is a yellow oil composed of several different compounds including thiols. Thiols have the ability to bind quickly and strongly to skin proteins and have a rotten egg odor that also causes irritation to the eyes and lungs. When a skunk is scared they can and will spray this liquid directly at whatever is pursuing them.
What Can You Do for Your Skunked Cat?
If your cat gets skunk spray in or near its eyes they may become red and irritated. If this happens you will want to immediately flush your cats eyes out. There are different products available on the market that are safe to use in this way but the best option is an overthecounter sterile eye wash. If you live in an area where skunks are common it

wouldnt hurt to keep some on hand. If skunk spray gets in your cats mouth or nose you may also see such signs as drooling vomiting nausea or sneezing.
Skunk spray can also in rarer cases cause serious and acute anemia in cats. If you are seeing any symptoms of spray in your cats eyes mouth or nose take your cat to the vet immediately. It is also important to keep in mind that skunks like many wild mammals can carry infectious diseases including rabies. You should always make sure your cat is uptodate on vaccines and contact your vet if