Stress-Free Veterinary Visits for our Feline Friends
Do you dread trying to catch your cat for trips to the vet? Are you overlooking subtle signs of concern, or are your cats vaccinations outdated, becuase you so dread the struggle? Here are a few tips to help make your next visit to the vet less traumatizing for you and your cat:
-- ALWAYS transport your cat in a carrier. This helps them to feel secure and protected, and is safer for both the cat and driver in a moving car. It also protects the cat from other pets that may be in the waiting room.
-- Introduce your cat to its carrier and traveling in advance, and starting with kittenhood.
-- If you have the space, leave the carrier out and open at home for your cat to explore.
-- Do fun and positive things in, on, or around the carrier, like feeding, playing, and petting.
-- If possible, take your cat for short car trips so she will not associate car rides only with visits to the vet.
-- If your cat is prone to motion sickness when it travels, withholding food the day of travel. This may also help make the cat more receptive to treats at the clinic, and is beneficial if blood tests need to be run.
-- Place something familiar in your cat's carrier before travel. This could be a t-shirt of their favorite person or a blanket or rug they like to lay on at home.
-- Provide a place for your cat to hide either in the carrier or drape a blanket on the carrier during transport.
-- Consider owning a cat carrier that has a removable top. Rather than having to eject your cat from the carrier, the vet will be able to simply remove the top and conduct the majority of the exam with the cat feeling secure in his/her carrier.
Here at Eldora Veterinary Care it is important to us to make each visit to the vet as pleasant as possible. We hope these tips help make the next visit to the veterinary office less stressful for everyone involved, especially your cat.