How to perform cpr on a cat

By Rachel Davis March 29, 2026

To many people the idea of performing CPR on a cat is either very odd or something that never even occurred to them. Most cat owners are just as unaware as catless people, so it really isn’t about whether you have hands on experience with a cat. But it can be a life-saving practice that will give a cat another 8 or so lives. Before we move forward with the actual procedure there are a few basic things you need to know.

Checking Things Out

First, unlike humans, don’t wait for your cat to stop breathing completely before starting CPR. If they have been involved in an accident or are clearly having trouble breathing, start CPR immediately. Cats are usually up and around, so if your cat is just lying around without any visible signs of activity for an unusual period of time, check to see if there is something wrong. The first sign you look for is whether the cat is breathing or has labored breathing. Simply look at their chest for movement. You can also put your hand in front of their nose to check, and also consider that most cats will give you that look or move their head to get away from your hand.

Second, open their mouth and check out their gums. What you are looking for is either white gums, which indicates a blood circulation problem, or a bluish or greyish hue which indicates not enough oxygen is getting into their system. Both conditions are a green light to start performing CPR.

Third, you can check for their pulse. It is located at the point where the cat’s leg meets their body. You might want to practice checking their pulse before it is actually needed.

If it is determined you cat needs CPR, get them to the vet or animal hospital immediately. The whole idea behind cat CPR is to buy them some time, not to play doctor. The CPR technique can be performed while you are transporting Tabby.

The CPR Procedure

Before proceeding, be sure you have done the preparation steps above. Check to see if there is anything in the cat’s mouth. You can open it and if you find any type of obstruction you need to remove it and create a clear pathway for the cat to breathe. You may want to put vinyl gloves or something on your hands if you are not sure what the obstruction is before removing it.

Can the cat breathe now? If not, then go to the next step. Since the cat’s tongue can also obstruct their ability to breathe, you need to gently pull it forward while at the same time gently closing their mouth. This is a two hand procedure. The way you will get air into the cat’s lungs is through its nose. You will basically be using the same procedure as performing CPR on an infant, so if you know this you are way ahead of the game. Hold the cat’s neck straight and every 5 seconds blow small puffs of air into its nose. The way you know you are doing this correctly if by watching the cat’s chest rise and fall.

Cat CPR Odds and Ends

After reading this you may not have the confidence to perform CPR on the cat. There are two ways to handle this. The first is to try. Few people get it right the first time, but as you are on the way to the vet you can give them a fighting chance. The second way is to call the vet if you are trying and have them walk you through the procedure. Talking to an experienced professional can give you the confidence you need to continue trying.

No one ever knows when there may be the need to perform cat CPR, just like no one can be sure when it will be necessary to perform CPR on a human. But because the process is almost the same for both cats and human infants, taking classes in human CPR will prepare you to give a cat CPR. If you are not sure whether learning cat CPR is useful, the easiest way is to ask your friends and other cat owners whether they are even aware cat CPR is possible. You may be one of the few who can successfully perform it when everyone else is thinking the cat has used up their 9 lives.

We hope the time never comes that you’ll need to be knowledgeable on performing CPR on your cat, but in case you do we think it’s important to know the steps. CPR can be safely done by you or anyone around while you’re on your way to the veterinarian for further attention. Please always consult your veterinarian during or after any emergency treatment, even if you think your cat is doing well afterwards. PetMD has provided us with great information on how to safely and effectively perform CPR on our feline friends.

1. Check Airways & Heartbeat – One of the first steps to take when deciding to perform CPR on your cat is to make sure they aren’t breathing. If they’re not, check inside the mouth to make sure there aren’t any foreign objects blocking the throat. If you find something, try to gently remove it but use the amount of force you have to. Second, place your fingers against your cat’s inner thigh to feel for a pulse. If their heart has stopped beating, you won’t feel a pulse, but it might not be too late.

2. Prepare for CPR – Lay the cat down on their right side on a flat, firm surface. When performing CPR, you’re going to breath into the cat’s nose and not into the mouth. Therefore, pull the tongue out forward out of the mouth and hold it closed.

3. Breath Into the Nose – Holding the mouth shut, breath 4 or 5 breaths into your cat’s nose. They shouldn’t be so strong to cause damage, but strong enough that the chest should rise and fall as your breaths go in and out.

4. Begin Chest Compressions – With your cat lying on their right side, place your thumb and fingers (you can use either hand) on either side of their chest, just behind the elbow. Give a quick squeeze with your hand to compress the chest about half of its normal thickness.

5. Maintenance – You will give about 10 chest compressions and one breath every 10 seconds, maintaining the routine until your cat’s heart starts up and they begin breathing.

Most importantly, seek veterinary attention immediately. Knowing how to perform CPR on your cat can greatly increase their chances for survival should something happen, but should never replace professional veterinary care. Further, it will by you time on your way to the veterinarian. It’s extremely helpful to be able to perform CPR while another person is driving you to the emergency animal hospital. Your veterinarian and their team will continue the CPR treatment and/or provide further treatment should it be needed. Again, we hope you never need to use this information, but it’s better to have it handy should a crisis arise.

Pets are part of the family, and just like learning First Aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) skills for adults and children allows you to care for your family, learning important first aid for your cats and dogs can help you best care for them.

With that in mind, we have introduced a new Cat and Dog First Aid online course that will help you be prepared to deliver first aid care for your pets – including CPR. To learn more and register for this online course, visit

Cat & Dog CPR

1 Check for breathing and a heartbeat…

Check to see if the pet is breathing and check for a heartbeat. If you do not see your pet’s chest moving and cannot find a heartbeat, begin CPR with chest compressions.

2 Give chest compressions…

Place your hands on your pet as follows:

For cats, small dogs and deep chested dogs, place the heel of one of your hands directly over the pet’s heart and place your other hand directly over the first hand.
For deep chested dogs, place the heel of one hand over the widest part of the chest and place your other hand directly over the first hand.
For barrel chested dogs, place the dog on its back, place one hand over the widest part of the sternum, and place your other hand directly over the first hand. Lock your elbows and make sure your shoulders are directly above your hands.

Then, push hard and push fast at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute, compressing 1/3 to 1/2 the width of your pet’s chest. Make sure the chest comes back fully (recoils) before compressing again.

Perform 30 chest compressions

3 Then give rescue breaths…

To give rescue breaths, gently close the pet’s mouth and extend the pet’s neck to open the airway. Cover your pet’s nose with your mouth and exhale until you see the pet’s chest rise. Give a second rescue breath.

4 Continue CPR…

Continue giving CPR with a cycle of 30 chest compressions and 2 rescue breaths until your dog or cat begins breathing again on its own.

5 Check again for breathing and a heartbeat…

Briefly check for breathing and a heartbeat every 2 minutes.

6 Get help…

Continue CPR until you reach a veterinary hospital.

by Albert John March 07, 2018

How to Perform CPR On a Cat

It is important to know how to do CPR on newborn kittens if you are there when they are being born. Sometimes cats will not be breathing when they are born. This is a problem because they may not start breathing on their own. When a kitten is born, they may have fluid that is trapped in their nasal passage and throat passageways.

Follow the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) directions listed below:

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How to Give a Cat CPR

The first thing you want to do is clear the airway. To do this you will hold the kitten’s head downward. This will allow gravity to assist you. When you do this, you are allowing the fluids to drain from the throat, lungs, and mouth. You can use a suction bulb to help with any excess fluids in the airway. You will need to put two or three puffs of air into the mouth and the nose of the kitten.

You may also try this method to help remove fluids from the mouth, lungs, and throat. You can cup the palms of your hands together. You will put the kitten in your hands on his or her back. The head should be out of the palms. You will swing the kitten like a pendulum, back and forth. The motion will help force any fluids that have become trapped, out. You should then wipe the face of the kitten and continue to the next step.

To do this, you will want to put your mouth on the kitten. However, before you do this, make sure that the tongue is in the front of the mouth. Make sure your mouth surrounds the nose and the mouth of the kitten. Do not provide large breaths because the lungs of a kitten are not large. If you provide to large of a breath, you could damage the lungs of the kitten.

Kitten CPR

After you have administered CPR, you will want to check for a heartbeat. You may use a stethoscope or you can simply feel the chest of the kitten. If you cannot find a heartbeat, you will want to compress the chest. You will compress the area that is at the back of their elbow. This is the approximate location of the heart. You will use your thumb, as well as your forefinger, to continue. You will press on the chest and compress quickly. A kitten will have a heartbeat of 150 beats per minute. This means your compresses should be quick. You should be administering about 100 to 120 compressions in a minute. While doing this, make sure you are administering another puff of air to the kitten. This should be done every fifteen or twenty seconds.

