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A couple of days ago, we talked about ways to make your trip to the veterinarian with your dog easier and less frightening. Today, we’re going to talk about cats.
Reasons Why Cats Don’t Visit the Veterinarian Often Enough
Like all pets, cats require regular veterinary care. Your cat should be examined by your veterinarian at least once a year and many veterinarians recommend visits every six months, especially for more mature cats. However, despite the fact that more households own dogs than cats, fewer cats are seen by veterinarians.
There are many reasons for this lack of veterinary care, including the fact that some cat owners simply don’t realize that regular exams are important for their pets. However, one of the reasons that stands out as a common excuse is the fact that it can be quite difficult to get your cat to the veterinarian’s office. And once there, in some cases, the fun is just beginning.
Many owners are embarrassed by the way their cat acts in the veterinary office, especially if the cat becomes aggressive and starts hissing, biting and/or scratching.
Tips to Make the Vet Visit Easier for Your Cat
While a trip to the veterinarian is never likely to be your cat’s favorite past-time, there are several things that you can do to make the visit less frightening for your cat and less stressful for yourself.
- Get your cat used to his carrier before the veterinary visit. You can do this by leaving the carrier out and open so that your cat can enter and leave it at will. Allow the carrier to become your cat’s safe haven at home, a place where he can go to be alone and relax. Place some favorite treats in the carrier for him or even feed him in the carrier until he gets used to it. Cover the bottom of the carrier with a blanket or towel. Put a piece of your clothing in the carrier so that your cat smells your scent.
- Before the veterinary visit, spray the inside of the carrier and the inside of the car with Feliway. This will help calm your cat during the ride in the car.
- Once in the veterinary office, leave your pet in the carrier while in the waiting area. If possible, find a waiting area away from any dogs or frightening activity. Cover the carrier with a towel to block your cat’s view of the activity if necessary.
- Hopefully, your wait in the lobby area of your veterinarian’s office will be short and you’ll be moved to an examination room quickly. Once in the examination room, you can let your cat explore the area and start to relax, as long as the area is secured and your cat is unable to escape from the room.
- Don’t force your cat out of the carrier. Allow him to come out on his own when he is comfortable.
- In some cases, for a cat that does not want to exit the carrier willingly, taking the carrier apart and removing the top half of the carrier to gain access to your cat may be preferable to pulling or dumping him out of the carrier.
- Feliway can also be sprayed in the veterinary exam room to help calm your cat.
- As with a dog, a few trips to the veterinary office just to visit and receive snacks and neckrubs from the staff there can help reassure your cat that a trip to the veterinarian is not always unpleasant.
If your cat simply will not relax at the veterinarian’s office and is so frightened that examining him becomes a struggle, sedation may be recommended. Sedation may be preferable in some cases to wrestling with your cat, making him even more frightened and leaving him with a lasting and unpleasant association with the veterinary office.
About Lorie Huston, DVM
Lorie Huston is a veterinarian, pet health and pet care expert, professional writer, blogger, social media and blogging consultant, and SEO strategist.
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Or let the veterinarian come to you! http://www.curbsidecare.com
That can work sometimes too
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