If you know how to perform CPR on a human, it doesn't mean you know how to perform CPR on a kitten. Kittens have different heart rates and require a different number of compressions, among other things. If you own a kitten or a cat that is expecting a litter, you will want to learn how to administer CPR in the case of an emergency.
Instructions
Ask your veterinarian for a chart that you can put up somewhere in your house. That way if you panic during the emergency you will have a visual cue to keep you on the right track.
Check the kitten's airway first. Make sure it didn't get a small object stuck in its throat. You can use your finger to check the throat and remove any foreign objects.
Use the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge any objects that you can't get to with your finger. To do this, you will need to stand up and place the kittens back up against your chest. Hug the kitten around the abdomen and do five thrusts in an upward motion. Stop to check the airway again and repeat if the object did not come loose.
Start breathing in to the kitten's mouth and nose by forming a cup with one of your hands. Make sure the cat is now laying on its right side and is facing you. Place your cupped hand over the kitten's mouth and nose and place your lips over the top of your cup. Breathe five breaths into the kitten, keeping your eye on the chest to make sure it is rising.
Listen to see if the kitten has a heartbeat. If there is no heartbeat, you will need to begin chest compressions after your set of breaths. To do chest compressions on a kitten, you will need to place one of your hands under the right side of the cat and the other hand over the kitten's ribs. This is the spot where the kitten's elbow lays at rest. Press down gently about half an inch two times.
Continue to give two chest compressions for every one breath and then check for a pulse. Stop when your kitten begins to regain a pulse or start breathing on its own.