Artificial respiration maintains the essential supply of oxygen to the blood if your cat stops breathing. If you've ever learnt how to perform the technique on humans, you'll find there isn't a great deal of difference for your cat.

In most cases, artificial respiration and CPR will serve only as a means of keeping a cat alive until a medical professional treats him or her. If your cat seems to be having heart or breathing difficulties, contact a vet immediately.

• First, listen for your cat's heart beat by placing two fingers over the heart which is located on the left side behind the front leg and shoulder.
• Remove the collar and lie the cat on one side, with the head tilted to allow blood to flow to the brain.
• Clear any blood or vomit from the mouth.
• Pull the tongue forwards to open up the throat. This could stimulate your cat to breathe and they may regain consciousness.
• If your cat is still unconscious, press very gently down on the chest with thumbs and fingertips. Allow the lungs to refill with fresh air. Repeat every five seconds until your cat starts to breathe.
• If there is no sign of life after 30 seconds, try mouth-to-nose respiration. Tilt back your cat's head, hold the mouth shut and blow short gentle breaths into both nostrils for three seconds to inflate the lungs. Be careful not to over inflate the lungs.
• Pause for two seconds and repeat.
• Continue until your cat starts breathing.
• Never leave an unconscious cat lying on one side for more than 10 minutes. Keep turning them, or the lungs could become congested, carrying the risk of pneumonia.