Gentle Restraint

If a cat is injured, its instinct is to hide and protect itself from further damage. Calm your cat with soothing talk and use as little restraint as necessary to perform your examination.

Eliminate escape routes and, avoiding sudden gestures, place a soft object such as a towel over the cat, wrapping it gently to prevent escape and to minimize the risk of injuries to you.

Next, gently unwrap the head so that you can watch the cat's breathing, which will normally be at a rate of 10 to 30 breaths per minute. Flaring nostrils are a sign that your cat is not well.