My cat was hit by a car. How long can it survive without vet care?

You should take your kitty to a vet as soon as possible after the accident for an exam as she could have internal bleeding, a ruptured bladder and also broken bones. The fact that she is hiding and only walking slowly is a sign that she is in pain and got injured in the accident. What we perceive as a gentle bump is quite a hard hit for a cat. Please take Mice to a vet ASAP.

I'm so sorry to hear about your poor kitty! It's impossible to know exactly what happened if no one saw it - but if he was found next to the road, then I suspect he probably died pretty quickly or possibly even instantly. The blood from his nose & mouth suggests he was hit with a strong impact, and animals who are directly hit by vehicles often pass away very quickly, and often lose consciousness immediately. I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope this helps a little bit with closure.

I’m very sorry to hear this happened. Yes, it is possible for a cat to get hit by a car and then run away. It depends on which part of the body was hit and also animals get a rush of adrenaline during an emergency and that might allow them to run away even if they’re injured

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you suspect that Ziggy was hit by a car or received some form of trauma I would strongly recommend having her evaluated by her veterinarian ASAP. Injuries following trauma can be more extensive than they appear, and Ziggy should receive analgesic (pain control) therapy at a minimum if she seems in distress or painful. If the trauma is localized to the head her veterinarian may recommend skull radiographs to assess for fractures; often chest and abdominal radiographs are also recommended in hit-by-car cases to assess for additional trauma. Surgery can be required in some cases to address trauma injuries. I hope that Ziggy feels better soon.

Hi, there is no way of knowing if he is still alive but I would not lose hope. Maybe you could put a message through mailboxes and on local facebook pages. Maybe someone has found him and they are trying to keep him indoors since he is not well. I would also contact your and any other vet in the area. Hope you get some news soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Unfortunately, it is difficult to know what kind of injury he has sustained and what kind of therapy he needs. This could be as severe as a fracture or something more mild like a soft tissue injury. The fact that he is crying when the leg is manipulated indicates that he is quite painful requiring pain control medications at least. If he does have a fracture, he may actually require surgery. For this reason it is crucial that he is indeed evaluated by a veterinarian. You could consider taking him to your local humane society as often times they offer less expensive veterinary care. I hope you are able to get him some help. Good luck!

Oh dear, poor Meow! Since she is not moving, eating or drinking, my main concern is that she has experienced significant trauma in her travels, either from a long fall or being hit by a car. These traumatic events can cause major head trauma, rib fractures, or internal injuries that can be quite severe and painful. At this point, Meow needs to go to an emergency vet immediately for evaluation and treatment. I hope this helps and that all goes well!