Call a vet now
Cat having a seizure or collapse: what to do and avoid
Watching a cat seize is frightening, and most instinctive responses — holding them, reaching near the mouth — make things worse. What helps most is a safe space, a note of the time, and a call to a vet.
Signs that this is what you are seeing
- Paddling, rigid limbs, loss of bladder control
- A seizure lasting more than two minutes
- Two or more seizures in a row
- Not fully back to normal after ten minutes
What to do now
- 1Move furniture away, dim the lights, and keep noise down.
- 2Note the start time — the duration is the single most useful thing you can tell the vet.
- 3Once it stops, keep them warm and quiet in a dark room and phone the clinic.
Never do this
- Never put your hands near the mouth. Cats do not swallow their tongue and you will be bitten badly.
- Do not pick them up mid-seizure.
- Do not give food, water or medication until they are fully alert.
Find a vet clinic near you
Open the Felper emergency toolkit to search for nearby clinics and check their opening-hours information before you travel.
Other cat emergencies
- Straining in the litter boxA male cat that cannot pass urine is a life-threatening emergency within hours.
- Ate or licked something toxicLilies, antifreeze, paracetamol and flea products made for dogs are all lethal to cats.
- Trouble breathingCats almost never pant. Open-mouth breathing is an emergency until proven otherwise.
- Fall, road accident or crush injuryCats hide internal injuries well — a cat that walks away can still be bleeding internally.