Every owner of a pet needs to learn the possibilities of how to handle a choking cat, as it can be a matter of life and death during a certain moment. To help a choking cat, it is important to know when your cat may be choking, this includes coughing, gagging, pawing the mouth, labored breathing and/or drooling, blue gums, and outright collapse. The proper reaction must be taken now and without stress. Restraining the cat and trying to remove the rest of the obstruction by hand is a good idea but if this fails it is necessary to give the Heimlich maneuver. While playing with small cats, place the cat on his back and press below the rib area; when handling a big cat apply pressure over the cat’s body while embracing it.
In addition to that, once the obstruction is cleared it is advisable for the animal to undergo physical examinations to ensure that there is no severe internal damage. That way, one acquires confidence and reduces panic hence the chances of winning are high since the person is conversant with what is required of him/her. It also strengthens the trust and safety between you and your cat making it easier for you to prepare for good moments together with your cat.
Being a responsible pet owner entails pointing out which foods might cause choking and learning some first aid. Feeding habits can be carefully watched and toy selection should be done carefully in addition to the regular grooming of children to minimize choking cases. Being ready to act in case of emergency and knowing these risks will bring you progress and emotional peace.
In this article, you can elaborately know what is choking in cats, its causes, signs, how to handle this situation, prevention, and when the vet is urgent & why.
Understanding Choking in Cats
What is Choking in cats?
Choking in cats is a situation when a certain object obstructs the airway so that a cat is unable to breathe normally. Such an obstruction may be a result of a food bolus, a toy, a hairball, or other materials that may find their way into the throat or windpipe of the animal.Â
Common causes of choking in cats
Food: if a cat has a tendency to gobble food or treats in one piece, it may easily choke on it.
Toys: objects too small for cats to pick up with their mouth, which they end up swallowing.
Hairballs: cats, in particular, are always sharpening their fur; because of this, hairballs are formed. Occasionally these hairballs may lead to choking in case they are not vomited off well.
Foreign objects: other small objects including buttons, rubber bands, strings of pieces that the cat chews on, or those it can accidentally swallow.Â
Signs of choking in cats
Coughing or gagging: coughing or gagging continuously means that there is an object stuck in the throat.
Pawing at the mouth: cats may try to remove the obstruction by swallowing it and then paw it at their mouth.
Difficulty breathing: operative vocalizations that are characterized by wheezing or difficult breathing are signs that an airway has been blocked.
Drooling or foaming at the mouth: inability to swallow drools or foams too much especially if the cat is having a difficult time breathing through the nose.
Blue or pale gums: a form of hypoxia may result in a lack of oxygen to the gums making them blue or pale.
Collapse: in rather serious cases, the cat may faint because of insufficient amounts of oxygen entering the body.
How to Handle a Choking Cat: Step-by-Step Guide
Calm Down and Think on Your Feet
Stay Calm: It is really important to stay as cool as a cucumber to be able to act properly.
Restraining Your Cat: Secure your cat gently. You can cover them with a towel so that they do not harm themselves or you with their little pinches.
Open the Cat’s Mouth
Gently Open the Mouth: Using your hands, try to pry open the mouth of your cat without causing pain. It is illuminating to know that what a flashlight can do for you is to enable you to see better.
Look for Obstructions: If you are able to check, free the mouth and throat of any foreign objects that can be seen.
Disappearance of the Object (Set Unless an Object is Visible)
Use Tweezers or Fingers: The objects that are clearly seen and within an easy grasp should be removed using a tweezer or your hand. But be careful not to push it further down.
Give Abdominal Thrusts (If necessary)
If the object is not visible or reachable, you may need to perform the Heimlich maneuver:
For Small Cats:
1.Lay the cat perpendicular to your body with their back head and neck outstretched.
2.Place your fingertips over the lower lateral aspects of the ribcage and perform a drawing in motion towards the head whilst applying light pressure.
For Larger Cats:
1.Now you hold the cat against your body with the back of the cat resting against your chest.