You should be checking for a heartbeat or breathing about every minute. If you notice the heart is beating slowly you will want to rouse the kitten. You can do this by roughly rubbing the kitten with a towel. However, you should still be careful while you are doing this. Newborn kittens are susceptible to injury very easily, especially if they are handled too rough. You do not want to hurt the kitten. After you have done this, you will hold the kitten by the scruff and turn it over.

Final Thoughts

If the heart stops beating at any time, you will want to keep administering CPR. You can do CPR on a newborn kitten for about five minutes. After five minutes of no heartbeat or breathing, it is unlikely the cat will be able to be revived. Keep in mind that this does happen quite often. About ¼ of kittens will die when they are born. If you have done CPR for several minutes to no avail, you tried your hardest and the cat has passed on.

We hope this helps you in assisting your kitty. Always have a comfy bed for them to lay in during this process. You can find some here.

Sharing is caring!

When it comes to our feline friends, the last thing we ever want to think about is reviving them. If you found yourself in the event that your cat needed you to resuscitate them, would you know what to do? Artificial respiration (AR) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cats are emergency procedures that are important to know because they can save your cat’s life in the event of an emergency. By performing these procedures, the main purpose is to restore your cat’s blood flow so that their vital organs can receive oxygen once more.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

And no, we are not suggesting that you give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to your cat. By learning to perform these procedures it can mean the difference between life and death before you are able to rush your cat to their veterinarian.

Here is what every cat owner should know about CPR for cats…

CPR is Similar For Cats And Humans, With A Few Key Differences

-Never perform CPR on a feline that is not unconscious

If you happen to perform CPR on a conscious cat, you could end up with a nasty bite or scratch as a result. First, check their airway for an obstruction.

-You will be checking the pulse in different locations of the body than you would a human

We know that in humans we check their pulse on the wrist or the neck. For cats or dogs, you check the pulse by feeling the femoral artery, just on the inside of the thigh. See image below.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

-You will position the body of a cat differently

Humans lie on their back when CPR is being administered, cats need to be laid on their side.

-Breathing and heartbeat are separate

Your cat’s heart can beat for several minutes once breathing has stopped. You must first check their airway to be sure that nothing is lodged in there which is preventing their ability to breathe.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

When To Take Your Cat To The Vet Immediately

Obviously speaking, the best course of action is to recognize that something is seriously wrong with your cat and take them to the vet before they stop breathing. If your cat is experiencing any of the following symptoms , it is vital that you take them to the vet ASAP:

Difficulty breathing
Weakness or lethargy
Unconsciousness
Any sudden onset of illness
Severe injury or trauma

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Vital Signs to Check For Before Administering AR or CPR for Cats

There are some important vital signs you need to verify before administering emergency procedures on your feline. According to PetMD, here is exactly what you should look for:

Check for breathing. Watch for movement of the chest, or put your hand in front of your cat’s nose to feel his breath. If mist forms on a piece of clean glass or metal that’s placed in front of your cat’s nose, CPR is probably not necessary.
Check the color of his gums. If your cat’s gums are bluish or gray, this is a sign that they are not getting enough oxygen; white gums are the result of poor blood circulation. Some cats have dark-colored gums—for those cats, check the tongue color. In most cases, if your cat lets you examine their tongue, they need CPR or AR.
Check for a pulse on the inside of the thigh, near where the leg meets the body. This is the femoral pulse.
Listen for a heartbeat by putting your ear (or a stethoscope) on the left side of the chest near the elbow.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform CPR for Cats

If possible, you should be performing this while en route to your veterinarian’s office as it is clear that your cat requires immediate veterinary assistance. Here is what you should do:

Check for breathing.
If there is none, open the mouth and remove any obstructions in the airway. This is only safe if the animal is unconscious.
Pull the tongue to the front of the mouth, then close the mouth and gently hold it shut.
Make sure the neck is straight and breathe short puffs of air into the nose—one breath every 4 to 5 seconds. (If you have been trained in CPR for human infants, use a similar strength of breath.)
Watch for chest movement; the chest should both rise when you give a breath and relax after the breath. Give 3 to 5 breaths, then check for a pulse and breathing again. Repeat as needed at a rate of 10 breaths per minute. Continue giving breaths as someone else drives you and your pet to the veterinarian.
If the cat’s heart stops, use both artificial respiration and CPR (steps 7 through 10).
Check for a heartbeat and pulse.
If there is none, lay your cat on his right side on a flat surface.
Place your thumb and fingers from one hand on either side of his chest, behind his elbows, and give a quick squeeze to compress the chest to about half of its normal thickness.
Compress the chest about 15 times every 10 seconds; give a breath about every 10 compressions.

Remember, if you have relied on CPR or AR to resuscitate your cat, this does not mean that the ordeal is behind you.

It is imperative that you seek professional medical attention for your cat so that you can discover the root of the cause to your cat’s breathing issues. And don’t forget, mouth-to-snout!

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Want to know more about CPR for cats? The Red Cross now has an online course available to help concerned cat parents like you to be better prepared in the event of an emergency. See below:

…We have introduced a new Cat and Dog First Aid online course that will help you be prepared to deliver first aid care for your pets – including CPR. To learn more and register for this online course, visit

REMEMBER: SPAY/NEUTER, FOSTER, VOLUNTEER, TNR & AS ALWAYS, ADOPT, DON’T SHOP!

Related Story: Cat-Friendly Plants For Your Feline Friend How to Perform CPR on a Cat Related Story: 5 Weird Cat Behaviors Explained

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Your cat is like a child to you.

You give them the best food and schedule annual vet visits.

You’ve carefully studied which human foods are good (and bad) to share with your cat.

But what happens when your cat has a medical emergency and you don’t have time to take them to your local veterinarian?

Do you have a plan for that?

Today we will look at cardiology for cats and what you can do if your cat stops breathing, or if their heart stops.

Keep reading, to be prepared for an emergency.

Get Your Cat To The Emergency Vet If You Can

So your cat has started acting strangely.

Perhaps they aren’t eating, or are vomiting.

Maybe they’ve stopped using the litter box or are making strange breathing sounds.

These are all warning signs something is wrong with your cat, and definitely reasons to get your cat to the vet as soon as possible – hopefully before things get worse.

How To Determine If You Should Do CPR

So you’ve come home from work to find your cat is not at the door to greet you like they normally do.

You don’t worry too much at first – cats can be fickle creatures.

You notice your cat sleeping soundly on the couch, and go over to give them a few pets, but something doesn’t seem quite right – normally this would cause your cat to wake up, or at least stretch.

This time there is no response.

At this point, you should try to wake your cat – shake them gently, try talking and saying their name.

Check for breathing by placing your hand in front of your cat’s nose and mouth to feel for air, and look and feel for the movement of their chest.

Once you have determined there is no breathing or heartbeat you can start CPR.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Performing CPR On A Cat

If you have learned how to do CPR on a human, you will find the steps for performing it on a cat are very similar.

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of what to do.

1. Check for breathing and a heartbeat, as we described above.

2. Once you have determined your cat is not breathing, open their mouth and check for anything which might be obstructing the airway. If you see any obstructions carefully use your finger to scoop it out – being careful to not push any foreign objects deeper into your cat’s throat.

3. Gently pull your cat’s tongue towards the front of their mouth, so it can’t fall back and obstruct the airway, and hold their mouth shut.

4. Ensure your cat’s neck is straight so their airway is clear, and breathe short “puffs” of air into their nose, being careful not to over-inflate their lungs. Generally, a good measure for a “puff” of air is the amount of air you can hold in your cheeks – be careful not to over-inflate your cat’s lungs, by giving too much air at once. Remember, their lungs are a lot smaller than yours. You should see your cat’s chest rise slightly.

5. Repeat these breaths four or five times, every three to five seconds, and then check for a heartbeat. If there is a heartbeat but no breathing, continue rescue breaths, at a rate of about ten per minute.

6. If your cat does not have a heartbeat, begin CPR (steps 7-10).

7. Place your cat on a flat surface, on their side.

8. Using your thumbs over your cat’s heart, located just behind the front legs, compress the chest about one-third of its normal thickness or about one inch.

