Cats are curious animals, and they often have active periods at night. This can cause them to have accidents or injuries, and it can be difficult to contact your vet because their clinic is closed at night.
Fortunately, there are several options you can choose from if your cat gets sick or injured in the middle of the night. It’s best to be prepared for accidents and injuries, so be sure to read our tips and ideas to make sure you have a plan of action for any midnight incidents your cat might get into.
5 Ways to Talk to a Vet in the Middle of the Night
1. Talk to an Online Veterinarian
You can connect with a veterinarian very quickly by using an online veterinary care service or a vet telehealth app. Online vets and vet telehealth apps usually work 24/7 because they’re meant to be a resource for those moments when you can’t get to your regular vet. They also offer video consultations so the vet can see your cat and provide effective care instructions. Online vets can also let you know if your cat needs to go to an emergency animal hospital, or if you can wait until the next morning to visit your vet.
Most vet telehealth apps require subscribing to a monthly payment plan, so it’s best to create an account in advance so you can contact a vet as soon as possible. You can find some companies, like PangoVet, that offer individual consultations and charge per consultation.
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2. Contact the Nearby Emergency Animal Hospital
You don’t have to drive to an emergency animal hospital to receive care. You can call the hospital’s 24/7 triage line and speak with a veterinary care professional. They will ask a few questions, and depending on your cat’s condition, the hospital will let you know if your cat needs immediate emergency care.
Because emergency situations can be stressful, make sure you have contact information for several emergency animal hospitals nearby. Then, you don’t have to spend extra time searching for contact information and checking the distances between the hospital and your home.
3. Call Your Vet’s Office
Some vet clinics have a 24/7 triage line and may have an on-call vet to answer calls at night. Even if your veterinary clinic does not offer this service, it may still help to call. Often, the voicemail message includes contact information for nearby emergency animal hospitals. It may even give you the option to leave a voicemail message so someone can return your call in the morning.
4. Contact Your Pet Insurance Company
If your cat has pet insurance, you can try contacting your pet insurance company to see if they offer a pet telehealth service. Many companies will partner with a vet telehealth company and offer discounted or free 24/7 consultations as a customer benefit.
If you expect to use vet telehealth frequently, ask pet insurance companies if they offer online veterinary consultations when shopping for pet insurance. This will help you save on consultation costs and ensure that you connect with an online vet as soon as possible.
5. Call the Animal Poison Control Hotline
If you believe your cat is sick from ingesting something harmful, you can contact an animal poison control line, such as ASPCA Animal Poison Control or Pet Poison Control. Line specialists can confirm if your cat has eaten something toxic and if they can be treated at home or if they need to go to an emergency animal hospital. Please note that these services often charge a small fee.
Before you call an animal poison control line, make sure you have important information ready for the specialist. Information such as what your cat ate, how much they swallowed, and how much time passed can be helpful. If your cat has eaten a product, be sure to provide the brand name and ingredient list.
When It’s Time to Go to the Vet
It’s better to be safe than sorry, so if your cat is sick at night and it’s causing you concern, take him to an emergency animal hospital right away.
While some cases of illness may not require immediate medical attention, some signs of illness warrant an emergency hospital visit without first calling a veterinarian. For example, any severe wounds, eye injuries, bleeding, and broken bones will require immediate care. Cats experiencing seizures or convulsions should also be taken to the hospital immediately.
Urinary blockages are urgent matters because they can cause acute kidney failure. So, if your cat is going to the litter box often but they are not urinating or producing very little urine, it is best to take them to a vet as soon as possible.
It’s also important to be familiar with the signs of shock. Shock can be caused by major trauma, internal bleeding, heart failure, or sudden blood loss. Shock occurs when your cat’s blood pressure drops to life-threatening levels. Cats experiencing shock may have a rapid heart rate with a weak pulse, pale or white gums and lips, and a cooler body temperature. Signs of shock should be taken seriously, and cats should be treated immediately.
Conclusion
When your cat has an accident in the middle of the night, it’s best to contact an online veterinarian or emergency animal hospital. If you choose an online vet service or vet telehealth app, be sure to create an account ahead of time so you can connect with a vet as soon as possible.
Serious health issues and accidents require immediate care. So, if you feel your cat is experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, it’s best to skip the phone call and take your cat to emergency care so they can be treated as soon as possible.
Featured Image Credit: Maxim Artemchuk, Shutterstock
