Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 9: Emergency Care For Your Cat › Artificial Respiration and CPR for Cats ›

Artificial Respiration and CPR for Cats

    Cat Artificial Respiration and CPR
  1. Inspect the airway for obstruction. Check the throat visually, and use the fingers to feel for and remove obstructions. Perform the Heimlich maneuver if necessary. (See The Heimlich Maneuver.) Remember that even an unconscious cat may bite on instinct. If clearing the obstruction doesn't re-initiate respiration, proceed to the next step.
  2. Pick up the cat. Make sure its neck is straight, but not overextended.
  3. Close the cat's mouth, then place your mouth over its mouth and nose.
  4. Give four or five breaths quickly, exhaling forcefully each time (see Fig. A).
  5. Check to see if breathing has resumed. If not, repeat. Give 20 to 30 breaths per minute.
  6. If no heartbeat is detected after 1 minute, continue rescue breathing and initiate CPR.
  7. Lay the animal on its side on a firm surface. Chest compressions are less effective on a soft surface such as a bed.
  8. Kneel next to the animal. Place palm and fingertips over the ribs at the point where the elbow meets the chest. Compress the chest approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm), twice per second (see Fig. B). Alternate every five compressions with one breath. After 1 minute, check for heartbeat. If none is found, continue.

expert tipEXPERT TIP: Continue performing CPR until you reach professional help. However, be advised that the chances of reviving an animal with this procedure are minimal. After 20 minutes of CPR, it is extremely unlikely the feline will be revived, even with professional intervention.

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Chapter 9: Emergency Care For Your Cat

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Quirk BooksThe Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!