Why You Should Have A Plan In Case Your Cat Is Hit + How To Make One
Guest author Nicole McCray
Few things in life are more traumatic than seeing your beloved kitty get hit by a car. No doubt your emotions will take over and it will be hard to think or decide what to do. The thing is, if you’re in a panic, you can’t help your cat.
Of course, we hope you never have to go through something like this. But having a plan for if your cat gets hit will help you remain calm. It could save your cat’s life and keep you safe while you try to help him.
Here’s what you need to think about and how to make one.
1. Gather the essentials ahead of time and keep them in a convenient place.
Here’s a list of things to have on hand before an emergency happens.
-Two towels or blankets
-A cat carrier
-Contact information for your primary vet and an after-hours emergency vet, stored in your phone and written on a card inside your pet first aid kit
-Your pet health insurance information
2. Think about how you’ll protect yourself.
It will be incredibly hard, but the first thing you’ll need to think about if your cat gets hit is how you’re going to protect yourself from being injured.
First, make sure you and your pet are not going to be in the way of oncoming traffic. You might need to ask someone to help direct cars until you can get your pet out of the way.
Then, have a blanket or towel that you can use to wrap your pet in before you pick him or her up. Remember, any injured animal that’s in a lot of pain may bite when you try to help it.
3. Assemble a first aid kit ahead of time and keep it near the front door of your home.
Remember, an injured animal’s behavior is unpredictable. Approach your cat slowly and cautiously so you don’t scare him and cause him to flee out of fear. Stay calm and speak softly. Don’t try to hug him or hold him close.
Assess his condition. Is he conscious? Can you see visible wounds or injuries? A cat that’s been hit by a care will likely have injuries you can’t see. What you’re trying to do right now is stabilize him enough to transport him to the vet.
Have the phone number for your primary vet and an after-hours emergency veterinarian stored in your phone so you can call for advice. In most cases, the vet will recommend applying pressure to any open wounds to stop the bleeding.
Keep two blankets or towels with your first aid kit. Use one blanket or towel to keep your cat warm and prevent shock. The second one can be used as a makeshift stretcher.