Senior Cat Comfort & Care

Your senior cat’s at-home care may include giving them injections. Knowing how to handle needles and the basics for giving injections will make you much more comfortable with the process.

You must always use a new sterile needle for each injection to avoid the risk of contamination. Never touch the needle once the cap is removed. Get a new needle if you accidentally touch it or it meets a surface.

You’ll attach a new needle to the line each time for something like subcutaneous fluids. Take the guesswork out by removing the used needle when the treatment is done and replacing it with a new, capped, sterile needle so it’s ready for the next treatment.

Use caution when recapping needles so you don’t stick yourself. Place the cap on the counter (do not hold it) and then slide the needle into the cap. Once the tip of the needle is safely in the cap, push the cap down to lock it onto the needle.

DO NOT throw used needles into the trash or leave them lying around. Put them in an approved container right away. Once the container is full, be sure it’s securely closed, wrapped in tape, and labeled “SHARPS.” Check your state’s regulations to see if the container can go in the trash.