Raising your blood pressure

Measuring the blood pressure of cats

source: Kit Sturgess
Feline Advisory Bureau vol 38, 1, 2000 p18

Elderly cats may suffer from hypertension, but there are problems in assessing normal blood pressure, and how blood pressure can be measured in cats. A cat's blood pressure is likely to increase at the vet's, especially if it has to wait in the same room as a dog. Blood pressure also rises after the cat has been physically examined by the vet. There is great variation in how much these factors affect cats. The conclusions drawn from research are
that cats need ten minutes to settle after they arrive, and that the first procedure, prior to the vet carrying out a physical examination, should be measuring the cat's blood pressure.
CA,HD