All Things Pets

Keeping Your Cat Calm When You Take A Trip To A Vet Hospital

by Dean Oliver

If you have an indoor cat that does not normally visit locations outside of your home, and you need to bring them to a vet hospital for a routine examination, you are likely concerned about how they will react when they are waiting to be seen by their veterinarian. Here are some steps to take to aid in keeping your cat calm during a vet hospital visit.

Get Your Cat Used To Procedures Beforehand

Some cats do not enjoy being touched on certain parts of their bodies or do not particularly care for being picked up. It is best to get your cat used to these actions before a trip to a vet hospital as their practitioner will need to probe their body during an examination. Pretend you are a veterinarian yourself at home and gently touch different portions of your cat's body during sessions when they are feeling affectionate with you. Look inside each of their ears, pull back their lips to inspect their teeth, and push on the pads on the bottoms of their paws. The more you get your cat used to being touched at home, the easier it will be for them to accept being touched during an examination.

Keep Yourself Calm And Offer Encouragement

Your cat can tell if you are feeling anxious and will display signs of their own distress as a result. Do as much as you possibly can to remain calm as you put your cat in its carrier and when you drive to the vet hospital with your pet inside of your vehicle. Talk to your cat in a calm, soothing, and quiet voice to help keep it feeling relaxed. Keep the entire process chaos-free so your cat is more likely to accept the situation it is in.

Bring Along A Blanket To Cover The Carrier

Waiting areas at veterinarian hospitals may have both cats and dogs present that need to be seen by a practitioner. This can make your cat extremely fearful if they are not used to the sounds of barking, whimpering, or meowing from other animals. To help your cat feel as if it is sheltered away from other visitors, bring a blanket to the vet's office to drape over its cat carrier. This will provide your cat with a bit of comfort as they will not need to see what is going on around them. Pull the blanket back periodically so they can see your face while obscuring the rest of the room. 

For more information, contact a local vet hospital

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