Figure 5.

Suggested procedure for foot pad bleeding and FIV point‐of‐care (PoC) testing. The patient is gently restrained in whatever way is most comfortable for the cat. Both metacarpal (A–C) and metatarsal foot pads (D) can be used, depending on which is less stressful for the cat. A lancet device is used to obtain a capillary blood sample by puncturing the skin of the foot pad. Most lancet devices allow for selection of the depth of penetration, and in the case of foot pad collection a slightly deeper penetration is usually required. After lancing, the foot pad is squeezed gently to produce a drop of blood that is placed directly onto the PoC test strip. The test is then performed as per the manufacturer's instructions, using the recommended amount of buffer. Distracting the cat during sample collection with patting or treats is usually all that is required, with most cats barely aware of the sample being taken. Images provided by Dr Moira van Dorsselaer.