Authority
Name who can decide
Primary guardian, backup decision-maker, veterinarian, emergency clinic, and spending authority should be current and reachable.
Decision-ready boarding care
The emergency plan matters most when the guardian cannot answer.
Clear authority, contacts, veterinary relationships, payment, transport, medication, and transfer preferences reduce delay when the cat’s condition changes during travel.
Plan earlyProtect routineShare baselinePrepare suppliesConfirm fit
Current availability, rates, policies, and final care acceptance are managed by Cats in the City.
Reduce surprisesSpecific planning gives the team better information at arrival.
One accountable handoffDates, room, food, medication, contacts, and contingencies stay connected.
Planning principles
A smoother stay begins before check-in.
Preparation should reduce uncertainty for the cat, guardian, and care team without pretending every transition can be made invisible.
Thresholds
State what triggers contact or transfer
Breathing, collapse, obstruction, seizure, glucose, food refusal, vomiting, injury, medication failure, or other risks need usable instructions.
Logistics
Plan transport and records
Know who moves the cat, where records go, who pays, and who receives updates when urgent care is needed.
Continue planning
The next useful page is one decision away.
Follow the pathway that matches the cat rather than reading the entire website in sequence.
Related guide
Medical boarding
Review what boarding can and cannot provide.
Open guideRelated guide
After hospitalization
Plan a higher-risk recovery handoff.
Open guideRelated guide
Packing checklist
Make emergency information part of the physical handoff.
Open guideQuestions guardians ask
Clear answers before the request.
Care fit is confirmed only after Cats in the City reviews the complete profile and requested dates.
Will Cats in the City choose an emergency clinic for me?
Guardians should provide preferences and authorization. In an urgent situation, the team may need to use the safest available option.
What if I cannot be reached?
The team follows the signed authorization, contacts backups and veterinary partners as appropriate, and acts within the confirmed care agreement.
Is a credit card on file enough?
Payment access is only one part of the plan. Decision authority, medical history, transfer permission, contacts, and treatment preferences also matter.
Next step
Let the care plan start with the cat.
Share the dates, routine, health history, appetite pattern, medication needs, and room priorities. Cats in the City will review the request and confirm the appropriate location and pathway.