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I really hope I will never have to do this, but today something happened which made me think about it.

I was pulling a jacket out of my backpack, and my big, heavy bicycle lock came with it. It fell to the floor from about 1.5 meter height, and landed right next to my cat's head. The cat got super scared and jumped away, but nothing else happened.

Now, if this lock had hit the cat on the head, or landed on its back, there could be some serious injury. Let's say the cat got mortally injured, but not outright killed, and had to be put down. What would be the most humane way to do euthanize it? Should I put her in the car and drive 30 minutes to the vet? Sounds like a lot of suffering. What if I don't have a car? Or this happens in the evening/night when no vets are open? I don't want my cat to suffer for many hours.

In my area there is an arrangement between vets so there is always at least one vet open at any time of the day, but there were some funding issues with this, so this arrangement could have been shut down.

Sorry for the morbid question, but I would like to be prepared.

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Cats like humans, can survive a lot of injuries even if they appear to be lethal. You should take your pet to the vet for any type of euthanasia. The most humane way to euthanize a cat is through lethal injection, which should only be done by a veterinarian.

Should I put her in the car and drive 30 minutes to the vet? Sounds like a lot of suffering. What if I don't have a car? Or this happens in the evening/night when no vets are open?

The first thing you should do is locate the nearest emergency veterinarian clinic and get their phone number. If/when an emergency happens, call them and they will tell you what to do in a situation that dire. Having that number on a magnet on the fridge is the first step!

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  • Unfortunately, I was once in this predicament. My cat was ran over by a car and had a broken spine. It was at night. I took her to a 24-hour vet clinic and they put her down. Yes, you have to do this fast because the poor animal is suffering.
    – Hermes
    Commented Aug 13, 2016 at 5:43
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I've worked with an animal rescue charity and seen cats who are in incredibly bad shape (think crushed hind legs, shattered pelvis, half skull caved in) and they have gone on to live amazing happy lives.

Just don't do it. Seek advice from a vet every time

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