Tips for making your cat’s next visit to the vet purrrrfectly comfortable
1. Set the carrier out a few days before the visit or leave it out all the time
- Make it a safe & happy place for your kitty
- Put comfortable bedding, treats, or their favorite toys inside to make it fun & leave it out for them to explore
2. Take your kitty for a ride
- Start by taking short rides to get them used to the feeling, go somewhere other than the vet
- Stop in for treats and a weight check at the vet’s office. People often recommend that dogs should be taken to the vet just to get weighed and greeted by the staff to make it a positive experience, so why not do this with cats? Take them in; have them sit in the lobby for a bit while you give them treats. Have staff members give them treats, and pet them. Then just go home. We want these casual visits to be very positive for your cat.
3. Choose your carrier carefully
- Top loading carriers work best for getting kitty in and out
- Make sure the carrier comes apart in the middle- our vets can often do exams on our kitties while they stay in their carrier where they’re more comfortable
4. Bring other cats with you if possible
- Other cats in your home may avoid the one who was just at the vet because of the smell at the clinic. Bringing both kitties can avoid odd smells when you return home
5. Get kitty used to unfamiliar handling & people- Recruit friends and neighbors to interact with your cat. Reward kitty for positive interactions with strangers. Just be sure to not push them into interacting
- Get your kitty used to physical exams by mimicking them at home. Touch your cat’s ears, lift a lip to look at teeth, touch feet, even lift their tail. When these things happen at the vet, they won’t be so unusual to them.
