6 Simple Tips for Making Hospital Stays and Vet Visits Easier on Your Cat
Bonus: they're all free too!
When they’re at home they don’t want to get in the carrier, and when they arrive at the clinic they don’t want to get out.
The vet’s office isn’t exactly your cat’s favorite place. And I don’t blame them. All those crazy smells, crazy sounds, and crazy dogs are alarming to say the least.
But it doesn’t always have to be so spooky. Luckily, there are a number of things we can do to make the trip to the vet’s office a calmer and more comfortable experience for you and your cat.
I recently wrote a piece on how to improve veterinary visits for dogs, but cats are not small dogs, so I’m back with version 2 (although some tricks are useful for both). If you have a cat, too, then this piece is for you.
1. Get handsy
This goes for cats as well as dogs. From the time they’re a kitten, I want you to annoy the heck out of your cat. Get them used to the feeling of handling so veterinary exams don’t feel so invasive.
Just like dogs, three key areas are the ears, feet, and mouth.
Many people don’t realize this, but you should also be brushing your cat’s teeth daily with an enzymatic toothpaste daily (my favorite is Virbac C.E.T.). Some cats are more compliant for dental care than others, but just getting the toothpaste in their mouth and getting them used to the feeling of someone sticking their hands in their mouth will go miles in terms of dental hygiene and normalizing oral exams.
Regular nail trims are also a must.
If you’re not sure how to trim the nails properly, ask your vet to give you a demonstration at your next visit. Scratching posts serve to sharpen your cat’s nails, but it doesn’t really wear them down, so if you let them grow out too long they can actually grow into the paw pad and hurt your cat. If your cat gets used to the feeling of you trimming their nails and looking at their feet, it will be that much easier for the vet to do that, too.
Another area cats tend to be quite sensitive of is their belly. So bonus points if you’re able to get belly rubs in at home without getting swatted.
2. Give them agency in the experience
This is something that we tend to do very poorly. When the cat arrives in the exam room, we often yank them out the front of the carrier while they’re clinging onto the inside walls for dear life.
“PLEASE MOM, NO!!”
Some cats are definitely very spooked at the vet and won’t come out of the carrier no matter how many treats you offer. But we need to at least give them the chance.
Open the door/top to the carrier and while you’re giving your vet the history, allow your cat the chance to walk out and check things out for themselves.
If they want to jump off the table and treat the chairs like a jungle gym, that’s fine by me. As long as you’re able to catch them again when it’s time for the exam.
3. Make the carrier their friend
Often the carrier only comes out when they’re going to the vet, but when that’s the case, the carrier becomes a major drama.
Instead, try to create a safe haven at home by leaving the carrier out and open at all times with a cozy blanket on the bottom. Then when the vet visit rolls around, they won’t have a negative association with the carrier. And while they’re inside the clinic, they’ll also be inside their safe place.
4. Keep your cool
We’ve all been there before — the last trip to the vet was a disaster, so this time, you’re stressed before you even leave the house.
But cats are highly sensitive, so if you’re stressing at the vet, they will be too. Try to remain calm, use a quiet voice, move slow, and take it easy. Keeping it zen will signal to your cat that there’s no reason to be alarmed.
5. Make it smell like home
Cats really are home bodies — more often than not, they’d rather be at home.
If your cat needs to stay at the hospital overnight, bring a familiar blanket, t-shirt, or toy for them to cuddle with. It’s always good to have something on hand in case the vet decides they need to keep them for the day to run some tests. The scent of home can help provide them with a sense of familiar security.
Fair warning though — blankets in the vet hospital are like socks in the dryer — if you bring it in, you may never see it back. So be sure it’s something you’re willing to part with.
6. Try using pheromones
Pheromones are naturally produced in the glands of all cats and are a way for them to communicate chemically.
Synthetic forms of these pheromones can be used to help a cat feel calmer and reduce signs of stress. If you spray some Feliway in the carrier or hospital cage, this may help them to feel relaxed in the clinical environment, especially if you already use pheromone sprays and diffusers at home.
Despite your best efforts, your cat may never take to the veterinary experience. If that’s the case, here are a few additional things to consider:
If your cat experiences motion sickness in the car or severe anxiety/aggression at the vet, ask your vet to prescribe you a medication to administer prior to veterinary visits.
Consider scheduling wellness exams with a vet that does house calls. Being examined in their own environment will ease the veterinary experience for them significantly.
Utilize digital veterinary services for all your in-between questions to reduce any unnecessary trips to the vet. Seeing a vet digitally isn’t sufficient for their annual exam, though. Make sure your cat is examined in-person at least once per year.
Let’s make the vet office your cat’s favorite place in 2024!
(Insert laugh)
Okay, slim chance.
But it’s definitely worth a try.
Dr. Sami