Kitty’s Big Day – How to Keep your Cat Comfortable at the Vet

Regular visits to the vet are important for keeping your cat healthy, but most kitties aren’t too stoked to leave their house and go for a car ride. Cats are creatures of habit and being abruptly taken from their home territory and normal routine can be a scary experience. Here are some tips to lessen the stress of vet visits for all parties involved.

A carrier is an important part of a safe travel experience. A frightened cat may try to run and hide, which can result in a scratched owner, a potential car accident, or a cat lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Carriers also protect cats from any overzealous dogs they may encounter in the waiting room.

But many cats run and hide at the sight of a carrier, so what can be done to make them more appealing? First, make sure you create positive associations with the carrier – if the only time your cat sees a carrier is when she’s being put into it before a trip to the vet, your cat is likely to pull a disappearing act as soon as it’s brought up from the basement. Instead, periodically bring the carrier out of storage and leave it open for your cat to explore. Throw a blanket in there and you’ve got a classic feline favorite – a kitty bed enclosed a box! If your cat still isn’t convinced, tempt her by leaving cat treats in and around the carrier. Don’t force her into the carrier, let her explore at her own pace so she can feel secure and in control.

Evan explores the carrier and even considers coming out of it.

When it’s time to go to the vet, you’ll need to put your kitty into the carrier. Cats typically respond better to being loaded in backwards. Gently but quickly put your cat in butt-first and latch the door. Have an extra blanket or towel ready that can be draped over the entire carrier. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, most cats are less stressed during travel when they’re not able to see what’s going on around them, especially after leaving the familiar surroundings of your home. This also allows the cat to feel like they’re hiding. Spritzing some Feliway on the blankets also helps reduce stress. Feliway mimics facial pheromones that cats use to mark their territories, creating a sense of safety and familiarity.

After you’ve arrived at the vet, try to avoid setting the carrier on the floor. Cats generally feel safer and more in-control when they’ve got some height, so if there’s a spare chair in the waiting area your kitty will likely appreciate it. Although it may be tempting to take your cat out of the carrier now that you’re at the vet, refrain from doing so until you’re in an exam room. Instead, if you want to interact with your cat, put your hand up to the carrier and talk to your kitty to calm her. Exaggerated slow blinking while looking at your cat also helps imbue a sense of safety. Slow blinks are an indication that the situation you’re in is safe enough that you don’t have to have your eyes wide open and looking for danger. Although it might feel silly, it’s a helpful tool to make a scared or uncertain cat more comfortable.

Putting these philosophies into practice at Precision Veterinary has gone a long way towards reducing number of band-aids required after morning exams, and keeping patients relaxed during their recovery period. Feline patients spend the day in a sound-insulated room specially built for cats with its own heater and panoramic window for bird watching. We’ve been carefully cultivating the bird population in the area to the point where the landlord has started complaining so there’s usually something to watch (he doesn’t actually mind the birds, but he doesn’t like us encouraging the squirrels). Unless they’re adamantly opposed to the idea, kitties are usually rehomed into more spacious kennel enclosures upon arrival and provided with a little cardboard box fort to hide-in, climb on, or simply shred at their leisure.

Leo welcomes us to his new fort.

We make use of a plug-in Feliway diffuser that covers the room in calming pheromones, and we also use Feliway spray on the blankets of any cats who are upset. Music for Cats plays on the radio – a hokey sounding idea but after a few hundred observations we’ve got to conclude that they actually do really like it (video below). The end result is that most cats’ day with us tends to be mostly warm, boring napping interspersed with snacks and bird-watching.

In summary, cats, much like many people, thrive on routine and a feeling of control or protection. Attempting to preserve this feeling can go a long way towards making vet visits less stressful for both you and your cat.