9. Continue to do compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute, with two rescue breaths every 30 compressions.

10. If you have another person to help, you can alternate between chest compressions and rescue breathes so you don’t become tired.

How Your Vet Performs CPR

If you are able to get your cat to the vet, the way they perform CPR will look a little different, as they have many more medical tools at their disposal.

They will use an endotracheal tube to provide oxygen.

This is a tube which goes from the mouth, down the trachea and to the lungs.

They will also start an IV in order to give fluids and medication, such as epinephrine to stimulate the heart rate.

Aftercare

If your cat goes through an experience where they require CPR, it is likely they will need to be kept under observation until a diagnosis can be made.

Depending on the cause, your vet will provide aftercare instructions – it is very important to follow your vets’ instructions carefully and be prepared to contact them if anything doesn’t go as expected.

Book an Appointment at Bickford Park Animal Hospital

Here at Bickford Park Animal Hospital, we’re here for you and your cat – whether it’s an emergency or not.

We would love to get to know you and your feline friend under better circumstances, so if you do need to come in during an emergency you already have the comfort and familiarity with our staff to trust us to provide the best care possible.

In yours and your pet’s health,

Bickford Park Animal Hospital is a veterinary clinic in Toronto, located across from Christie Pits park, committed to the highest level of caring and treatment for cats and dogs.

When someone is not breathing, you perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to help them breathe and save their life. When a cat is not breathing, you do the same thing. It might sound a bit ridiculous to some, but those who have pets of their own know all too well just how serious and how scary it can be when a pet is injured, hurt or not breathing. When I made the genius decision to adopt a dog two days before Christmas, the dog came into our home and attacked our cat. The cat, when finally pried from the jaws of the dog, wasn’t bleeding anywhere. But he was suddenly incontinent, he was breathing so hard and so heavily that his mouth hung as far open as it could, and his chest was barely moving despite his effort. I didn’t know that CPR was effective on cats when this happened, and thankfully I didn’t need it. It seemed forever before my husband could rush home and stay with our napping 9-month-old twins and our 3 and 6-year-old daughters, who just so happened to witness the entire incident while I rushed the cat to the vet. With a failing liver, failing kidney and collapsed lung, the cat was in shock and not expected to live through the night. It’s been almost three months and the cat is home and just as annoying and judgmental as ever – thank God.

What I didn’t know when this happened is that if the cat had stopped breathing, I could have performed CPR and saved his life. I would have done it, too, even though the cat is not my favorite. He belongs to my daughters and they love and adore him so much that their hearts broke when they witnessed the dog attacking him. I would have done whatever necessary to save Twitter (we adopted him with this name, FYI) and I would have done it for my girls. And this is precisely why it pays to know what you can and cannot do to save a cat’s life until you can get emergency veterinary assistance. So I’m here to tell you that you can perform CPR to save the life of your cat, and I’m going to tell you how to do it the right way.

What to Know Before CPR

In most instances, you should get your cat to the vet before CPR is needed. However, there are always instances in which an emergency occurs and it’s just too late to wait. For example, an animal attack or some sort of car accident that injures your cat might render the animal unable to breathe and require that you perform life-saving techniques. Other instances require that you get the cat to the vet as soon as possible. If you notice any of these symptoms being displayed by your cat, get him or her to the vet before performing CPR becomes necessary:

Lethargic behavior

Breathing difficulties

Your cat is rendered unconscious

Your cat is involved in an accident or trauma

Don’t wait for your cat to stop breathing to get him or her to the vet; go now. This will help protect you from having to perform CPR and it might help you increase your cat’s chances of survival.

When is CPR Necessary?

The first step in learning how to perform CPR on your cat is knowing when it’s time. You’ll want to start by checking the cat’s breathing by seeing if the chest moves at all. You will also want to place your hand in front of your cat’s face to see if you can feel any breath coming from his nose or mouth.

The second step is to open the cat’s mouth and check his or her gums; you’re looking at color here. You want to see if the gums are either a shade of blue or grey or if they are white. Blue or grey gums indicate your cat is not getting enough oxygen. If the gums are white, the cat’s blood is not circulating properly.

You’ll also want to check for the cat’s pulse inside the thigh on the back of the leg where it meets the cat’s body and then listen for a heartbeat if you cannot find anything else. If you notice any of these issues, you need to rush to the vet immediately, but you will also want to perform CPR en route (obviously while someone else is driving).

Performing CPR

You’ve already checked for breath, so you can move to the next step
Remove anything that might be obstructing your cat’s ability to breathe from its mouth by opening it up and scooping debris out of the way. See if the cat is able to breathe now.
The next step is to make sure the cat’s tongue is at the front of its mouth so that it does not obstruct the cat’s ability to breathe – do this by pulling it forward and then closing the mouth as much as you can while being very gentle.
Hold your cat’s neck straight and begin breathing small, short breaths of air into its nose. You will do this once every 5 seconds. This process is very similar to that of an infant’s version of CPR, so hopefully you are trained in this. While doing this you must watch the chest of the cat, which should rise and fall with each breath you provide. This should work.

This is a very delicate subject, and it’s not a situation in which you ever want to find yourself. What you would rather do is ensure your cat gets to the vet as quickly as possible. But if you find yourself nervous and in need of this to save your cat’s life, don’t hesitate to get the vet on the phone and let him or her walk you through the process so that you feel more comfortable and more capable. It’s a delicate situation, and you should do whatever is necessary to make it as easy and comfortable as you can.

We’ve included a video that will help you become a bit more comfortable and familiar with the process, and we highly recommend you watch now before you ever need this skill.

Photo by China Photos/Getty Images

April is National Pet First Aid Awareness Month so we wanted to show you how to perform CPR on a cat. Videos will be the quickest way for you to learn this, so here are some videos that should help you save a cat’s life.

God forbid you should ever have to deal with your kitty, or any cat that is in such bad shape that you are performing CPR, but when you need to know it you’re going to be glad you took a few moments today to watch these videos and brush up on a few techniques that could save a cat’s life.

Love her idea of using a mirror to see if the cat is breathing but you may not have one handy so you can use the back of your hand to feel for breath.

If your cat has stopped breathing or their heart isn’t beating, you need to get them to a vet or emergency clinic as soon as possible. So if you can perform CPR on the road, with someone else driving, do so. Get your cat to a medical professional as soon and swiftly and safely as possible.

So to recap:

Not Breathing

Check to see if your cat is breathing.

If not, check to see if something is lodged in the airway. Look into their mouth and throat. Remove the object that is obstructing if you can do that safely. Grab the tongue and pull it forward, this may help to dislodge the object.

If the airway is clear, lay the cat on his or her side.

Lift the chin to straighten out the throat area. Pull the cat’s tongue forward to the front of the mouth and close the mouth. You’ll want to gently hold it shut as you place your mouth over the cat’s nose and mouth and gently breath little puffs of hair into your cat’s lungs through the nose. Watch the cat’s chest to see it rise when you give air. Aim for one breath every 3to 4 seconds.

No Heart Beat

Lay the cat on his or her side, just as you would to provide oxygen but this time you’re going to do chest compressions.

Since cat’s are small you should be able to do one-handed chest compressions.

Place your thumb on one side of the cat’s chest, just below the elbow and place your fingers (of the same hand) on the other side of the cats chest. You’ll give your cat’s chest area a quick squeeze to compress the chest about half an inch. Aim for 100 – 120 chest compressions per minute. Just do your best until you can get your cat in front of a medical professional.

These are just some helpful pointers and videos. It’s best to take a pet CPR course to really understand how to do all of this properly.

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In any emergency situation, it is always best to get your cat professional help immediately, rather than to try to help it yourself. However, if your cat has been injured and has stopped breathing or has no pulse and you cannot get to an emergency hospital, the following procedures may save your pet’s life.

Artificial Respiration

Use the technique below on a cat who has a heartbeat, but is not breathing. Under no circumstances whatsoever should you ever perform artificial respiration on a cat who is breathing on its own.

Remove the cat’s collar.

Open the mouth and pull the tongue forward to open up the throat.

Check the throat for any foreign bodies that may be blocking the airway, then clear the mouth of any excess saliva or mucous. If the cat has vomited or was underwater, suspend the cat upside down by its hips and gently swing his body a few times to drain out the liquid.

Lay the cat on his right side with the body elevated slightly higher than the head. Keep the head and neck straight to maintain an open airway.

