If your cat has suffered a sudden trauma or is experiencing any life threatening symptoms, please call us immediately at: (859) 625-5678

In an emergency, time is of the essence, please bring your cat to our emergency hospital as soon as possible. The address is:

2120 Pimlico Drive
Richmond, KY 40475

What To Do If Your Cat May Be Having A Veterinary Emergency

In case of a cat emergency, waiting until "normal business hours" is not an option. In a time of crisis, Advanced Animal Care is open with an emergency cat clinic. Our Richmond location hospital is staffed 24/7 and ready to help!

If your cat has suffered a sudden trauma or is experiencing any life threatening symptoms, please call us immediately at: (859) 625-5678

Our experienced veterinary team can help increase the odds of recovery for your beloved feline friend, even in the face of the most severe cat emergency care situations.

Cat Emergencies That Require Immediate Veterinary Attention

Cats can be very subtle in showing signs of illness. Therefore, it is most important that you be on the lookout for subtle changes in your cat's behavior. If your cat normally greets you and wants to eat when you get home from work, and all of the sudden it neither greets you nor wants to eat, this may be a very serious sign of an immediate need for veterinary medical help.

Although many illnesses can become serious and some may even become fatal if left untreated, not every circumstance truly warrants emergency care. We have compiled a list of situations requiring emergency cat care in order to help you decide whether or not your should take your feline friend to an emergency cat clinic:

  • Difficulty Breathing: This is may be the most serious of all non-trauma-induced injuries, because hypoxia (low oxygen levels) and the events that follow can lead to respiratory arrest and possibly death if not treated quickly. Difficulty breathing is an immediate emergency. It may arise slowly or acutely. Regardless, when you notice any of these symptoms, your cat is in trouble and needs veterinary care. Symptoms include rapid breathing, open mouth breathing or panting, bluish or purplish gums or tongue, among others. If you see or suspect these symptoms, seek immediate emergency veterinary care.
  • Urethral Obstruction: This is an obstruction in the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the penis. This occurs when crystals and white blood cells in the urine form a plug, which gets trapped in the urethra and effectively plugs the urethra, preventing the affected cat from urinating. This is very painful for the cat and leads to metabolic changes which will cause death quickly if the obstruction is not relieved. This primarily affects male cats, and can lead to kidney damage, bladder rupture and cardiac arrest. Symptoms include urinating outside of the litter box, straining to produce very small amounts of urine (or complete inability to urinate), excessive vocalization, and excessive genital grooming. Female cats can have urinary problems too but they are typically not as life-threatening. 
  • Hind End Paralysis: If you find your cat unable to use its rear legs and is showing signs of distress and pain, it is an emergency. These symptoms could be signs of a condition known as feline aortic thromboembolism (FATE), commonly referred to as a saddle thrombus. It is a complication of heart disease that causes a blood clot to lodge in the large blood vessel that supplies the hind legs. Symptoms include panting, vocalizing, pain and partial or complete hindlimb paralysis. This requires immediate emergency veterinary care. 
  • Not Eating/Drinking: It should be a concern if your cat does not eat at its usual time or its usual amount. Cats do not normally go extended periods of time without eating or drinking and doing so can be a sign of many potential serious illnesses. If you notice your cat not eating or drinking, seek emergency care.
  • Vomiting and/or Diarrhea: If your cat has multiple episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhea, we recommend having your cat evaluated by a veterinarian.
  • Ingestion of Toxins: If you believe your cat has been exposed to a toxic substance, it is essential to seek emergency veterinary care. Bring all packaging that came with the product to which your cat was exposed.  
  • Seizures: We recommend all pets with a first time seizure be evaluated by a veterinarian. Seizures have many causes including exposure to a toxic substance, trauma, infectious diseases, etc. If your cat has never had a seizure and is not currently under the care of a veterinarian for a seizure disorder, we recommend seeking immediate medical attention. 
  • Major Trauma: If your cat experiences major traumas, such as attack by a dog, falling from a height, or a fight with another cat, seek cat emergency care immediately. Remember, cats do not usually show immediate symptoms of injury even when they have internal trauma. Veterinarians will be able to assess and look for the not obvious signs of serious illness.

Of course we cannot explore every possible emergency scenario here, however, if you are worried about the health of your cat, and especially if you are worried that they may be experiencing a life threatening situation, please call us immediately or simply bring your cat to our emergency clinic located at:

2120 Pimlico Drive
Richmond, KY 40475
(859) 625-5678

It is always best to take a proactive approach to protecting the lives of loved ones, and our feline companions are no exception.

We Provide 24-hour Emergency Cat Care at Richmond, KY Location

For any feline requiring emergency cat care in the Richmond, KY area, Advanced Animal Care is proud to offer 24-hour emergency care at our emergency cat hospital.

Tips For Getting Your Cat Safely To An Emergency Clinic

It is important to understand that although you might have an incredibly special bond with your feline friend, during a time of illness or injury a cat's natural instinct can result in aggression toward anyone attempting to handle him or her. If your cat is suffering from a cat emergency and needs to be transported to an emergency cat hospital, follow these tips for safely transporting your cat to an emergency care clinic:

  • First, gently place a towel over your cat's head to prevent biting, and then slowly lift him or her into a cat carrier.
  • Cat muzzles are made for this purpose and it is a good idea to purchase one and acclimate your cat to wearing one prior to an emergency situation. 
  • Make sure to secure you cat into a carrier or covered box prior to transport to prevent your injured cat from escaping. 

Once secured, immediately transport him or her to an emergency cat clinic. If possible, call ahead to alert the staff so they can adequately prepare for your arrival.

First Aid Treatments To Consider Before Visiting An Emergency Cat Clinic

  • For external bleeding due to trauma, try to elevate the affected area, and apply firm pressure to the wound with a clean, dry cloth. Do not attempt to apply a tourniquent, as doing so frequently results in more harm than good. 
  • You can attempt to clean a wound with sterile saline if it appears grossly contaminated prior to being evaluated by a veterinarian, but do not apply peroxide or alcohol to an open wound as doing so is counterproductive to wound healing. 

A word on CPR in pets

Because cardiac arrest occurs in pets for very different reasons than humans, sadly, CPR in pets is frequently not successful, even in a fully equipped emergency setting. Attempting to perform CPR on your cat at home not only wastes precious moments that could be spent getting your cat to a veterinary hospital, it can also result in fractured ribs, bruised lungs, and worse. If you believe your cat needs CPR, the best course of action is to take your cat to the nearest veterinary hospital as soon as possible. 

What To Do If Your Cat Eats Something Poisonous

If you see your cat ingest a toxic substance, or even if you suspect that he or she has, it is important to seek emergency cat care immediately. Bring the bottle and any packaging that came with the substance to which your cat was exposed. Call on your way to the veterinary hospital and tell the staff what the cat ingested, how long ago it was ingested and the amount you believe your cat ate. 

Finding The Nearest Emergency Cat Clinic

All of our hospitals are ready for your emergency during regular business hours. For after hours emergencies, our Richmond location is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for any emergency cat care situation that arises.

If you don't have the seconds to spare, please bring your cat immediately to us anytime day or night, weekends and holidays included. The most important thing is to get them to us as soon as possible, and let us handle the rest.