by CeeGunn

Created on: January 14, 2009

Cats very rarely choke. A cat may make a coughing, gurgling sound when throwing up food or a hairball, but generally a cat can take care of itself.

However, cats can choke on foreign objects such as toys, bones, and pieces of string. A cat that is truly choking on something and cannot breathe will often paw at his face, have a blue tongue and thrash wildly. If the cat cannot get enough air, he may become unconscious.

If you are the only one witnessing the choking, you will have to take care of it yourself before calling the vet. Time is of the essence when the cat cannot breathe. If there is another person in the house, ask them to call the vet immediately. After they talk to the vet, they can help you with the cat.

The first thing to do if your cat is choking is to gently restrain the cat and look inside its mouth. To open the cat's mouth, put your hand on the back of his head and place your fingers on one side of the mouth and your thumb on the other. Tilt the cats head back a bit, push your fingers and thumb into the cat's mouth just behind the fangs and pull up slightly. Use your other hand to stabilize the cat.

Do not push your fingers in the cat's mouth until you check to see if the object is visible. If you can see the object, there is a chance you can get it out instead of pushing it further down.

If it is string or thread or ribbon, you can try gently pulling the it out. If it comes easily out of the throat, continue to pull until it is completely released. If there is resistance in the string and it won't come out by pulling gently, then take your cat immediately to the vet.

If there is a foreign object such as a toy or bone lodged in the cat's mouth or the back of their throat, use blunt nosed tweezers to attempt to dislodge the object and remove it from the mouth. It will be much easier to do this if there is another person available to hold the cat. If you are alone, try wrapping the cat in a blanket to keep the cat still and to protect yourself from clawing. If you feel unable to remove the object this way or you feel the object may be getting pushed further down, move quickly to the next manoever.

Pick up the cat by the hindlegs and hold the cat head down. Slap the cat's ribcage on the side with two fingers of your hand. Use a quick, sharp motion, much like giving the Heimlich manoever to a person. Be careful not to slap too hard or you may break the cat's ribs. This is obviously going to be distressing to the cat, so don't perform this for too long. If it does not work, go immediately to the vet.

If the object is dislodged from the cat's throat using any of these methods, you should still call your vet to tell them what happened. The vet may want the cat to come in for a check-up. In the meantime, keep the cat calm and don't let him outside. Watch him carefully over the next while to ensure that he is recovering from his ordeal.

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