Signs of Electric Shock in Cats

Electric wires are very tempting to cats, especially those cats that play with long, thin toys. The electric wire could look like another toy. Curious cats then take a bite. Sadly, cats and kittens die every year from electric shock. Cats and kittens have been known to survive electrocution, but they need veterinary treatment immediately, according to "Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook."

  1. Body Position

    • Cats suffering from an electrical shock are usually lying on their sides and may go into seizures. If the cat is still being shocked, the body may be stiff or convulsing. The mouth will not be able to open to let go of the wire. But if the shock was mild, then the cat may recover enough to regain consciousness before a person finds it. Depending on how severe the shock was, the cat may have trouble walking or slink along the floor as if terrified. The cat may hide and not want to come out to be inspected.

    Burns

    • Cats that chew electrical wires will have burns on their mouth and tongue. The fur around the mouth may smell peculiar, like burnt human hair. The whiskers may be singed or burnt away. Cats that stumble into downed electrical wires will have burns across their body, on their legs or wherever their body came into contact with the live wire. If the cat is still in contact with the wire and the wire is still plugged in, unplug or shut off the current before moving the cat or you may risk electrocution. Even if the cat is conscious and moving about, the cat will not want to eat or eat very little because of the pain in its mouth.

    Heartbeat and Breathing

    • The heartbeat and breath an electrocuted cat is often irregular. If the shock was large enough, it could stop a cat's heart and breathing altogether. Electricity can not only burn the mouth and stop the heart, but also burns out the small capillaries in a cat's lungs. Fluid than can build up in the damaged lungs. If the heart was damaged, then blood pressure will rise, causing the cat even more problems breathing. Even if a cat is awake and seems to breathe normally now, it still needs to go to the vet to check for lung damage, according to Race Foster, DVM. Damaged lungs may give off rattles or sounds similar to paper being crunched up.