What to Do for a Choking Cat
(This is an article I recently wrote for Pet Boarding and Daycare magazine — reposted here with their permission.)
When a cat under your care starts choking, it is vital to use your eyes and your ears so you can time when to render pet first aid.
Choking actions and sounds differ from that of a cat experiencing a hairball. A cat will tend to shrug his shoulders and make quick gulp sounds before opening his mouth and releasing a hair-filled hairball. Inspect the hairball, but in general, hairballs tend to be due to excessive grooming and are not regarded as pet emergencies.
But when a cat starts to choke due to something partially blocking his airway, he will make a gasp-like sound called a stridor on each inhale. He will also tend to crouch and maybe lurch forward.
This lurching and gasping combination are your cues to step in and perform the kitty Heimlich maneuver that consists of well-timed abdominal thrusts followed by mouth inspections.
Step-By-Step Guide to Aid a Choking Cat
Follow these veterinarian-approved steps to perform abdominal thrusts effectively to clear the airway and enable the cat to breathe normally:
Approach the cat calmly so as not to cause him to panic and lash out at you.
Position the cat standing up on a sturdy table and his back braced against your front torso.
Hold the cat up with one arm around his upper abdomen.
With your other hand, tuck your thumb inside your palm while making a fist.
Position your closed fist at the end of ribcage in the soft spot.
Listen for the stridor (inhale). Then thrust your fist in and upward five times in a row when the cat exhales to try to dislodge the object.
After each series of five thrusts, open and inspect the mouth to see if you can dislodge any object.
Be ready to perform rescue breaths if the cat becomes unconscious. Use your speaker function on your cell phone to alert the nearest veterinary clinic of your arrival as you continue the abdominal thrusts.
Option B: You can also hold the cat while sitting in a stable chair. Position the cat’s head down toward the floor and body between your knees. Hold the cat in place with your open hands on each side of the cat’s shoulders. Listen for the strider (gasp). Then, on the exhale, press your hands in and down to try to use gravity to release any object stuck in the cat’s mouth.
Caution: If the cat collapses into unconsciousness, you will need to perform CPR that consists of chest compressions and rescue breaths (you breathing air from your mouth into the cat’s nostrils). Definitely call the nearest veterinary clinic for further instructions.
Reducing Choking Incidents in Cats
Sadly, more than 200,000 cats and dogs die from choking each year, according to Dr. Judy Morgan, DVM, an integrative veterinarian who operates the Dr. Judy Morgan’s Naturally Healthy Pets site (www.drjudymorgan.com).
This statistic inspired her to launch National Pet Choking Prevention Day website (https://nationalpetchokingpreventionday.com) that offers valuable articles and videos for pet professionals and pet parents. Officially, the day is held every June 22nd, but the advice is definitely valuable every day.
“I saw many choking cases involving dogs and cats during my career and some of these cases did not have good outcomes, which is very sad as this is something that is preventable,” says Dr. Morgan, who practiced veterinary medicine for 36 years. “My mission is to empower and educate pet parents and pet professionals on ways to keep their pets healthy and safe.”
Many cats, including mine, hone their hunting skills by stalking feather wand toys and other wiggling linear objects. To reduce the risk of choking in cats under your care, get into the habit of playing with wand toys and other linear toys and then storing these items in cat-safe containers to prevent accidental choking.
Also, monitor cats at mealtime to step in if a fast-eating cat starts to choke on pieces of kibble.
Definitely do a thorough look at the cat’s surroundings to remove any choking objects, such as rubber bands or hair ties.
Choking Hazards for Cats
Here are some common items in homes that can cause choking and even unconsciousness if swallowed by cats:
Baby bottle nipples
Baby carrots
Buttons
Dental floss
Food wrappers
Game pieces
Hair ties
Jewelry
Kibble pieces
Plastic bags
Refrigerator magnets
Rubber bands
Shoelaces
String
Tinsel
Window blind cords
Yarn
Try to keep these out of the reach of kitties, and pick up/store these items if you ever notice them laying around.
Final Tip:
Show your cat and dog how much you care for them by enrolling in one of our Pet First Aid 4U classes. We offer three options for you to earn veterinarian-approved two-year certificates in our pet first aid/CPR programs:
In-person classes primarily aimed at pet professionals and first responders.
Interactive via ZOOM classes offered monthly and on demand
Self-paced online classes for those wishing to learn anytime, anywhere.
Pick the best option for you and sign up today!
About the Author:
Arden Moore, founder of Pet First Aid 4 U, is a Master Pet First Aid/CPR Instructor who teaches veterinarian-approved, hands-on safety courses alongside her teaching team of Kona (dog) and Casey (cat). Known as “The Pet First Aid & Safety Coach,” Arden is also a nationally recognized behavior consultant, bestselling author of over 25 pet books, and the award-winning host of the “Oh Behave!” podcast. A Fear Free Certified Professional, she brings decades of pet expertise to all her endeavors — with a mission to help pets live safer, longer and healthier lives.
