If Your Cat is Sprayed by a Skunk
The first thing to do if your cat has been sprayed by a skunk is to check for any signs of injury or scratching. Skunks carry rabies so any injuries mean a trip to the vet or at the very least a phone to ensure that all rabies jabs are up to date, and there is no chance of your cat contracting this fatal disease. Eyes and ears are often the places that skunk spray is aimed at and therefore often take a nasty hit, so using a damp cloth or baby wipes, wipe both areas clean. If eyes look particularly red or watery, you should seek medical attention from the vet as it is highly likely your cat is in pain. Skunk spray in the eyes is very unpleasant and painful.
The smell of skunk spray is also very unpleasant, so you will want to be rid of it as soon as possible before it totally permeates your home. Tomato juice works well (and is totally natural of course). Rub a large amount into the fur and leave for at least five minutes. Rinse the tomato off in the bath or shower and then give your cat a wash with his normal shampoo. If the smell is lingering, repeat the whole process again…tomato juice, leave, rinse, shampoo. Any lasting smell will disappear after a few days on its own, so as long as it is bearable you don’t necessarily need to keep washing your cat.
Other potions that people swear by are mixing one quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup of baking soda and a teaspoon of dishwasher detergent (that doesn’t contain bleach or ammonia) and rub into the cat’s coat instead of tomato juice.
There is also a nifty trick for ridding the house of the smell. Take a microwaveable bowl and place one cup of vinegar in it as well as some cloves and some cinnamon. Heat up in microwave until it is very hot. Leave to cool for 15 minutes of so and then place the bowl where the smell is worst. This works as a very powerful but natural deodorizer.
Although not life threatening, getting sprayed by a skunk is a very unpleasant experience for a cat and should be dealt with as quickly as possible. If your cat appears to be in discomfort over the following days, seek medical attention from your vet.