With the tongue pulled forward, place your mouth over the cat’s nose only; do not cover his mouth. Blow air into his nostrils for approximately three seconds (excess air will come out the cat’s mouth). You should be able to see the chest expand. Repeat every two seconds until the cat begins breathing on its own.

Do not attempt this on a cat who is breathing – coronary pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is only used when there is neither breathing nor heartbeat. Please note: this is a very difficult procedure to do correctly and should be only done if it is impossible for you to get your cat to the nearest animal hospital.

Lay the cat on its right side.

Continue performing artificial respiration in rhythm with the CPR.

Place the thumb of one of your hands on the cat’s sternum and your fingers on the opposite side (so your palm cups the chest).

Compress the chest firmly, but not so hard you break the ribs. The rate is one compression per second.

Perform five compressions, then administer a breath.

Watch the cat closely and check for breathing and/or pulse every few minutes.

If your cat loses consciousness for any reason, it may stop breathing and then its heart might stop. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an attempt top restart the heart and restore breathing. It involves pushing down repeatedly on the heart to keep the blood flowing and immediately giving artificial respiration. It’s easier for two people to give CPR together, as one person will work on the heart while the other does artificial respiration [source: Glendale Animal Hospital]. If you’re doing it alone, you will have to alternate between pumping the heart and providing artificial respiration [source: Foster and Smith]. Here’s how to give CPR to your cat.

Put the cat on its side.
Make sure nothing is blocking the cat’s airway by checking that there are no foreign objects in its mouth.
Extend the cat’s head and neck.
Give artificial respiration by blowing into the nose of the cat, while keeping its mouth shut. Breathe twice into the cat’s nose, allowing the air to leave its lungs in between each breath. You should see the chest rise and fall as you give the breaths. Do this about 20 times per minute.
Lay the palm of one hand over the cat’s rib cage, over the heart. Place the other hand on top of the first hand.
Push down about one inch (2.5 centimeters) and then release the pressure. You should press and release about 80 times a minute.
Give two breaths to the animal for artificial respiration after administering 30 compressions.
Continue until your cat breathes by itself [sources: University of Washington, Foster and Smith].

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Created Jul 18, 2000 | Updated Nov 11, 2011

Artificial Respiration

Use the technique below on a cat who has a heartbeat, but is not breathing. Under no circumstances whatsoever should you ever perform artificial respiration on a cat who is breathing on its own.

Remove the cat’s collar.

Open the mouth and pull the tongue forward to open up the throat.

Lay the cat on his right side with the body elevated slightly higher than the head. Keep the head and neck straight to maintain an open airway.

Lay the cat on its right side.

Continue performing artificial respiration in rhythm with the CPR.

Place the thumb of one of your hands on the cat’s sternum and your fingers on the opposite side (so your palm cups the chest).

Compress the chest firmly, but not so hard you break the ribs. The rate is one compression per second.

Perform five compressions, then administer a breath.

Watch the cat closely and check for breathing and/or pulse every few minutes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Beth Williams

A rabbit who has stopped breathing needs immediate help. Even before you transport your rabbit to a rabbit-savvy veterinarian, you may need to initiate CPR. Knowing how to perform CPR on your rabbit, especially when every minute matters, could mean the difference between life and death. Fortunately, performing CPR is a straightforward process.

Warning

Do not initiate CPR on a breathing rabbit. Doing so could result in injury or further damage to your rabbit’s health.

Is Your Rabbit Breathing?

Before you initiate CPR, you must determine whether your rabbit is breathing:

Gently lie him on his back.
Say his name.
If he does not respond to his name, look at his chest. Is it rising and falling?
Put your ear in front of his nose. Can you feel or hear his breathing?
If you do not hear breathing or see his chest rising, gently tip his head backward and open his mouth to determine if an object, such as a pellet, has become stuck in his throat.
Remove any obstructions, if possible.

Things You’ll Need

Start CPR Immediately

Only begin CPR once you are certain your rabbit is not breathing. Attempting CPR on a conscious rabbit may cause him to become agitated and combative.

Tilt your rabbit’s head back.
Place a piece of gauze or a tissue, if possible, over his mouth and nose to prevent disease transmission.
Put your mouth over your rabbit’s mouth and nose.
Gently breathe into your rabbit’s mouth and nose. Your rabbit’s chest should rise.
Put your hand over your rabbit’s heart to see if it is beating. You can feel the vein in either of your rabbit’s ears to determine if he has a pulse.
If he has a pulse, gently breathe into your rabbit every five seconds while ensuring he still has a heartbeat. Do not breathe faster or you could injure his lungs.
If your rabbit’s heart is not beating, use your forefinger and thumb to compress his heart.
Compress on your rabbit’s chest between one and two times each second. After every three compressions, give one breath.
Continue with the CPR for a maximum of five minutes. If your rabbit has not responded in that time, his chance of survival has passed.

Warning

When compressing your rabbit, push down gently as rabbits have delicate bodies.

Seek Veterinary Assistance

Once your rabbit has stabilized, take him to a rabbit-savvy veterinarian immediately. A veterinarian can determine whether your rabbit needs to be hospitalized, to take antibiotics or is healthy enough to return home.

Not all veterinarians care for rabbits. Find an exotic veterinarian with experience treating rabbits before you are faced with an illness or emergency.

All things animal in Southern
California and beyond

Although most pet owners say they’d attempt doggie- or kitty-CPR to save an animal in danger, many are unprepared to deal with a wide range of other pet-related emergencies, according to a new poll conducted jointly by the Associated Press and Petside.com.

The poll, conducted Oct. 1-5 by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media, utilized telephone interviews (both cellphone and landline) with 1,166 pet owners nationwide. Of those, 58% said they would be at least somewhat likely to perform CPR on a pet in need. (That figure is an average of dog owners, of which 63% said they would try to perform CPR, and cat owners, of which 53% gave the same answer.) Additionally, female pet owners were statistically more likely to attempt CPR on their pets, with 65% of women and only 50% of men saying they would try the technique.

“If people value their pets like a family member, they should know how to do CPR, just like they would for their kids. In disasters, pets get hurt and run into debris and all kinds of things,” Mark Solnick, director of emergency preparedness and response for the Red Cross of Santa Monica, told the Associated Press of the findings.

Both the American Red Cross and a number of private organizations offer pet first aid and CPR classes. Fortunately for Angelenos, one of these, Sunny-Dog Ink, offers seminars right here in Los Angeles.

Despite the generally favorable CPR statistics, the poll found emergency preparedness lacking among pet owners in several other key areas. Fifty-four percent of those interviewed said they did not have a fire evacuation plan for their dog or cat, and only 20% kept a stocked pet first-aid kit in their home. The Associated Press reports on a few other troubling trends:

And the survey revealed frequent reporting of dangerous practices that can lead to accidents and injuries. For example, a quarter of pet owners, including 30% of dog owners and 22% of cat owners, give their pets bones from table scraps, at least sometimes.

Sixty-two percent of dog owners and a third of cat owners let their pets ride in their cars unrestrained, rather than placing them in a special pet carrier. And 11% of pet owners sometimes leave their pets unattended in a car or truck.

A few more interesting statistics from the new poll: Seventeen percent of those interviewed said that a pet had been bitten or attacked by another animal (9% said their pet had been the attacker in such an incident, and 5% said their pet had bitten or attacked a human); 16% said their pet had experienced an allergic reaction; 7% said their pet had consumed poisonous material; and 11% said they’d had the agonizing experience of having a pet hit by a car.

The American Veterinary Medical Assn. offers a handy, printable list of items that should be kept in a pet first-aid kit; among them are phone numbers for the pet’s regular veterinarian as well as an emergency vet clinic and the animal poison-control center (888-4ANI-HELP); gauze; nonstick bandages, towels or other cloth as well as adhesive tape to secure cloth in place; milk of magnesia or activated charcoal for use in the event of poisoning; hydrogen peroxide; and a thermometer. For the full list, check out the AVMA’s website.

Photos: (top) Pet first aid and CPR instructor Denise Fleck demonstrates how to perform CPR on a cat dummy at the Burbank Animal Shelter. Credit: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

(bottom) A pet owner demonstrates how to revive a dog’s heart during a pet CPR class. Credit: Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times

by Melodie Anne

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

No matter what, always follow up with your veterinarian.

