Most of us know the importance of regular check ups for our cat, but the thought of that trip to the vets fills some owners with dread! One of the reasons that you may be hesitant is that the experience can be stressful for both you and your cat. However, there are numerous things you can do to reduce the stress involved with a vet visit.
Take a look at these five tips below:
Regular visits
If your cat only visits the vet when he or she is sick, then the visit will have negative associations and trigger fear and anxiety. More regular visits (at least once per year) can help to ease your cats anxiety and make vet visits a breeze.
Get your cat used to its carrier
One of the most stressful parts of getting your cat to the vet can be getting them in their carrier. What looks innocent to you is very intimidating to your cat. Learn to make their travel crate a pleasant experience by keeping it in an accessible location that your cat can treat like a safety nest. This will make it easier when you do actually need to travel
Check if your vet practice has cat-only hours
There can be nothing scarier for your cat than entering the waiting room at the vet practice and being greeted by a big, noisy dog. While the dog is likely friendly and just curious, your cat doesn’t know that and the encounter can cause their anxiety to go through the roof. Check if your vet clinic offers cat-only hours which can assist with easing your cat’s stress while they wait.
Try a pheromone spray
Pheromone sprays are often used in vet practices and in homes as plug-ins. However, you can also get them in sprays, allowing you to spritz some in your cat’s carrier and on a blanket to help relax your cat
Regularly hold your cat
One of the biggest stressors for cats at the vet can be the vet handling your cat. By consistently giving them physical affection throughout their lives such as picking them up and playing with their paws, your cat’s stress can be reduced when visiting with the vet as they are used to being touched.
Vet visits are always going to be a little intimidating to both humans and animals alike, use these above tips to reduce stress and make going to the vet a little less scary.
