That depends on the hospital. It's best to call, and you can call when you're on the way in a true emergency. That way the clinic can let you know if they have the staff available to best care for your pet. Sometimes we have five emergencies at one time, and while we'd like to be able to help everyone, it may be best for your pet to go elsewhere to get care because we just can't handle that many at one time. So if we do send you somewhere, there is a reason for doing that.

Initially, if we don't know you as a regular patient or client we might get some basic information about the age of your pet and whether they are on any medications or have any prior health concerns. Then we will get a history of the immediate emergency, what your concerns are, what may have happened, and what you think could have happened before assessing the pet and providing whatever emergency care might be needed based on their symptoms.

You can call Poison Control, though they do charge a fee. Alternatively, you can call your vet. Make sure to provide as much information about the product your cat may have ingested to help the vet determine the best course of action. The most commonly used Poison Control number will be posted in the video. Remember, in any health emergency with your cat, it's important to seek help from a professional, such as an emergency animal hospital.

If you see that a product is missing or open, or there are open liquids in the area your cat was in, your cat may have ingested something poisonous. Symptoms of poisoning can include excessive drooling or vomiting.

To help a cat's heart beat, you'd compress the chest from side to side. If you're providing air, keep their mouth shut, put your mouth over their nose and gently blow in. Cats are more fragile than humans, so be careful not to apply too much pressure.