Finding your newly adopted kitten in distress is liable to put you into panic mode. But take a deep breath, get on your knees and determine if your furry pal needs cardiopulmonary resuscitation — more commonly known as CPR. Your quick and immediate actions can save your kitten’s life.

Lay Johnny on his side and straighten out his neck. Open his mouth and look for an obstruction. Pulling out his tongue can help you get a better visual on anything that might be stuck in his throat. However, don’t attempt to reach into your little buddy’s mouth if he is coherent. He might bite you.

Reach in your cat’s mouth with your pinkie finger — if he is unconscious — and scoop out any debris that is blocking his airway. If he’s choking on fluid, use a cotton ball to soak up the liquid building up in the back of his throat. If the intrusion doesn’t come out, you’ll need to do the Heimlich maneuver.

Lift Johnny up and hold him upside down if there is still something blocking his breathing. Place his back against your chest, hold him tightly and give five sharp thrusts at the top of his belly and press downward, toward his head.

Check his mouth to see if the debris is gone or has shifted to a place that allows you to remove it. Once the fragment is out of his airway, give him two quick breaths. You cannot proceed any further until his airway is clear.

Put both hands around the kitten’s muzzle and keep his little mouth shut. Take a deep breath, cover Johnny’s nose with your mouth and quickly exhale four or five short breaths into his snout. You should see his chest expand. Repeat this step every five seconds and continue to see if he’s breathing on his own. Limit your breaths to 20 to 30 per minute, says the Cat Practice, a Michigan-based animal hospital. His tiny lungs can’t handle much more than that.

Listen for a heartbeat by resting your ear on his chest, or check his pulse on the upper inside part of his thigh. If you cannot locate a pulse, you’ll need to do chest compressions.

Lay Johnny on his right side, facing you. Slide your left hand under his chest so your palm rests under his elbow. Place your right hand directly on top of your left hand.

Begin compressions by pressing your palms together. His fragile chest should go in about 1 inch, reports Kentucky-based Jefferson Animal Hospitals. Curl your fingers behind his body to keep him from sliding backward.

Continue administering CPR until Johnny is breathing on his own and has a heartbeat. If you’re doing CPR alone, you should be doing about five compressions, followed by a set of four or five breaths, then continuing the sequence. However, if you have someone helping you, the process should be three compressions, followed by a set of four or five breaths, continuing on as needed.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Did you know that owning a pet can improve our health? So why not return the favor and learn pet CPR so you know what to do if an emergency arises.

Our pets are considered members of the family and they enrich our lives in more ways than we can count. In turn, they depend on us for their safety and well-being. For your pet, there is no 911 response system, so it is very important that you and members of your family are trained to save your pet’s life, until you can get him or her to an emergency pet hospital.

CPR stands for ‘cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ and is a life-saving procedure used to help dogs and cats that stopped breathing and/or have no heartbeat. CPR preserves brain function until proper blood circulation and breathing can be restored. The CPR process is similar to that of a human, but you want to make sure they are on laying on the their side.

Here are the basic steps from animalleague.org

Basic CPR starts with following the ABC’s: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. First and most importantly, make sure the animal is actually unconscious! Talk to it, gently tap it, and attempt to wake it. You could be seriously injured if you try to resuscitate an animal that is merely sleeping deeply. Once you’ve determined the animal is unconscious, then:

Step 1: Check to see if the animal is breathing – look at its chest, listen for breathing, feel for breaths with the back of your hand.

Step 2: If the animal is not breathing, open their airway by tilting its head back a little bit and pulling on the tongue. Then give it 4-5 breaths by covering its nose with your mouth and forcefully blowing until you see the chest rise, and removing your mouth when the chest has fully expanded. After several breaths, stop and check for breathing and a pulse.

Step 3: Check for a pulse. On larger animals, place your fingers on the inside of the rear leg, towards the top of the thigh. On small dogs and cats, place your fingers on the chest just behind the shoulder. If there is a pulse but the animal is still not breathing, continue breathing for it, mouth-to-snout. Give 1 breath every 3 seconds, or for cats and small dogs give 1 breath every 2 seconds. Push down on the stomach area every few seconds to help expel the air that may have accumulated there. Continue rescue breathing until you can get the animal to the nearest veterinary facility.

Step 4: If there is no pulse, begin chest compressions. In small dogs and cats, place the animal on the ground, and then sandwich the chest with your hands on either side, right behind the shoulder blades. Squeeze the chest, compressing it about ½ to 1 inch deep. Do this 100-150 times per minute. In a larger dog, place it on its right side and put your hands on the widest part of the chest. Depress the rib cage 1 ½ to 4 inches, depending on the dog’s size. Do this 80 to 120 times per minute. After one minute check for a pulse. If no response, then repeat chest compressions. If possible, give breaths during the compressions. If this is not possible, give 2 breaths after every 12 compressions. If two people are working together, then have the second person give a breath during every second or third compression. Continue CPR until you can get the animal to a veterinary facility.

Below is another helpful video on performing CPR on dogs. Note: This instructional video recommends a compression to ventilation ratio of 15 compressions followed by 1 breath.

Artificial respiration (AR) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are emergency procedures which at some point might very well save your cat’s life.

Hopefully, of course, you will never find yourself in a situation like that, but it is good to know how to react. The most important thing is not to let it go to that point, so if you are noticing some signs like difficulty breathing, weakness, unconsciousness, and severe injury – take your cat to a veterinarian immediately, and if it is necessary and you administer it correctly, CPR may give you enough time to get there.

Before you do anything at all, you need to check if your cat needs CPR.

* Check the breathing – You can do this by closely monitoring for chest movement, you can put your hand or a mirror close to the nose to feel his breath. If there are any signs that the cat is breathing, then CPR is probably not necessary.

* Check the color of the cat’s gums – If your cat is not getting enough oxygen the gums may turn blue or grey, and white gums can be a sign of bad blood circulation.

* Check for the pulse – You can check it on the inside of the cat’s thigh, where the leg meets the body. You can also try to listen for a heartbeat by putting your ear (or stethoscope) on the left side of the cat’s chest, near the elbow.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

In case of emergency follow these steps, and preferably while you are on your way to the veterinarian:

1.) Check for breathing.

2.) If there is none, then open the mouth and remove any obstructions in the airway.

3.) Pull the cat’s tongue to the front of the mouth, then close the mouth and gently hold it shut.

4.) Make absolutely sure the neck is straight and breathe short puffs of air into the nose – one breath every 4 to 5 seconds. (If you have been trained in CPR for human infants, use a similar strength of breath.)

5.) Watch for any chest movement; the chest should both rise when you give a breath and relax after the breath.

6,) If the cat’s heart happens to stop, use both artificial respiration and CPR (steps 7-10)

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

7,) Check now for a heartbeat and pulse.

8.) If there is none, lay your cat on his right side on a completely flat surface.

9.) Place your thumb and fingers from one hand on either side of his chest behind his elbows and then give a quick squeeze to compress the chest to about 1/2 of its normal thickness.

10.) Compress the cat’s chest about 15 times every 10 seconds; give a breath about every 10 compressions.

Unfortunately, most cats that get to the point of needing CPR do not survive. If your cat does manage to survive it will probably need to remain in a hospital for a while, and it will take much aftercare till it gets better. Carefully follow the instructions of the veterinarian and if you don’t see results or you see that the situation is getting worse contact him as soon as possible.

Accidents will and so happen, but if you are cautious and take your cat to regular check-ups maybe you can lower the chances of your cat ever needing CPR.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

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We hope the time never comes that you’ll need to be knowledgeable on performing CPR on your cat, but in case you do we think it’s important to know the steps.

CPR can be safely done by you or anyone around while you’re on your way to the veterinarian for further attention. Please always consult your veterinarian during or after any emergency treatment, even if you think your cat is doing well afterwards. PetMD has provided us with great information on how to safely and effectively perform CPR on our feline friends.

5. Maintenance – You will give about 10 chest compressions and one breath every 10 seconds, maintaining the routine until your cat’s heart starts up and they begin breathing.

