How to keep your cat calm on a vet visit
July 21, 2020
By their very nature cats are independent creatures of habit, that like to be in control of their surroundings. Those facts alone can make their annual trip to the vets a stressful experience. The good news however is that by understanding what it is that stresses our cats, there is much you can do, to prepare your cat for a vet visit and mitigate many of the stress causing factors.
We’ve made a little poster with our top tips.
Get the cat carrier right
Get your cat used to their carrier by leaving it open for them to play around. Perhaps hide treats in it from time to time. This reduces the chance of your cat associating the carrier with negative aspects of travel. In the car, make sure the carrier is level, secure and ideally cover it with a towel so your cat has some privacy as they travel.
Make sure there are familiar smells throughout the outing
Clean the car and get rid of any heavy odour air fresheners. Make sure that the blanket you cover the cage with is a familiar old one from the house. Take spare bedding in case the cat soils the cage and if you need to, consider using a Pheromone spray to calm your cat for the outing.
Waiting room tips to minimise stress
The best way to reduce stress is to minimise your cat’s time in the waiting room so, check your cat in, before you bring it in. keep your cat away from any dogs or other pets whilst you are waiting. Talk to your cat to reassure it BUT.. Please don’t be tempted to open the carrier until you are in the consultation room.
And finally – Take a treat
Albert and their team are pretty adept at handling even the most anxious pets but it’s always a good idea to take a familiar treat. Offer this at the end of the visit, before you leave the waiting room, in order to maximise the positive associations of the visit and the treat.
If you’d like any more advice or if your cat is especially stressed when they travel, then please do let us know before you set off and we can offer specific advice for your pet and reassurance for you.