How to get your cat to the vet without either of you having a nervous breakdown!

12 May | Posted by admin | no comments | behaviour, tip & tricks, visits

Okay, we know that sometimes the thought of bringing your cat to the vet is about as enticing as filing your income taxes.
First, you have to capture the cat. How does a 15 lb cat manage to squeeze under the couch anyways? You have to wrestle with four fully extended legs with claws into this little tiny box and close the cage door shut before the cat escapes and crawls back under the couch again. Then, during the car ride your cat manages to make a rock concert look like a meditation room. You finally arrive at the clinic, where a woman with the biggest dog sits next to you. She thinks it is so cute that “Cuddles” wants to make friends with your cat by lunging and barking at the cat carrier. Then, into the exam room, where the now frantic cat gets unceremoniously dumped out of it’s carrier onto the exam table. In addition to all this “fun”, you have to pay for the visit.

So how do we destress a potentially stressful situation? Here are a few successful tips that work well for our clients.

• Open top carriers — not those yucky cages. This way you can gently place your cat inside from the top and we can lift the cat out the same way. End of dumping of the cat.

 

• Get the carrier beforehand, leave it out and put their favorite treat inside the carrier. Kitty now has a nice new lounging spot that is not associated with car rides.

 

• Invest in some feline pheromone sprays. They work like aromatherapy for humans. We like a product called Feliway. Spray the carrier about a half an hour before your planned car ride, before you put the cat in it.

 

• Invest in some of those dog training pads and put one in the carrier in case they have an accident.

 

• Drape an unwashed tee shirt over the carrier to cut down on visual stimuli.

 

• Keep the noise down in the car — no arguing with your significant other or loud music.

 

• When you get your cat to the vet, put the cat up on a bench, couch or chair when you get to the clinic, not the floor (it makes them feels vulnerable).

 

• Consider a cat only clinic — no “Cuddles” the dog in the waiting room.

 

Oh, you do have to pay for the visit, though.

Want more information on how toget yout cat to the vet as painlessly as possible? We have a great in-clinic handout that we are happy to share!

We highly recommend open-top carriers, Feliway pheromone spray, and a good supply of crunchy treats.