For a cat, a visit to the vet can be a pretty overwhelming experience. Being confined to a carrier, travelling in a car, and then being surrounded by other animals and their noises and smells creates an anxiety-inducing situation for cats. So it’s little wonder when they know it’s time to see the vet that they may run off and hide!
However, a stress-free visit for your cat is possible! At Bryants Road Vet, we do everything we can to make your pet feel more comfortable during their visit and have even received Stress Free Pets accreditation in recognition of these efforts.
As well as choosing a vet clinic such as ours which has a focus on a fear-free environment, there are also a few things you can do to minimise stress for your cat during their vet visit:
1. Get your cat used to the carrier
If the only time your cat sees and gets put into their carrier is when they go to the vet, it’s little wonder that they fight you tooth and nail when you try to place them in there. In the week leading up to their visit, put the carrier out in an area where your kitty likes to play or sleep. Depending on the type of carrier you have, keep the door open or remove the top to make it easily accessible for some fun or rest.
2. Make the carrier a more inviting space
Cats like snuggly places to sleep, so make sure you add a nice, comfy blanket to the bottom of the carrier. Add a few of their favourite toys for further enticement to happily spend time in there. You can even feed your cat’s meals in the carrier to make it a more familiar, positive place for them to be.
3. Ensure your cat feels safe and secure once at the vet
A vet clinic waiting room can be a pretty intimidating space for a cat. The different smells, noise and inquisitive dogs can really make their anxiety levels skyrocket. Cats feel much more secure if they are at a higher level, so it is best to place the carrier on the chair next to you. If possible, maintain eye contact with your cat and talk to them to try and distract them.
4. Familiarise your cat with being handled
Cats like being touched on their own terms, so being examined at a vet is a very off-putting experience for most felines. To prepare your cat for their check-up, have them get used to their ears being checked, mouth opened, and feet touched. Use treats to reward them, and to associate the experience of being handled with something positive.
5. Talk to your vet about other options
If after all of the above steps your cat still finds a visit to the vet an overwhelming experience, it’s worth talking to your vet about additional measures to make them feel more relaxed.
A synthetic pheromone such as Feliway can help to make cats feel more settled and can be sprayed onto their carrier or blanket to help them feel a sense of comfort and safety. For more extreme displays of fear and anxiety, a mild sedative can be prescribed to enable the vet visit to take place.
We’re committed to stress-free vet visits
At Bryants Road Vet, we have a number of measures in place at our vet clinic to ensure we provide a welcoming and stress-free experience for your cat.
These measures include:
- Stress-free waiting
- Calm examinations
- Use of treats
- Individual strategies
Our team will do anything to make your pet feel more comfortable during their visit. We work hard to provide a stress-free environment at our vet clinic and are very proud to be officially accredited by Stress Free Pets for this commitment. If your cat is particularly anxious, we can provide you with some mild medication before their visit to make the appointment a more comfortable experience for your pet.
To book an appointment for your cat or dog in a comfortable, fear-free environment, you can call us on 07 3801 1744, book online or drop by the clinic at 141 Bryants Road Loganholme.