If your cat is injured or has an unexpected medical emergency, you need to be able to act quickly and effectively. Knowing how to act in different situations can make the difference between life and death.

Car accidents or serious falls

• Carefully remove your cat from further danger, as they may have broken bones and internal injuries.
• Make a 'stretcher' out of a rug or coat and gently slide your cat onto it, carefully supporting the whole body.
• Be careful not to twist the body. Hold the head just a little lower than the rest of the body to keep the blood flowing to the brain.
• Keep your cat warm until you reach the vet.

How to handle an injured cat

• Injured cats will be frightened and in pain, and may lash out.
• Approach your cat slowly and softly. If possible, wear gloves and keep your face well away.
• Hold your cat gently but firmly by the scruff of the neck for restraint, then place your hand under the hindquarters for support.
• Wrap the animal in a blanket or towel to prevent any struggling.
• Place your cat in a carrier and take him or her to the vet immediately. If possible, call your vet before you arrive.

To stop bleeding

• Firmly apply a cold compress over the wound to stem the blood flow. Do not use disinfectant.
• Contact your vet as quickly as possible for treatment

Treating poisoning

• Symptoms include drooling, severe vomiting, diarrhoea, staggering, convulsions, and abnormal eye movements.
• Contact your vet and, if you know, tell them what substance your cat has ingested.
• Vitamin K injections are the antidote to the most common form of rat poison, but treatment must be given quickly.
• Do not induce vomiting unless your vet advises it.
• If your cat's coat has smears of paint or oil on it, soften with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil, bathe with warm soapy water or swarfega, and rinse well.

Scalds and burns

• Flush the burn with plenty of cold running water for several minutes.
• Never cover the burnt area.
• Consult your vet as quickly as possible.

Near-drowning

• After rescuing, a conscious cat must be wrapped in a towel and kept warm.
• If your cat is unconscious, first check for a heartbeat, then other injuries. Hold your cat's head lower than it's chest to help drain water from the lungs.
• Lie the cat sideways, with the head lower than the chest. Clear any debris from the mouth and pull the tongue forwards.
• If this doesn't stimulate breathing, attempt artificial respiration by pressing very carefully down on the animal's chest with the flat of your hand using a short, sharp push. Allow the lungs to refill with fresh air, then repeat every five seconds until your cat starts to breathe.
• If there is no sign of life after 30 seconds, try mouth-to-nose respiration. Tilt back your cat's head, hold the mouth shut and blow short gentle breaths into both nostrils for three seconds to inflate the lungs. Be careful not to over inflate the lungs. Then pause for two seconds and repeat. Continue until your cat starts breathing

Insect bites and stings

• Remove an embedded bee sting with tweezers. Do not squeeze, as the sting will release more poison.
• Bee and ant stings are acid, so bathe the area with an alkali, such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) dissolved in cold water.
• Wasp stings are alkaline, so treat with diluted lemon juice or vinegar.
• A sting in the mouth or throat will swell rapidly and can result in asphyxiation, so rush your cat to the vet.

Problems with choking

• A sewing needle, or fish or poultry bone may lodge against the roof of your cat's mouth, or get stuck in the throat.
• Restrain your cat in a towel. Open their mouth, but be careful not to tilt the head back as the object may drop into the throat.
• If you can see the object, remove it with blunt-ended tweezers. Don't pull a visible thread, as it may be attached to an object in the stomach.
• If you can't find the object, contact your vet urgently.

Electrocution

• Before you touch an electrocuted cat, switch off the power and remove the plug from the socket, or you will also receive an electric shock.
• If your cat has chewed through an electrical wire, the mouth and tongue may be burned. Electrical burns can result in shock and cardiac arrest, so contact your vet urgently.

Combating dehydration

• Heatstroke, severe vomiting or diarrhoea, kidney disease or diabetes can cause your cat to lose vital body fluids.
• Pinch the loose skin at the back of your cat's neck and lift it up. If it falls back slowly, your cat is dehydrated. Gums may also fell dry and tacky in the early stages.
• Contact your vet urgently as severe dehydration causes fits and can be fatal.