Feline ICU
Feline ICU
When a cat is in an emergency medical situation, they do not also need to be placed in a stressful environment. For cats, this typically means keeping them separated from dogs. At Veterinary Emergency Triage & Surgery, we are proud to provide our feline patients with their exclusive, feline-only intensive care unit inside the hospital.
Is Your Cat Having a Medical Emergency?
Cats instinctively mask signs and symptoms of illness. In the wild, this would help to keep them safe from predators. In our homes, however, it often means they don’t receive the veterinary care they need until a health problem has had time to advance and become more serious. Typically, any change in a cat’s appearance, attitude, appetite, behavior, litter box habits, or energy level can indicate a health problem.
The following signs and symptoms can indicate a health emergency in a cat:
- Traumatic injury
- Uncontrolled bleeding
- Lack of bowel movements
- Going to the litter box frequently
- Excessive vocalization
- Yowling, howling, or hissing in the litter box
- Difficulty breathing
- Shivering
- Excessive panting
- Dilated pupils
- Pale gums
- Bloated abdomen
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Ingested a poisonous or toxic substance (ASPCA Animal Poison Control)
If you are uncertain whether or not your cat needs immediate, emergency veterinary attention, we welcome you to contact our office. We can have you describe your pet’s symptoms over the phone to help you determine how urgent your cat’s condition is. When in doubt, we typically recommend bringing your cat in for an examination, since it is always better to be safe than sorry in medical situations.
What to Do If Your Cat Has an Emergency
If your cat has been injured or is displaying any of the above-listed signs and symptoms of an emergency, we strongly encourage you to seek veterinary care immediately. If you are able to do so, we recommend that you contact our office as soon as you know you are coming in with your cat. This allows us to prepare for your arrival in addition to providing you with instructions for safely transporting your cat to our animal hospital.
If your cat has ingested or been exposed to a poisonous substance, bring your pet to us immediately. You can also contact the Animal Poison Control Hotline for immediate assistance. If possible, make note of exactly what your cat ingested (i.e. type of plant, type of food, or label from the package).
Emergency Veterinary Care for Cats in Lakeland, FL
To learn more about our emergency services for cats, we welcome you to contact Veterinary Emergency Triage & Surgery today.
Emergency Veterinary Care in Lakeland, FL
We’re proud to provide our patients with comprehensive emergency veterinary care including triage and stabilization, emergency surgery, and more. To learn more about pet emergencies, please feel free to contact Veterinary Emergency Triage & Surgery in Lakeland today.
