When To Seek Emergency Care For A Cat

Accidents that injure cats can happen even with a responsible cat owner. A cat could fall, get burned, get injured in a cat fight, or get hit by a car. Just like humans, cats can become ill and need emergency care. A cat owner should know when to seek immediate veterinary care.

Whether or not a cat appears injured, it should be taken to the veterinarian or animal hospital as soon as possible if it was hit by a car. In such a traumatic event, the cat could sustain internal injuries that are not visually evident. Any such traumatic event requires immediate veterinary attention. If the cat was the passenger of a car that was involved in a car accident, the cat should be seen be a veterinarian even if there are not visible injuries.

If the cat was in a cat fight or sustained a fall from a significant height, it should be seen by a veterinarian. If a cat shows any signs of being paralyzed, the cat owner should seek emergency veterinary care for the cat whether or not the cause is known. Any injury that is bleeding uncontrollably needs immediate veterinary attention.

If the cat loses consciousness, the cat needs to see a veterinarian immediately. If the owner notices that the cat is having difficulty breathing or urinating, the cat owner needs to take the cat to the veterinarian. A cat with difficulty urinating may cry while urinating. The cat should receive emergency medical care if there is blood in its urine or the cat has diarrhea with blood.

If the cat has been vomiting for over twenty-four hours, the veterinarian will probably want to examine the cat as soon as possible. If there is any incident where the cat owner suspects that the cat has been poisoned, the veterinarian should be alerted. If the cat shows signs of dehydration or shock, it needs immediate medical attention.

If the a person suspects that the cat may be going into shock, the cat owner or bystander can press their finger firmly against the cat’s gums for two seconds. When the finger is removed, the gums should return to their natural color very quickly. If it takes more than two seconds for the gums to regain their color, then the cat may be going into shock. Any time the cat owner is unsure of whether or not the cat needs veterinary care, the veterinarian’s office should be consulted. It’s better to err on the side of caution.