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform Cpr On A Cat Temple Illuminatus

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Cpr For Cats What Every Cat Owner Should Know Cole Marmalade

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform Cpr On Your Cat Kittentoob

How To Perform Cpr On A Cat About Family Pets

Emergency Cat Health Care How To Perform Cpr On A With Two

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform Cpr On A Cat 14 Steps With Pictures Wikihow

How To Perform Cpr On Cats And Dogs Port Kennedy Vet

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform Cpr On A Cat 14 Steps With Pictures Wikihow

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Cat And Dog Cpr Steps You Can Take To Save An Unresponsive Pet

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

How To Perform Cpr On A Cat

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Emergency Cat Health Care How To Perform Cpr On A

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How To Perform Cpr On Pets Slash

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How To Do Cpr On A Dog Or Cat Pethealthcare Co Za For Dogs And

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Pet Cpr Online Course Cornell University College Of Veterinary

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Pet Cpr Aed Super Blog

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Pet Cpr Aed Com Blog

How to perform cpr on a cat temple illuminatus cpr for cats what every cat owner should know cole marmalade how to perform cpr on your cat kittentoob how to perform cpr on a cat about family pets

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

CPR is a lifesaving technique that can bring a victim of cardiac arrest back from the brink. But did you know that victim doesn’t have to be human? You can also perform CPR on your pets. The American Red Cross even offers a CPR course for pets. But if you already know CPR, chances are you can perform it on a pet as well—as long as you know a few basic rules.

CPR for dogs

CPR techniques for dogs vary slightly depending on the size of the dog. Before starting CPR, it is important to be sure that the dog is in fact suffering cardiac arrest, as a startled dog could bite if you surprise it. Also, be aware that CPR can be dangerous for healthy dogs—and should not be conducted unless you’re sure it’s needed.

To check responsiveness, try to wake the dog up and check breathing and pulse. See if there is anything blocking the airway, such as blood, a chew toy, or pieces of food. If the dog’s tongue, gums, and lips are beginning to turn blue, you know you’ll need to perform CPR.

For dogs that weigh less than 30 pound:

Place the dog on a flat surface, with the left side up and the right side down.
Cup your hands and place one palm on either side of the dog’s heart.
Compress firmly to a depth of one inch to a quarter or a third of the width of the dog’s chest. Hold for one and let go for one. Try to do this about 100 times a minute.
Breathe into the dog’s nose one time for every five compressions if you are working alone; if someone is there to help you, have the second person give rescue breaths once every tow or three compressions.

For dogs that weigh more than 30 pounds:

Place the dog on a flat surface with the left side up and the right side down. Position yourself by the dog’s back.
Place one palm on the dog’s chest near the heart, and place your other palm on top of it.
Keeping your arms straight, compress the chest to a depth of about a quarter to a third of the chest’s width, at a rate of approximately 80 compressions per minute.
Hold the dog’s muzzle closed and breathe into its nose once per five compressions if you are working alone. If there is a second person with you, have that person deliver one rescue breath for every tow or three compressions

CPR for cats

Like dogs, it is important to be sure that the cat is not conscious and has stopped breathing before administering CPR. This is because a startled, sleeping cat could injure you if you surprise it, and you could risk injuring the cat if it does not need the CPR.

Place the cat on its side; extend the neck gently and lean the head slightly upwards.
Check the cat’s airway for blockages; pull the tongue forward to dislodge an object if necessary. Bear in mind that cats have tiny bones in the back of the throat as part of their larynx; do not dislodge these.
Press your fingertips or a cupped palm around the cat’s chest, just behind its elbows.
Compress the chest at a depth of half an inch, at an approximate rate of 120 beats per minute or two per second.
Cover the cat’s entire nose and the front of its muzzle with your lips. Gently exhale with adequate force to cause your cat’s chest to rise. Perform approximately one rescue breath per 12 compressions.
Pause periodically to press on your cat’s abdomen to drive out air that has built up in the stomach.

CPR for animals is surprisingly similar to CPR for people. There are, however, a few different things to keep in mind when performing CPR on a dog or cat. These include:

Never perform CPR on an animal that is not unconscious

If your dog or cat is seizing, don’t perform CPR. The same goes for dogs and cats that are suffering from an obstructed airway. Performing CPR on a conscious animal can put you in danger of a nasty bite or scratch, and can put the animal in danger as well. Be absolutely sure that the animal is unresponsive before proceeding.

Positioning is different

People need to lie on their backs for CPR, while animals need to lie on their sides. This is because a dog or cat has a deeper chest than a human, and that has to do with the positioning of their hearts. To find the heart of a dog or cat, lie the animal on its side and draw its elbow back toward its ribs. The heart is positioned where the elbow reaches back.

You look for the pulse in a different place

You can find a human’s pulse by checking the wrist or the carotid artery, just under the neck. For a dog or cat, you check the pulse by feeling the femoral artery, just on the inside of the thigh.

Breathing and heartbeat are separate

The heart can continue beating for several minutes after breathing has stopped entirely. It’s still important to make sure the airway isn’t clogged before attempting CPR. Never try to perform rescue breaths before making sure the animal’s airway is clear; if it isn’t, the air won’t reach its lungs.

While some veterinary clinics offer mobile vet services, many pet owners don’t have the same access to medical attention for their pets in an emergency that they would have for themselves. Even so, dogs and cats can suffer from blocked airways and even cardiac arrest like humans can, and CPR can save their lives. Pet owners who learn CPR can prepare themselves to react quickly in case of an emergency and save a pet’s life in an emergency—before the pet can get to the veterinarian’s office.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help save a life during a cardiac or breathing emergency. However, even after training, remembering the CPR steps and administering them correctly can be a challenge. In order to help you help someone in need, we’ve created this simple step-by-step guide that you can print up and place on your refrigerator, in your car, in your bag or at your desk.

Before Giving CPR

Check the scene and the person. Make sure the scene is safe, then tap the person on the shoulder and shout “Are you OK?” to ensure that the person needs help.

Call 911 for assistance. If it’s evident that the person needs help, call (or ask a bystander to call) 911, then send someone to get an AED. (If an AED is unavailable, or a there is no bystander to access it, stay with the victim, call 911 and begin administering assistance.)

Open the airway. With the person lying on his or her back, tilt the head back slightly to lift the chin.

Check for breathing. Listen carefully, for no more than 10 seconds, for sounds of breathing. (Occasional gasping sounds do not equate to breathing.) If there is no breathing begin CPR.

Red Cross CPR Steps

Push hard, push fast. Place your hands, one on top of the other, in the middle of the chest. Use your body weight to help you administer compressions that are at least 2 inches deep and delivered at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute.

Deliver rescue breaths. With the person’s head tilted back slightly and the chin lifted, pinch the nose shut and place your mouth over the person’s mouth to make a complete seal. Blow into the person’s mouth to make the chest rise. Deliver two rescue breaths, then continue compressions.

Note: If the chest does not rise with the initial rescue breath, re-tilt the head before delivering the second breath. If the chest doesn’t rise with the second breath, the person may be choking. After each subsequent set of 30 chest compressions, and before attempting breaths, look for an object and, if seen, remove it.

Continue CPR steps. Keep performing cycles of chest compressions and breathing until the person exhibits signs of life, such as breathing, an AED becomes available, or EMS or a trained medical responder arrives on scene.

Note: End the cycles if the scene becomes unsafe or you cannot continue performing CPR due to exhaustion.

To see the steps to perform CPR in action, watch our video Putting it All Together: CPR – Adult. Or, for online, in person and blended training courses, visit our CPR Training Page.

This article is more than 3 years old

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Less than 6 percent of dogs and cats that experience cardiopulmonary arrest in the hospital survive to discharge, while the survival rate is about 20 percent for humans that experience in-hospital cardiac arrest.

“What we found was that there was really no consensus on how to do that best,” said initiative co-chair Dr. Manuel Boller of the University of Pennsylvania. “There may have been a cohort, for example, that recommended 60 to 80 compressions per minute and another that thought 120 to 150 compressions per minute was the right thing.”

The new CPR guidelines for dogs and cats are available by visiting here to access the free special issue of the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care.

Initiative co-chair Dr. Daniel J. Fletcher of Cornell University said, “We identified two overarching goals for our research: first, to devise clinical guidelines establishing how to best treat cardiopulmonary arrest in dogs and cats, and second, to identify important knowledge gaps in veterinary CPR that need to be filled in order to improve the quality of recommendations, and thus, the quality of patient care in the future.”

Drs. Boller and Fletcher recruited more than 100 veterinary specialists from around the world to review more than 1,000 scientific papers related to CPR. The specialists analyzed the papers for rigor and for relevance to dogs and cats, arriving at 101 guidelines for CPR in dogs and cats.

A free special issue of the Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care online provides an overview of the de-velopment of the guidelines, a summary of the scientific papers, and details of the guidelines with algorithms and drug dosage charts.

