A cat lying by the road after a car has passed. A limp at the feeding spot. A wound that wasn’t there yesterday. Your first instinct is to rush over and pick it up. Stop for one minute first. It’ll make you faster, not slower.
The short version
- Keep yourself safe: watch the traffic, and expect the cat to bite.
- Phone a vet so they’re ready when you arrive.
- Wrap the cat in a towel, leaving its head free.
- Carry it in a box or carrier with air holes.
- Never give it human painkillers.
1. Safety first
If the cat is on a road, check the traffic before you step out. Then remember that pain changes cats. The gentlest cat can bite or scratch when it’s hurt and scared, and cat bites get infected easily. If you are bitten, wash it well and see a doctor the same day.
2. Phone a vet
Cats Protection says to phone the vet before you set off, so they know you’re coming and can get ready. Say it’s a street cat, what you think happened, and whether it’s friendly. Not every clinic treats street cats, so the call saves a wasted trip. Can’t reach a vet? Call a local cat rescue or the council’s animal service.
3. Lift it carefully
- Use a towel. Drop a towel, jacket or blanket over the body, then scoop the cat up, wrapped. It protects you from claws and keeps the cat warm. Leave the head uncovered so it can breathe.
- Hit by a car? Move it as little as you can. Slide it onto something flat and firm, like a board or a coat held tight, keeping the body level.
- Bleeding? Press a clean cloth on the wound and hold it there.
- It runs and hides? Don’t chase it. Note where it went and call a cat group. They can set a trap. See how to catch a street cat safely.
4. Get it there
Put the wrapped cat in a cardboard box with air holes, or a carrier, and close it. A loose cat in a moving car is dangerous for both of you. Keep the box level, the car quiet, and the cat warm.
What not to do
- No human painkillers. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are poisonous to cats, even a small piece of a tablet. See what’s poisonous to cats.
- No food or drink before the vet. A badly hurt cat may need an anaesthetic.
- Don’t try to set a leg or clean a deep wound. Leave that to the vet.
Signs it’s serious
Go straight to a vet if the cat has pale or white gums, is breathing fast or through its mouth, can’t stand, or is bleeding heavily. A cat can look fine after being hit by a car and still be hurt inside, so it needs checking either way. More warning signs are in signs a cat is sick.
Paying for it
Rules differ by country. In the UK, Cats Protection says vets give emergency treatment to injured strays at no cost to the finder. Elsewhere, ask the vet up front, and ask local cat groups: many have funds for exactly this. While you’re there, ask the vet to scan for a microchip. The cat may have a home looking for it.
Questions people ask
What should I do first if I find an injured cat?
Make sure you’re safe, then phone a vet so they’re ready for you. Wrap the cat in a towel with its head free, and take it in a box or carrier.
Can I give a cat paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain?
No. Both are poisonous to cats, even in small amounts. Only give medicine a vet has prescribed for that cat.
How do I pick up an injured street cat without getting bitten?
Drop a thick towel or blanket over its body and scoop it up wrapped, leaving the head free. If it runs, don’t chase it. Call a cat group about trapping it.
Snap the cats on your street with Island of Cats. When one goes missing or turns up hurt, you’ll know who it is.
