It is not easy to earn a cat’s love, and it’s
even harder as a vet. It seems that cats take longer to warm up to people to try to give them vaccines.
Luckily, our veterinary
profession is finding new ways to keep kitties happier at the vet.
My hospital just finished a handout for our clients about
making their cats’ visits low-stress.
Here are some of the highlights:
An Exam for Every Cat Every Year
If you went to the
doctor as often as your cat does in cat-years, you would only see a doctor every 5 years. Imagine how much can
change in 5 years!
A complete physical exam will screen for early signs of disease like enlarged
thyroid glands, heart murmurs, and strangely shaped kidneys. Routine bloodwork can reveal invisible signs of disease like diabetes. Most common diseases don’t discriminate between indoor and outdoor
cats, so an annual exam is important for both.
So how can we make
your cat’s annual vet visit happier?
Preparing for the Vet
The ideal carrier is hard-sided with quiet clips and an easy to remove top. Good examples are the Deluxe PetMate VariKennel Jr. and it’s cousin, the “Double Door Deluxe.”
Soft sided carriers
can press up against a cat during the trip, are difficult to secure with a
seatbelt, and make it harder to remove your cat.
Making the Carrier Less Scary
1. Clean the carrier with an enzyme based cleaner like
Nature’s Miracle. This gets rid of smells that might make your cat fearful.
2. Leave the carrier out and open all the time in places
your cat hangs out, like in their favorite ray of sunshine.
3. Make the carrier part of your cat’s normal routine. Gradually
move their food bowl closer to the carrier and eventually inside it. Try
putting favorite toys, catnip, or treats in the carrier. This process can take
weeks to months, so be patient.
4. Put warm, soft bedding that smells like you or your home
inside the carrier.
5. Buckle the carrier securely in the car’s back seat so it
doesn’t move and jostle as you drive. Some cats want the carrier covered with a
towel and some want a view, see what works best for your cat.
6. Spraying pheromones like Feliway in the carrier can have a calming effect on your cat. Use these 30 minutes before putting your cat in the carrier to allow alcohol components to dissipate.
Anticipating the Visit
Desensitize your cat to handling at home if they are safe to
handle. Give a favorite treat or toy
while handling their ears, paws, belly, tail, and mouth. You can even learn how to desensitize a pet to injections at home.
Pick a cat friendly veterinarian. Even if we try not to discriminate, vets are
dog or cat people too. Don’t be scared to ask the receptionist if there is a
doctor who is more comfortable working with cats. Look for membership in the Catalyst Concil or AAFP (AmericanAssociation of Feline Practitioners) as another clue.
Schedule your cat’s
appointment for a quieter part of the day. The middle of the week and the
middle of the day are usually quieter at a vet hospital. Let the receptionist
know your cat gets nervous or aggressive so they can prepare to make the visit
as stress-free as possible.
Take away your cat’s food the night before your visit if your pet is
completely healthy. Then, bring some food and treats to the vet for a more positive experience.
Give any anti-nausea
or anti-anxiety medications as directed by your vet.
Prepare an hour or two before your appointment. This will
help you stay calm and patient as you get your cat into the carrier.
Keep calm. Cats are very good at reading our stress and
anxiety.
Put warm familiar bedding in the carrier.
Let your cat walk into the carrier on their own. If you have
trained your cat to like the carrier and expect to find treats, toys, or food
in there, this will be easier. If they still do not like the carrier, put them in
a small space with few places to hide, cover the carrier with a towel, fill the
carrier with tasty treats, and leave the carrier door open.
If your cat will still not go into the carrier, take the top
of the carrier off, place your pet in the bottom half, and replace the door and
top of the carrier. This is less stressful for your pet than forcing them
through the door of the intact carrier.
Once You Get To the Vet
Some hospitals have
separate, quiet cat waiting rooms. If your vet hospital does not have one or if
that room is also loud, ask if there is an empty exam room you can wait in.
Once in the exam
room, leave your cat in the carrier if they get very nervous or aggressive. Do
not take them out until the doctor is ready to examine them.
If your cat is
usually calm, open the door to the carrier and let them come out on their own. Close
the door to their carrier behind them.
Some cats are more comfortable if they have completely explored a room
before the doctor comes in. Avoid forcing your cat out of their carrier.
Put the soft bedding
you brought with you on the exam table or in your lap for your cat’s exam.
Summary & Resources
Though it takes some
time and effort, these tips should make your yearly vet visit less stressful on
you and your pet.
For more
information, look at the resources we used:
- The Catalyst Council - http://catalystcouncil.org/ - an
organization trying to change cat’s veterinary experiences for the better.
- The American Association of Feline Practitioners – http://www.catvets.com/ - an organization of
veterinarians who has a special interest in cats and feline medicine.
- Dr. Sophia Yin - http://drsophiayin.com/
- A veterinarian who has focused on teaching vets and their staff to handle
dogs and cats in a less stressful way.
Great tips. Thank you.
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