It’s 10 PM on a Saturday night, and your cat is acting strange.

Your mind races: Is this an actual emergency requiring an immediate trip to the vet, or can it wait until Monday morning?

For cat owners, this is one of the most stressful decisions you’ll ever face… and one of the most important.

Cats are masters at hiding illness, a survival instinct inherited from their wild ancestors.

By the time symptoms become apparent, the situation may already be serious.

Understanding which symptoms demand immediate action and which can wait for your regular veterinarian could save your cat’s life.

Always an Emergency: Get to the Vet Immediately

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association and veterinary emergency specialists, certain symptoms always require immediate veterinary care.

If your cat experiences any of the following, contact an emergency veterinarian right away:

Difficulty breathing – If your cat is breathing with their mouth open, panting without exertion, or showing labored breathing, this is always an emergency. Cats normally breathe through their noses, so open mouth breathing signals severe distress.

Inability to urinate – Male cats, especially, are susceptible to urinary blockages, which can become life-threatening within hours. Signs include straining in the litter box without producing urine, frequent unsuccessful attempts to urinate, loud vocalizing when trying to go, or blood in the urine.

Severe bleeding – Bleeding that doesn’t stop within five minutes requires immediate attention, whether from an injury, vomit, stool, or urinary tract.

Collapse or sudden paralysis – These symptoms can indicate internal bleeding, heart problems, blood clots, or spinal injury; all require urgent treatment.

Seizures – While a single brief seizure that fully resolves may not require emergency care, any seizure lasting more than a couple of minutes or multiple seizures within 24 hours needs immediate veterinary evaluation.

Known poisoning – If you know your cat ingested something toxic (lilies, antifreeze, human medications), immediate treatment is critical. If seen within an hour, induced vomiting may save your cat’s life.

Severe trauma – Any cat hit by a car, attacked by another animal, or involved in a serious fall needs emergency evaluation, even if injuries aren’t immediately visible.

Quick Assessment: When You’re Unsure

Veterinary professionals recommend these simple checks to help assess your cat’s condition:

Check the gums – Normal cat gums should be pink. Bluish purple, very pale pink, or white gums indicate your cat needs urgent care.

Skin tent test – Gently lift the skin on the back of your cat’s neck and release it. If it snaps back quickly, hydration is normal. If it’s slow to return or stays tented, your cat is dehydrated and may need veterinary attention.

Monitor behavior – Cats in pain often hide, become unusually aggressive, or cry when touched. Extreme lethargy combined with any other symptom is also concerning.

Can Probably Wait (But Call Your Vet for Guidance)

Some symptoms, while concerning, may not require emergency care:

Vomiting once or twice – If your cat vomits once or twice but is otherwise acting normal, eating, and drinking, this may not be an emergency.

However, repeated vomiting over several hours, vomiting with other symptoms, or complete inability to keep down food or water requires immediate care.

Mild limping – If your cat has a slight limp but is still putting weight on the limb and shows no signs of severe pain, this can typically wait for regular veterinary hours.

Bite wound abscess – While uncomfortable, a bite abscess from another cat that’s not affecting breathing or causing collapse can usually wait until morning.

Trust Your Instincts… And Call

Here’s the most important advice from veterinary professionals: When in doubt, call.

Your veterinarian or emergency clinic can provide phone guidance to help you assess whether your cat needs immediate care.

As the AVMA states, “Any concern about your pet’s health warrants, at minimum, a call to your veterinarian.”

You know your cat best. If something feels wrong, trust that instinct.

Emergency veterinarians consistently report that pet owners who followed their gut feeling often saved their pet’s life.

Be Prepared Before an Emergency Strikes

Keep your regular veterinarian’s phone number and the nearest 24-hour emergency clinic contact information easily accessible. Program both numbers into your phone now, before you need them.

Have a cat carrier readily available and know the safest route to your emergency veterinary hospital.

In a genuine emergency, every minute matters.

Your Pets are our Priority!

At the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), our number one priority is to promote the health and well-being of your pets.

That is why we created the NASC quality programs and the NASC Quality Seal, which help you identify animal health and nutritional supplements from responsible suppliers committed to producing the highest quality, most consistent products available.

Visit our website to learn more and to see a list of NASC members who have earned the Quality Seal.