As a practice with certified Fear-Free professionals, Cat Care of Vinings goes to great lengths to ensure our feline patients are comfortable while they’re with us. It is our privilege to care for your cat and we take everyone’s emotional well-being into consideration during your pet’s appointment. To that end, we provide a calming environment throughout our hospital, apply careful handling techniques that minimize stress and anxiety, and customize each visit to the needs of the individual cat.
A huge part of the fear-free equation is the at-home preparation needed prior to coming in with your cat. We know it’s not always easy to get your cat to the vet, but together we hope we can change what the veterinary experience means to our feline friends.
Bringing Your Cat to the Vet Starts at Home
Many cats do not receive the veterinary care they need to live long, healthy lives. This can be explained, in large part, by the fear and stress associated with bringing your cat into the vet. Because these negative emotions have an overarching effect on every facet of wellness, it’s critical to create a stressless visit. Luckily, there are important strategies to get your cat to the vet without incident.
Make Friends Out of Foes
The best place to start is to familiarize your cat with their travel crate. Begin by leaving the crate open and making it an attractive place for your kitty to explore. Soft, cozy bedding, enticing toys, and their favorite snacks are all important. Be sure to offer encouragement and praise when they enter the carrier and/or hang out inside it.
Set up the crate in a place that’s away from disruptive foot traffic or noise. If possible, a warm, sunny spot will easily draw them in. Set it up next to their food and water bowls so they can begin to make positive associations with the carrier.
Once they adopt their travel carrier as one of their favorite snoozy spots, start to add on the top half of the crate or the door. These changes should never be abrupt and always reverse course if your cat begins to shun the carrier.
This process can take time. Be patient and stay optimistic that this crucial step will make all the difference to your cat’s lifelong health and wellness.
Make Car Rides Fun!
Once your cat accepts their carrier you can begin to provide opportunities for them to enjoy travelling within it. Take them inside the car for a short time. You don’t even have to go anywhere at first. Simply give them lots of reassurances, and a treat or two won’t hurt either!
Slowly build up how long you hang out together in the car. Then, take them for short drives around the block. Make it fun. Hopefully, you’ll be able to easily bring your cat to the vet after training then.
We recommend that the first time you bring your cat in to meet us, we simply get acquainted. A wellness visit without vaccinations or even a physical exam may set the tone for relaxed, happy visits down the road.
Other Tips
Depending on need, you might not always have a choice on when to transport your cat to the vet. Otherwise, it’s usually best to travel between meals. Motion sickness can upset a cat with a full stomach, and the result can be lasting.
Bring Your Cat to the Vet
We love when you bring your cat to the vet, and are here to help ease any stress or fear. If you have additional questions about how your cat can enjoy their regular visits, please let us know.
