When to take your cat to the emergency vet: the red flags that cannot wait

When to take your cat to the emergency vet right away

Go to a vet or an emergency clinic now if your cat shows any of the signs below. The Merck Veterinary Manual's pet owner guide lists poisoning, severe pain, uncontrolled bleeding, trouble breathing, eye injuries and broken bones among the situations that need emergency care.

• Straining in the litter box and passing little or no urine, especially in a male cat
• Any trouble breathing at all
• A possible poisoning, like chewing a toxic plant, licking up a spilled chemical, or getting into human medicine
• Bleeding that doesn't stop with gentle pressure
• Signs of severe pain, such as crying out or not letting you touch part of the body
• An eye injury, or an eye that's suddenly cloudy, bulging or held shut
• A possible broken bone, say after a fall from a balcony or a high shelf

A cat straining to pee with nothing coming out is an emergency. Don't wait until morning.

Why is straining in the litter box so urgent?

Because it can mean the urethra is blocked, and a blocked cat can die quickly. The Cornell Feline Health Center calls urethral obstruction an absolute emergency requiring immediate veterinary treatment, and it says death may follow in less than 24 to 48 hours once urine flow is completely blocked.

Male cats, neutered ones included, are at greater risk because their urethra is longer and narrower. A blocked cat goes back to the box again and again, strains, may cry out, and passes little or nothing. It's easy to mistake for constipation. That's one more reason to let a vet decide.

Cornell also lists the wider set of urinary signs to watch for: painful or difficult peeing, going more often than usual, crying while peeing, blood in the urine, peeing outside the box, and lots of licking around the genitals. Any of those is worth a same-day call. Straining with no urine means go now.

Is a cat not eating an emergency?

It can become one fast, so call your vet the same day. Cornell says that in a mature cat, not eating for as little as 24 hours can seriously affect health, and in a kitten under six weeks old, 12 hours without food can be lethal. Cornell strongly encourages owners to consult a veterinarian immediately when they notice signs of anorexia.

Part of the worry is a liver condition called hepatic lipidosis. According to Cornell, it typically starts when a cat nearly stops eating, it's linked to another underlying illness in more than 90 percent of cases, and it's likely to be fatal if it isn't treated promptly. Watch for withdrawal and a yellow tinge to the ears or gums.

What about hiding and other quiet signs?

Hiding on its own isn't an emergency, but it's often the first sign a cat feels unwell. Look at what comes with it. A cat who hides and also skips meals, avoids the litter box, breathes oddly or won't let you touch them needs a call to your vet that day.

While you watch, jot things down. When did your cat last eat? Last use the litter box? Did they vomit, and what did it look like? A short timeline makes the phone call much quicker. In the free PetGrid app you can keep symptom notes in your cat's pet records, right next to their medicines and allergies, so the vet sees the whole picture.

How do you get your cat to the emergency vet safely?

Call ahead while someone else gets the carrier. The Merck Veterinary Manual says emergency care often starts with a phone call, so the clinic can tell you what to do on the way and be ready when you walk in.

1. Call your clinic, or the nearest emergency animal hospital if yours is closed.
2. Put your cat in a carrier with a towel. A scared or hurt cat may scratch or bite, so go gently.
3. If poisoning is possible, bring the packaging or a photo of the plant or product.
4. Bring your cat's medicine list, recent records and your notes.
5. Drive calmly, with the carrier wedged on the floor or belted onto a seat.

Save your nearest emergency animal hospital's number in your phone today, before you need it.

Be ready before anything happens

Find your closest 24 hour emergency clinic now, while nothing's wrong. The map in the PetGrid app shows vet clinics near you, both PetGrid clinics and every other one we know of. Our pet emergency kit checklist covers the carrier, records and supplies worth keeping ready.

Pip, your pet's Wellness Buddy in the app, isn't a vet and never diagnoses. If something you type sounds urgent, it shows you who to call.

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So when do you take your cat to the emergency vet? When you see a red flag: straining with little urine, trouble breathing, poison, bleeding, severe pain, an injury, or a cat who won't eat. Cats hide being sick, so take those seriously. If you're on the fence, call and let the vet decide.

A hard night goes more smoothly when your cat's records, medicines and notes are in one place and the emergency clinic's number is already in your phone. The PetGrid app is free for pet owners.