Common Choking Hazards
Friends and Felines,
As pet parents, we hope that an emergency like choking never occurs, but life happens! We encourage you to attend one of our Pet CPR Demonstrations where one of our veterinarians shows you how to administer CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver on your cats.
They also talk about what to do in an emergency and answer any questions you may have about the “what if’s”.
We will notify you via email for the next one. Haven't signed up for our newsletters yet? You can do that at the bottom of the page! In the meantime, we’ve compiled a list of the most common choking hazards for cats.
Choking Hazards for Cats:
Thread
String
Rubber bands
Hair ties
Paper clips
Staples
Bottle caps
Wine corks
Aluminum foil
Window blind cords
Toys (fishing poles, pipe cleaners, feathers, wands)
If you are suspicious that your cat is choking:
Remain calm and act quickly.
If your cat is conscious, we recommend getting them to the nearest emergency veterinarian as soon as possible. In these moments of panic, attempting to remove the object manually can actually push it further down their throat.
If your cat is unconscious and you do not have time to transport them to the ER, you can administer the pet Heimlich Maneuver.
Carefully open their mouth to check for foreign objects.
Gently pick them up by their thighs and swing the animal in the air. If that doesn’t help to dislodge the object, apply forward pressure to the cat’s abdomen just behind the rib cage.
We hope you find these tips helpful and that they help keep your cats happy and healthy. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or to schedule a visit. We are always here for you and your cats!
Always at Their Service,
The BLVD Cat Team
