26 May 2026
Tess Coakley RVN discusses the importance of taking the correct steps and preparing for these cases to reduce the risk of reactions.
Tess Coakley
Job Title
Image: Maria Vitkovska / Adobe Stock
Feline blood transfusions have become a more familiar treatment option in many veterinary practices. This type of therapy can be lifesaving for cats experiencing acute trauma, anaemia or various coagulopathies. While it is being used more often, feline transfusion medicine still has not caught up with canine use in terms of frequency or familiarity.
That said, some helpful developments have been made in recent years – especially around transfusion-related equipment, which has made feline donations a little more straightforward.
So, why are feline blood transfusions still underused?
One of the main reasons is knowledge. Many vets are less confident using blood products in cats – especially in more routine cases – simply because they have not had the training or resources.
Understanding how and when to use blood products is an area that often gets overlooked in clinical education. That is why Pet Blood Bank continues to expand its educational offering, including articles, videos and CPD content on feline transfusion best practice. One stand-out resource is the webinar, “An introduction to feline transfusion medicine” by Anna Threlfall, specialist in small animal internal medicine at Davies Veterinary Specialists. This is available via the Pet Blood Bank website and provides an overview of the topic, including updates on what is new in feline blood medicine.
Another key barrier is availability. Unlike canine patients, cats do not benefit from a national feline blood bank. That means when a transfusion is needed, it falls to practices to source a donor themselves – often a colleague’s pet at very short notice. This cat will then need to be health screened, blood typed and assessed for suitability. It can be a stressful and time-sensitive situation for everyone involved.
To ease this pressure, some practices now maintain a small, pre-approved donor list of cats that have already undergone the necessary health checks and temperament assessments. Having this in place makes the whole process quicker, safer and less stressful for teams and animals.
It is also vital to remember that cats have naturally occurring antibodies, even before a first transfusion. This makes compatibility testing essential. A cross-match or blood typing should always be done beforehand to prevent reactions.
In terms of blood types, cats are generally A, B or AB, with A being the most common. Type B appears more often in specific pedigree breeds, while AB is rare. The Mik type is a more recently discovered group and is extremely rare.
Cats with blood type A have low levels of anti-B antibodies. Type B cats, however, have high levels of anti-A antibodies, which means transfusion reactions can be severe if not properly matched. AB cats have no naturally occurring antibodies, but the level of antibodies can still vary, making typing essential.
These antibodies begin to develop after the loss of colostrum from the mother, meaning even young cats can have active immune responses. Quick and accurate blood typing is essential, and can be done in-house using commercial tests; for example, one immunochromatography test available from Pet Blood Bank uses a strip with pre-applied reagents. When diluted red blood cells interact with the strip, it reveals the blood type with a bold line. Preparing ahead of time with a donor list and understanding blood type compatibility can make a big difference in both the safety and success of feline transfusions.
Feline blood donors must be healthy adult cats, indoor only, UK or Ireland born, and with no history of severe illness or previous transfusions. They should be calm, easy to handle, on regular parasite treatment but no other medication, up to date with vaccinations, and preferably neutered.
Because the criteria are strict, having a ready-to-go list of suitable cats is extremely helpful. Trying to find a new donor in an emergency can be difficult and adds pressure to an already urgent situation.
When a donor is selected, a full health check and routine blood screen should be done to confirm suitability. The cat’s blood type should also be identified.
For donation, the jugular area should be shaved and prepped aseptically. The cat is usually placed in lateral recumbency with its head supported to allow vein access. Blood can be drawn using a syringe pre-filled with the correct amount of anticoagulant. This is either transferred to a sterile bag for transfusion or used immediately with a syringe driver and filter.
Pet Blood Bank also offers a small animal single bag collection system that simplifies the process. It includes a syringe, tap and small sterile bag, with a port to add anticoagulant without breaking sterility. This system, along with the smaller CPDA 30ml bag, helps reduce waste and is more environmentally and cost friendly.
Once blood is ready, the transfusion process should begin in a controlled environment, ideally a small kennel with minimal movement to avoid disturbing the giving set. If possible, place the patient in ICU or somewhere highly visible. Assign a nurse to monitor throughout.
Baseline parameters should be taken before starting the transfusion. A dedicated catheter should be used, flushed only with sterile saline. No other medications or fluids should be run through it.
Download Pet Blood Bank’s transfusion monitoring record, available on its website, to log vital data. Monitoring should be done using a multi-parameter machine to reduce handling. If anything changes, it must be reported to the vet straight away.
Any adverse response is considered a transfusion reaction. These are either immunological or non-immunological, and either acute (occurring within hours) or delayed (which can show up weeks or even years later).
The most common immunological reaction is febrile, non-haemolytic and linked to white cell or platelet antigens. This typically presents as a temperature increase of more than one degree and has a good prognosis.
The most serious reactions are acute haemolytic reactions, where the recipient’s natural antibodies destroy donor red cells. These are rare if proper typing is done, but if a type B cat receives type A blood, it can be life threatening.
Symptoms often come in two stages: the first can include vocalising, vomiting, restlessness, collapse and seizures. If the cat survives, a second phase may involve fever, tachycardia and haemoglobinuria. Some signs may overlap with the initial condition the cat was being treated for, so accurate monitoring is key.
We cannot ever guarantee that a transfusion will be reaction free, but taking the right steps such as blood typing and preparing in advance greatly reduces the risks.
Pet Blood Bank is always available to help support practices with feline transfusions, whether through consumables, advice or educational resources. For advice, contact 01509 232 222.
Tess Coakley qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2012, progressing to the role of head nurse. With a strong interest in emergency and critical care, she later moved into veterinary transfusion medicine, joining Medivet’s internal blood bank as blood bank manager. Following the acquisition of Medivet’s blood bank by Pet Blood Bank UK, Tess now holds the role of training manager.