Things You'll Need
- Friend (optional)
- Watch with second hand
- Stethoscope (optional)
Instructions
Femoral Artery
Lay your cat down on her left side. You may wish to enlist the help of a friend to restrain or occupy the cat as you perform your examination.
Place your index and middle fingers on the inside of the cat's left leg.
Slide your fingers upward until they reach the junction of the leg and abdomen.
Gently palpate, or feel around, the area until you pinpoint a spot where you can feel a pulsing sensation. This is the site of the femoral artery, a major blood passageway in the body.
Count the number of pulses, or beats, per 15 seconds using a watch with a second hand. Multiply this number by four to get the number of heartbeats per minute.
Chest
Lay the cat on her left side. Enlist the help of a friend to restrain or distract the cat as you perform your examination.
Place your index and middle fingers at the junction of the upper left leg and the chest at a spot between the third and sixth rib of the cat.
Use a stethoscope to listen for a heartbeat if you are having trouble finding the correct spot with your fingers.
Count the number of beats in a 15-second period, and multiply that number by four to get the number of heartbeats per minute.