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2-day-old kitten with open wound: What to do until vet visit?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | 2 days old

I have a two day old kitten that appears to have a small open wound on its side, what should I do while I wait to take it to a vet tomorrow?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 28th, 2016

The main concern is to keep it clean and free of infection. You can lightly trim the hair around the wound and then do a thorough clean of the area with iodine diluted 50:50 with warm sterile water or chlorhexidine solution 3%. Then leave the area alone until Newborn can see the vet on tommorrow. Since your kitten is so young use care not to introduce cold water because kitten cannot regulate his temperature very well. And it is best to use gloves when handling kitten as well.

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    Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

    Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

    Published on

    Until you can get to a vet, I would make sure the kitten is someplace warm and dry. You can gently clean the area with a warm washcloth and some soapy water if needed. There are no over-the-counter meds that would be safe for a kitten this young, so he will need to see a vet for an exam and possibly antibiotics as soon as possible.

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