The recommendations for CPR in dogs and cats include the following:

by ProTrainings Staff – last updated on April 8, 2020

CPR is a crucial skill that everyone should know how to perform – not just medical professionals. You never know when disaster might strike and how long it may take first responders to arrive and, often, the chances of a successful rescue depend on a knowledgeable bystander knowing when and how to take action.

Some people have a difficult time remembering how to perform CPR and those who do may need help recalling the order in which they should go about doing the procedure. If you are one of those people, don’t worry! There is a useful way to remember what you should do and how you should do it when it comes to CPR.

Let’s get into the ABCs of CPR so you have the tools you need to be a hero in a life or death situation.

What is CPR?

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR is a technique used to keep blood circulating through the body as the heart isn’t pumping effectively, getting oxygen to the body and brain. Learning CPR is recommended for everyone, not just those with training in the medical field.

How do you prepare to perform CPR?

Before you begin performing CPR, there are some steps you should take to make sure the person really needs it and to make sure they have the best chance of survival. They are:

Tapping the person on the shoulder, verbally and physically trying to get their attention. Ask if they are okay. If the person does not respond, prepare to begin CPR.

Quickly examining the person for signs of normal breathing and a heartbeat. If the person is responsive, breathing normally, and has a heartbeat, they don’t need CPR. You should still call emergency services in case they have sustained some other type of injury.

Calling emergency services. CPR is meant to be a short-term solution to keep a person alive until they can get more extensive medical help. Call 911 before you begin CPR or have someone else do so before you start so emergency responders make it to the scene and take over as quickly as possible.

What are the ABCs of CPR?

After you have determined that you need to perform CPR, it’s time to follow the procedure and follow it as closely as possible. Enter the ABCs of CPR. Okay, it’s actually CAB: Compressions, Airway, Breathing. Let’s look at each one more closely.

Compressions: Restore circulation

Chest compressions allow you to manually pump blood through the heart to the rest of the body. Blood circulation is vital to keep all organs from dying, including the brain. If the brain dies, a person does not recover.

Lay the person on their back on a flat, firm surface if possible.
Kneel next to them at the level of the shoulders and neck.
Put the heel of one hand in the center of the person’s chest at the nipple line. Place your other hand over the first and interlock your fingers.
Keep your elbows straight and your shoulders positioned over your hands and press down on the chest using your upper body and arm strength. You should compress the chest 100-120 compressions per minute to a depth of 2-2.4 inches. (If you need help gauging speed, think of the beat of the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.)
Continue chest compressions until emergency services arrive or the person is resuscitated. Those who have training should combine compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of 30:2.

Airway: Open the person’s airway

Those who are properly trained in CPR should perform rescue breaths as well as chest compressions. You do this by opening the airway. Here’s how:

Place your palm down gently on the forehead, tilting the head back and lifting the chin forward to open the airway
Make sure that there are no obstructions. If there is a loose and easily reachable object in the mouth or throat, retrieve it carefully but only if you are certain you can remove it. If you are unsure or it looks too far back to reach, don’t touch it. You could do more harm if the object gets pushed farther into the airway.

Breathing: Perform rescue breaths

Rescue breaths are when you manually breathe for the person you are helping. Here’s how you do it:

When the airway is open, pinch the nose shut if performing mouth-to-mouth. Use a CPR barrier mask if you have one, then place your open mouth on theirs and make a seal.
Give one rescue breath, lasting for one second. If the person’s chest rises, give another breath. If it does not, reposition the head to open the airway and repeat the process.
Give 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths for every cycle. Repeat until the person becomes responsive, an AED becomes available, or first responders arrive.

Do the CPR ABCs work on children and infants?

For children between age one and puberty, follow almost the same protocol when performing CPR as you would for adults. The major difference is hand placement. If the child is very young or on the smaller side, only use the heel of one hand. Be gentle as children are more fragile than the average adult.

For infants, remember the ABCs but make a few changes. Instead of using a whole hand, use two or three fingers to compress the chest. Only compress down to about 1.5 inches instead of two because babies are smaller and more delicate.

Where can you get CPR certified?

Though anyone can attempt CPR, it’s always better to receive the proper training. Even people who have a very tight schedule can get CPR certified in no time! You can take CPR classes from the comfort of your home by enrolling in one of ProCPR’s programs. You don’t even have to pay unless you pass and need your certificate. There’s nothing to lose and, who knows, you might end up saving someone’s life one day.

Learn how to care for your dog or cat when they may need you the most. CPR stands for ‘cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ and is a life-saving procedure used to help dogs and cats that have stopped breathing and/or have no heartbeat.

Before performing this procedure please keep in mind that CPR is hazardous and can cause physical complications such as broken ribs or fatal damage if performed on a healthy dog or cat.

Only to be performed for life-saving purposes.

Follow these simple instructions:

1. Place animal out on their right side down and position yourself alongside the back of the animal. Look, listen and feel for breathing. If an unconscious animal is breathing, CPR is NOT required:

Look: Watch the animal’s chest and look for a natural rise and fall of the chest wall. If breathing, the chest should move up and down every few seconds.

Listen: Place your ear to the pet’s chest and listen for breathing and/or a pulse.

Feel: Place your cheek or hand close to the pet’s nose to feel for any air flow against your skin. Check for a pulse by placing two fingers on the inside of the pets back thigh or groin.

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How to Perform CPR on a Cat

2. Check that the dog’s airway is clear. Remove any blockages that may be obstructing the animal’s airway such as food, vomit or foreign material.

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How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Please note: for photo purposes, we’ve pulled the head up, this is to show how to keep the pet’s mouth closed and positioning of mouth over the snout. The pet’s head should remain on the flat surface and on its side when performing CPR.

3. Once the airway is clear, position the animal for artificial respiration. Extending the head and neck, blow twice firmly into the dog or cat’s snout just enough to gently lift the chest wall. *Be sure to keep the animal’s mouth closed using your hands.

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How to Perform CPR on a Cat

4. Placing your palm on the animal’s chest, bend then animal’s arm back until the elbow touches the body. This is where you’re the palm of your hand should be placed to start chest compressions. Without bending your elbows, press the rib cage down to compress the chest about one-quarter to one-third of the way down for a count of one and a quick release back up. Carry on at a rate of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. Every 2-3 cycles, check for a pulse and any breathing. If two people are available, give 1 breath for every 2 compressions.

For small cats and dogs use fingertips to do chest compressions instead of your whole hand or place your four fingers under the pet’s chest and compress on the top with the left thumb.

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How to Perform CPR on a Cat

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How to Perform CPR on a Cat

5. Continue to do CPR until the pet begins to breathe and has a steady pulse. Transport your pet to the nearest veterinary practice as soon as possible.

If the pet doesn’t show any signs of improvement after 10 minutes of CPR, you are advised to stop, as it has proven unsuccessful.

To learn CPR and other pet first-aid techniques, talk to your veterinarian, or local St. John Ambulance.

It might surprise you to know that being able to perform CPR on cats and dogs is an important skill to have if you own a pet. Whether your cat or dog is an inside or outside pet, knowing CPR will mean you can act quickly in an emergency and you could save a pet’s life in the process.

An emergency isn’t really the time to be searching on Google, so make sure you read this handy guide now so you are able to save the life of your pet or the pet of somebody else if you need to.

Here’s our guide to CPR in cats and dogs

Remove Any Obstruction if Possible

Your cat or dog may be choking on something that is obstructing their breathing. Before attempting any CPR, open your animal’s mouth and check to see if their air passage is clear. If there is something caught in their throat, remove it carefully. Your pet may be conscious and distressed which could cause them to snap or bite. If this is the case, it’s best to take them straight to a veterinarian.

Give Artificial Respiration

If your cat or dog is unconscious and their airway is unobstructed, you can attempt to give artificial respirations. This is done by closing the animal’s jaw tightly and breathing into their nose. You should see their chest rise. If this isn’t working or your pet is a small dog or cat, you could try covering their nose and mouth with your mouth and breathing over them. When doing artificial respirations, 2 breaths are sufficient.

Perform Chest Compressions

The way you perform chest compressions on an unconscious pet depends on their size. Large dogs can be positioned on their backs similar to humans and compressions can be done in the centre of their chest. This is difficult for small dogs and cats so you may need to do their chest compressions while they are lying on their side. Compressions are then done on the side of their rib cage. The rate of compression also varies depending on the animal’s size but generally, 80-120 compressions per minute are suitable for small to medium sized dogs and all cats. 60 compressions per minute are sufficient for large dogs.

