CPR for Cats

What to Do when Your Cat Stops Breathing

Your kitty is laying on the floor unconscious and not breathing. You panic. You grab your kitty and drive to the closest animal hospital. However, your kitty may or may not make it to the hospital in time to be saved. Learning how to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on your cat will better the chances you are able to save your cat's life if he or she should stop breathing.

When a cat stops breathing, the cat no longer receives oxygen. If a cat does not receive oxygen for more than a few minutes irreversible damage may occur. This article will teach you how to perform basic CPR on your cat. However, I am not a veterinarian and while I believe this information is correct, you may want to verify this information with your vet before using it on your cat.

First, make sure your kitty is actually unconscious and not breathing. Touch your kitty and talk to him or her, and say his or her name several times. If a cat is deeply sleeping instead of unconscious, he or she may hurt you when he or she suddenly wakes up.

In addition, check your cat's heartbeat or pulse. If your cat has a pulse you may do rescue breathing for him or her. If your cat's heart is not beating, you will need to do heart massage for him or her.

Next, make sure your cat's airway is open. Lay your cat on his or her right side. Extend your cat's head and neck. Open your cat's mouth and pull his or her tongue forward in order to see if there is any vomit or saliva blocking your cat's airway. If there is, put your finger into your cat's mouth and remove it.

If you are unable to see if there is anything blocking his or her airway, stick your finger into your cat's mouth, reaching into the throat and make a swipe with your finger. This motion should clean out your kitty's airway so that you can proceed. Be sure to not pull on the smooth bone-like structure in your cat's throat. This is your cat's Adam's apple and you can damage it if you pull on it.