2.Use your hands to make a strong pushing motion downwards and upwards inside the area beneath the rib line.
Assault the back (a Second Method)
If the Heimlich maneuver doesn’t work, you can try back blows:
Position Your Cat: Lay your cat on their side.
Use Firm Blows: Swat the bird five firm but gentle times on the muscles between its wings with the side of your hand.Â
What to Do If Your Cat Becomes Unconscious
When your cat is choking it is important to intervene and try to revive the feline as he or she might have fainted. Here’s what you should do:
Before taking any action
1.keep yourself calm and analyze the situation.
2.You have to remove the obstacles from your cat’s airways.
Administer rescue breaths
If the obstruction is removed but the cat is still unconscious and not breathing:
Seal the mouth: shut the cat up and clamp its jaws.
Rescue breaths: cover the cat’s nose with your mouth and blow soft air into the lungs of the cat. Make sure that the chest moves up when taking a breath.
Repeat: breathe once in 4-5 seconds on average. It is said to continue until the cat starts breathing or a helper arrives to rescue the cat.
If the breath is not sufficient to maintain consciousness, the rescuer should proceed to give chest compressions as follows.
If the cat’s heart has stopped:
Lay the cat on its side: lay down the cat on its right side on flat ground.
Chest compressions: bring your hand over the chest area and gently press down with a fair amount of force. Perform 5 chest compressions then gasp for 1 ventilation for a toddler between two and six years of age.
Continue: continue making chest compressions and then give ventilations back and forth until the cat begins to breathe on his own or an animal aid arrives.
Seek veterinary assistance
When you succeed in resuscitating your cat for one reason or another you ought to take it to the vet. This is because as much as some of the symptoms could be obvious there might be other severe injuries or complications that need medical attention.
Preventing Choking in Cats
Since the prevention of choking in cats is very important for the cat’s health, then it is very crucial. Here are some effective strategies to minimize the risk:
Monitor feeding habits
Supervise eating: always monitor your cat while eating, particularly if they are usually fast eaters.
Use slow feeder bowls: these bowls are developed in a way that will help one eat slowly and also ensure that in case they notice large chunks of food in their mouth they cannot easily choke on them.
Cut food into small pieces: It is also important that food especially the treats are cut into small portions that could easily be chewed without experiencing any obstruction.
Choose safe toys
Size appropriateness: choose toys that are not likely to be taken into the throat or mouth of the baby. Do not buy toys that can be disassembled in some way.
Durability: select toys that are of a tough material that the child cannot break into sharp pieces that may harm the child.
Regular inspections: often inspect toys for signs of getting worn out and remove them for being choking hazards at times.
Regular grooming
Minimize hairballs: It gives less loose fur that your cat can be able to swallow, which when forms a hairball, may cause choking.
Use hairball remedies: It may be wise to consult hairball prevention products such as hairball gels or specifically hairball cat foods.
Remove hazards
Pet-proof your home: abide by the following measures to minimize objects that may hurt your cat continually; keep off small objects like buttons, rubber bands, string, and many other related objects from the reach of your cat.
Secure trash bins: to minimize this, you have to make sure that trash bins are either covered or disposed of in areas where the cat cannot reach them.
Be sure to inform yourself and other family members.
Learn choking first aid: knowing all the choking first aid procedures is really a lifesaver as it really does save lives. Make sure all of them are educated.
Stay informed: take time to learn and ensure that you keep track of general pet safety policies and other protective products that help avoid cases of choking.
Safe environment
Keep floors clean: as often as possible clean your home to make sure there are no small objects on the floor that your cat can chew.
Safe feeding practices: it is especially important to feed multiple cats at different meal times to avoid rivalry that triggers fast feedings which may cause choking.
Conclusion
In order to save your cat from a choking situation, it is important to learn how you can dislodge the obstruction from your cat’s airway. This is true because every critical moment in the life of the cat can be handled effectively by being calm and knowing what signals indicate choking and acting fast. It is therefore important that you should always consult a veterinarian.