Alternate between Breaths and Compressions

Now that you know how to perform breaths and compressions during CPR, it’s also important to alternate between the two. If you’re giving 80 compressions then you should give a breath after 40. If you’re doing 60 compressions, give a breath after 30. Alternating between breaths and compressions helps to give CPR more of a chance of being successful.

What Now?

Once your cat or dog is breathing independently again you can cease CPR. You should take them to a veterinarian as soon as possible afterwards to determine the cause of the problem and to do a general health check. If CPR has failed, take your pet to the vet immediately.

The team at Port Kennedy Veterinary Hospital understands, values, and respects the very special nature of the human-animal bond and are happy to assist you with how to perform CPR. We are also there for you in any emergency pet situation. Contact us to find out more today.

How to Perform Life-Saving CPR on Pets

Apr 15, 2013 #1 2013-04-15T13:57

How to Perform Life-Saving CPR on Pets

photo credit Dogfiles.com

Use the ABC’s of Pet CPR from the American Red Cross.

A is for Airway. If your pet is unconscious for reasons unknown (wasn’t in an accident) he may have choked on something. Open his mouth, look for an obstruction, and try to remove it. (Do not place your fingers inside the mouth if your pet is conscious – he may bite.) You may have to use abdominal thrusts or back blows to dislodge it – this is all described in the above-mentioned pet first aid books.

B is for Breathing. If you have a cat, or a dog with a snout small enough to completely fit in your mouth, enclose the entire mouth and nose in your mouth. If your dog’s snout won’t fit in your mouth, hold his mouth closed and put your mouth over his nose. Exhale and watch for the chest to rise.

C is for Circulation. Feel for your pet’s heartbeat – where the left elbow touches the chest. Don’t assume that his heart has stopped when he’s not breathing. If your pet is conscious and responding to you, his heart is beating. Perform chest compressions only when there is no heartbeat.

For chest compressions, lay your pet on his right side. For a cat or small dog (under 30 pounds), place a hand on each side of the ribs where your pet’s elbows touch the chest. Squeeze gently in rapid succession. For medium to large dogs, cup one hand over the other and place at the widest part of the chest. Compress the chest rapidly, 1 – 3 inches, depending on the size of your dog.

For cats and most dogs, you will need to give one breath for every five chest compressions, and for giant dogs (over 90 lbs), one breath for every 10 chest compressions. Your pet will need 20 – 30 breaths per minute (small pets need more than large), so it’s a lot of fast work. If you have someone to help you, have one person handle the breathing and the other the chest compressions.

Ordinary pet owners have performed Pet CPR and saved pet’s lives. The important thing is to be prepared and not panic. We don’t suggest you practice CPR on your pet ahead of time – that would be dangerous. But you can get familiar with where his heart is and practice where you’d place your hands. You can go to American Red Cross First aid training and practice on a dog or cat manikin. You can keep a Pet First Aid Kits at home. And, you can study up on Pet CPR and other emergency care in the American Red Cross books, Dog First aid and Cat First aid.

Source: American Red Cross Dog First aid, Cat First aid

Flipzi’s Cove

by Alfred Alexander L. Marasigan
Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

” Sovereignty resides in the people and all government authority emanates from them!”

” People don’t care what we know until they know we care.”

To be trained in the art of saving a life is a magnificent accomplishment. The feeling is amazing because it was you who leaped into action and started Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Sometimes when people need CPR because their heart has stopped does not always mean that helping them will be an easy task. Many people find themselves in situations where they are in a vehicle collision, and they are upside down, on their side, or even still sitting in the car. Of course, the obvious action to take is to remove them from that position and place them on the ground as you were taught in your course.

When performing CPR in an awkward position, the rescuer must be aware of primary and secondary hazards, such as smoke in the car, gasoline leak, angry dogs, or violent people. Once the rescuer determines that it is safe to do CPR, do it without hesitation. Even though the position is awkward, and the chest should be compressed to at least 2 inches, trying it is better than doing nothing at all. So, how would a person go about performing such a difficult task?

A strong man or woman can probably perform CPR in an awkward position with relative ease. However, anybody else will find it hard to do. In the sitting position, place the heel of your hand on the center of the chest. After, push as hard and fast as you can. Although the back of the chair is soft, and you need to place the victim on a hard flat surface, do your best to accomplish this task. Be aware that you are in the victims’ faces, and he or she may vomit, so take the appropriate precautions by being prepared.

If a victim is upside down for any reason, and you are unable to reverse them to a prone position, pushing on their back has not been proven to be an effective technique to permit perfusion. If you can get underneath them (plenty of space to do so), use both hands and push as hard as you can. In one situation in my past, I had a victim who suffered cardiac arrest before he crashed his vehicle into a wall. The damage and trauma to his body were minimal, but he remained in the vehicle. I was unable to pull him out in a good time where he would have no permanent brain injury, so I positioned myself behind him and reached around his chest and squeezed rhythmically, just like normal chest compressions. It appeared that he was getting the Heimlich maneuver on his chest, and it was making a difference.

This victim in cardiac arrest in the vehicle ended up in a prone position until his airway was manually controlled. “Most of these visitors extricated after the initial disentanglement attempt. I continued to do the modified Heimlich chest compression technique until he had a Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC). This technique was accomplished without Advance Life Support (ALS). With a typical call, most Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers would have pronounced the victim on scene. However, with a bit of creative ingenuity and determination, a brief period of a positive outcome was the result.

In other situations, a victim may be found in a tight situation and lying on his or her side. You realize that it will take just a few minutes to remove them, so you position yourself to where you can do lateral chest compressions. This technique is also a very difficult task, but your efforts will indeed be recognized, and you may find that you made a difference. Once you get the victim in a supine position on a hard surface, proceed with your training by pushing hard and fast on the chest.

In this world, anything is possible. You may find yourself in a position to help someone, and it may be the most awkward time of your life. However, you must be aware that to do something is a positive thing. However, to do nothing because the victim is unreachable (in your opinion) does not place you in negative litigation. You may also blame yourself because you felt helpless. To blame yourself is a normal response from a person with a good conscious. But, understand that you called 911 and got professionals on the way. Those feeling are also awkward but will subside over time. If you feel that you have felled (but in reality, have not), give comfort to family and friends. That in itself gives a subconscious feeling of satisfaction that will trickle to the surface. Either way, you are a HERO!

Beth Skwarecki

How to Perform CPR on a Cat

Pets don’t commonly have the same type of cardiac arrest that humans do, so you’re less likely to meet a dog who needs CPR than you are a person. Still, this is the right thing to do for a dog who is unconscious after drowning or if they do have one of the rare health conditions that requires it. Send someone to call an emergency vet clinic, and proceed.

The basic steps are:

Carefully approach the animal, and look inside their mouth. (If they try to bite you, they don’t need CPR.)
If they’re not breathing, give 4-5 rescue breaths, watching the chest rise and fall.
Check for a pulse using the artery on the inside of the dog’s thigh.
Perform 30 chest compressions, aiming to put your hands on the animal’s heart, right around the place their elbow touches their body. For large dogs, use both hands like you would for a person. For smaller dogs and for cats, you can squeeze the front of their chest with one hand.

For a rule of thumb, the rhythm of Stayin’ Alive (about 100 beats per minute) is a good speed for dogs and cats.

Once you’ve watched that video, if you’d like more information you can read the technical guidelines written for veterinarians, or check out this segment from the Hallmark Channel that gives some extra tips on how to handle very large and small dogs.

Haley Hernandez , Health Reporter

HOUSTON – Pets are more than just animals. They are family members, and when something happens, you want to be able to do your best to help. Pet owners know dogs and cats can get themselves into all kinds of trouble, so knowing pet CPR can be important in an emergency.

“Being prepared is the key to any emergency situation,” said Casey Farris from Pet CPR USA.

Farris teaches a class on how to perform CPR on your pet. She said professional groomers, doggie daycares and firefighters have taken her class to learn how to rescue dogs and cats but anyone can learn.

How to rescue a choking pet:

“Get behind them and press on their lung area and that will act like a fireplace bellows and create pressure and spit out the object,” Farris instructs.

If your pet is unresponsive and not breathing you should:

1) Put them on their right side, left side up and start CPR

2) Lock your left thumb under the animal’s armpit, brace the dog against your body with your right hand