As the heart beats it creates a wave of blood as it passes through an artery. It is this pulsing effect we can measure to get an idea of the state of our cat's heart and circulation. Placing the ball of the finger over an artery close to the skin and counting the pulse beat over a minute will give you the reading.
The best place to feel your pet's pulse is the femoral artery, which lies just under the skin inside the thigh. While your pet is relaxed put the ball of two fingers inside the thigh and feel the pulse. In slim cats you can also count the heart beat if you place your finger over the heart behind the left elbow.
A normal cat pulse will be 120-200, but this can increase if your cat is stressed. Taking a pulse at home when your cat is relaxed may give an accurate reading.
If the pulse feels weak and thready your cat could be anaemic. If your cat has a pulse over 200 it may have a heart problem or an overactive thyroid gland. Seek veterinary advice promptly.
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