Cat Emergencies

If your cat’s temperament changes unexpectedly, they are probably telling you something.

Changes in appetite are a classic sign of feline illness, although some don’t simply stop eating. They may just become picky, or switch from preferring dry food to craving only canned.

If your cat is drinking more, he should urinate more. A soaked litter pan or urine accidents outside the litter box are reasons to call a vet.

Repeated vomiting over a 24-hour period is not normal and can indicate a serious infection or intestinal blockage. Chronic, recurrent spit-ups are another concern, especially if accompanied by weight loss, lethargy, or diarrhea.

Bladder problems are quite common in cats. Typical signs include frequent trips to the litter pan, labored or painful urination, or bloody or discolored urine.

The signs of respiratory disease can be subtle. Symptoms to watch for include cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and shallow rapid breathing.

All cats have fish breath; however, an unusually foul odor may indicate a painful ulcer or tooth abscess.

If your feline friend is looking like something they dragged in, there could be a problem.

Weakness, stumbling, falling, head tilt, disorientation, loss of consciousness, and seizures: are all key neurological signs.

A cat who won’t eat often means serious trouble and can cause fatty liver and severe dehydration.

If your car has had nothing to drink in the past 24 hours, despite available water, take the animal to the vet as this cat leads to severe dehydration.

If diarrhea is liquid and/or blood in stool, frequent visits to the litter box, crying or struggling in the litter box, and confined for more than 24 hours should be taken to a veterinarian.

Profound lethargy often manifests as “not moving,” hiding in one room for a protracted period, and not reacting to stimuli (such as the can opener or the dog) in a normal fashion.

If your cat is struggling to breathe in any way, head to the emergency vet. Open-mouth breathing, coughing, panting, and rapid and exaggerated breathing are signs of respiratory distress.

Vomiting itself is not an emergency condition in cats, but many vomiting episodes within a couple of hours can be. Vomiting has many different underlying causes and can result in dehydration if left untreated

Cats may develop abdominal pain for many reasons. If your cat shows signs such as arching his or her back constantly or breathing heavily even when the temperature is normal.

Cats who try to urinate and can’t produce urine or cry in pain when they go to the litterbox as this can be a life-threatening emergency.

Seizures are quite dangerous in cats and should be considered an emergency.

If you know your cat has eaten something toxic, take him to the emergency vet without waiting for signs of poisoning. If you are unsure if it is poisonous, you can contact a veterinarian or a poison control hotline.

If you you know your cat has suffered trauma of some kind, non weight-bearing, cries in pain, or excessively bleeding, this is an emergency.

If your cat suddenly shows signs of paralysis in one or more limbs and is crying this cause be a thromboembolism which is an emergency.

These symptoms are less dangerous but can still be a cause to visit your veterinarian.

If your cat is vomiting more than once a month this is not normal and should be seen by your veterinarian.

If your cat has only one episode of diarrhea you can wait and see if they improve.