# is Aloe Vera gel safe to use on cat's skin?



## shortandfurry (Jan 30, 2013)

The title says it all really, is it ok to use aloe vera gel on Jasmine's bare skin?
This one for example?

Her wound is closed up and healing well, really flattened out and dry now the stitches are gone. She's still a bit itchy in places though, mostly bits where she'd previously licked herself raw, and as soon as we take her bodysock off she does it again! Obviously we're not going to keep her clothed forever so anything that helps soothe and heal the skin is a good thing.
The tea tree cream was not a big success, it stinks so she runs a mile as soon as the jar is opened, and it's very sticky. I'm not keen on her licking that stuff either.


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## Britt (May 18, 2014)

Did you try Homeoplasmine? I used it on my horses years ago.
I use aloe vera on my skin but I don't know if you can use it on pets.


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## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

shortandfurry said:


> The tea tree cream was not a big success, it stinks so she runs a mile as soon as the jar is opened, and it's very sticky. I'm not keen on her licking that stuff either.


Tea tree oil is toxic to cats, as are Aloe Vera plants so I'd not be using either.


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## shortandfurry (Jan 30, 2013)

OK so to save me starting another thread for basically the same thing .....

Jasmine has a raw patch on her shoulder that she will not stop licking. We're starting to let her outdoors now but since she hates being on a harness so much we're just letting her wander under supervision - but I won't let her wander around with a jumper on in case she gets caught on something. I am putting her jumper back on again overnight and at the moment, when she's indoors and the catflap is locked.

I think she keeps licking this one bit because it's between her gob and the area of the scar at the _underside_ of her shoulder where there's still a few scabs clinging and presumably that's still itchy but she can't actually reach it, so she licks where she can. Then of course the raw bit will be itchy itself as it's trying to heal, so she licks it more!
When I look up excessive grooming or cats licking themselves raw, all I find is stuff about allergies and stress - nothing whatsoever about how to treat that area of skin!!

I know I can safely bathe it with salt water, and she can't get to it with a jumper on, but other than that is there ANYTHING I can do to stop her licking it and speed up healing?

I've got coconut oil, emu oil (both of which she loves and licks off), Johnson's pet tea tree skin calm cream and spray (which she hates and I don't like her licking it), aloe vera gel (which I'm not sure about) and antiseptic cream for humans. Plus various dry dressings and bandages, none of which really stay in place because it's an awkwardly shaped high-movement area.
I don't have a cone of shame because I think it would freak her out and might hinder her hop-along style of getting around - plus she can scratch the same area with her back leg anyway.

Helllllllllllp!! :Banghead


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## shortandfurry (Jan 30, 2013)

I've put a bit of aloe vera gel on Jasmine's raw bit and put her jumper back on so she can't lick it. I'll give her a wash with warm salt water and a soft cloth when hubs is home from work to help me (he starts too early to do it in the morning).

I need to get a better look at the remaining scabs on the front of her wound, I suspect they're just clinging to her fur and if that's the case I'll try to gently tease them off. She lies down on it when I try to look  so again I need a helper.


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

I would never use tea tea and am uncertain about aloe vera.
Woody always seemed to find Colloidal silver soothing when his skin was itchy


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## shortandfurry (Jan 30, 2013)

Another step back this morning - I stupidly took J's jumper off to have a look at how her raw bit was doing and she ran off - she's still fast and slippery when she wants to be! By the time I found and retrieved her (no more than 5 minutes) she'd gone and licked it damn near bloody :Banghead

So now she truly has a patch of rawness on her shoulder, I'm putting nothing on it at all. It'll get cleaned with salt water, dried, and kept covered and that's it.

For the record, I'm not using neat tea tree essential oil, I never would, it's this stuff which is meant to soothe upset skin on cats and dogs. Although the spray does say not to put on broken skin.

.... colloidal silver eh? What strength would you recommend @Paddypaws ?


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

carly is the expert on Colloidal silver, but I think the one I use is this one
http://www.colloidalsilveruk.com/


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## shortandfurry (Jan 30, 2013)

Paddypaws said:


> carly is the expert on Colloidal silver, but I think the one I use is this one
> http://www.colloidalsilveruk.com/


Perfect, thanks


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