This Maine Coon is enjoying the outdoors with the use of a cat harness — a good way to stay out of harm's way and an emergency situation.

Lorrie Shaw | Contributor

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a pet emergency?

In most cases, dogs come to mind, right? It's natural, certainly. Canines often do odd things that end up causing injuries to themselves, eat stuff that they are not supposed to, play rough — you get the picture.

Most of the time, it's our one dog, Bruiser, that ends up trekking to the vet's office to get patched up due to his outdoor habits: abrasions to his skin, (or in one case, his eye), injuries to his nail because he stepped on some unknown object in the woods on our property; surely there are plenty of things that I am forgetting.

On the other hand, things very seldom occur that require the vets attention when it comes to our cat, Silver, and most other cats.

But what if they do — and, what if it's an emergency? Do you know what to do? What takes priority?

Cats and dogs are very different, not just in their stature, but countless ways. Their species sets them apart, and that means a lot when it comes to addressing the needs of felines in a critical situation.

Do you know what to do if you encounter an emergency situation with your cat?

First things first: every household with cats should have a first aid kit handy, and your vets number, as well as that of an emergency vet in your area.

It's important to know key things, like what a cat's temperature typically is (normal is between 101 and 102.5 degrees), what symptoms indicate heatstroke, how to recognize the signs of a seizure and more.

The best thing to do when considering emergencies — avoid them! Taking precautions to keep felines out of harm's way and to maintain a safe environment is easy, with a little forethought. Remembering that cats are very curious helps, too.

• Travel with your cat in a kitty carrier. This will protect the cat and keep you from getting distracted.
• Keep your clothes dryer door closed. Cats love warm, cozy places, and a dryer is inviting.
• Ensure that screens are secure and intact in all of the windows of your home.
• Be careful with houseplants, because they tend to be cat magnets. Click here for a list of poisonous plants.
• Keep cleaning supplies, antifreeze, medications and pesticides/herbicides out of reach.

For more tips on cat first aid and emergency care to stabilize your cat until you can get to a vet in the event of a critical situation, including drowning, click here to read a post by board-certified feline expert Dr. Arnold Plotnick, DVM. His blog, Cat Man Do, is a wealth of information on all things feline.

Lorrie Shaw is lead pets blogger for AnnArbor.com and owner of Professional Pet Sitting. Tag along on her pet adventures on her photo blog.