7 Tips for Making Vet Visits Less Stressful

According to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), 41% of cat owners only take their pet to the veterinarian for vaccinations, and 39% of feline owners state that they would only take their cat to the vet if she was sick.  Additionally, AAFP reports that 38% of cat owners say they are stressed just thinking about taking their cat to the vet.

Regular checkups are important for cats, just as they are for humans.  Being owned by a feline means it's your responsibility to ensure your kitty gets the medical care she needs.  I know that taking your cat to the vet may not be a walk in the park for either of you, but there are several things you can do to make your cat more comfortable going to the vet.  Try these tips to help make your vet trips easier and less stressful on both you and your feline friend.

Get Your Cat Used to His Carrier: When you pull out your cat's carrier, does he automatically run under your bed or couch?  Many cats associate their carriers with negative experiences.  One thing you can do to make vet visits more pleasant is to change your cat's association with his carrier.

Begin by leaving his carrier out all the time.  If your carrier has a removable top, take the top off so that your cat can easily get in and out of the bottom part of his carrier.  If your carrier doesn't have a removable top section, leave the carrier door open so your cat can go in and out of it voluntarily.

To make the carrier comfortable for your feline, place some soft cat bedding or a piece of clothing with your scent on it inside.  When you notice your cat sniffing, sitting by, or in the carrier, reward him with a treat.  Do this every single time you see him near or in the carrier.  Start feeding your cat near, and eventually in, his carrier.  This will help him begin to associate his carrier with positive things.  You can further your cat's positive association with his carrier by placing his favorite toys or catnip inside it.

Get Your Cat Used to Car Trips: Once your cat is used to her carrier, you can begin to get her used to car rides.  Start by simply placing your kitty in her carrier in the car for a few minutes at a time.  Reward her with treats every time to build a positive association.  Work up to turning the car engine on and taking short drives.  Ensure that you always talk to your feline in a calm, happy tone, and reward her with treats on each car ride.

Take Practice Trips: Petfinder.com suggests taking practice trips to the vet with your cat.  Take your cat to the vet once or twice a week, but do not have him examined during these trips.  Rather, give your kitty treats while in the waiting room.  Introduce your cat to the veterinary staff, and have them give your cat treats as well.  Ask if you can spend some time in an examination room with your kitty.  Once inside, open your cat's carrier, and allow him to explore the room.  Reward him with treats when he's on the examination table.  Repeated positive experiences in the waiting room, examination room, and with the veterinary staff will help your cat feel more comfortable when it's time for a real veterinary visit.

Find a Cat-Friendly Veterinarian: Some veterinarians have feline-only practices while others are making an effort to make cats more comfortable at their offices.  You can search the American Association of Feline Practitioners to find a cat-friendly veterinarian in your area.

Get Your Cat Used to Handling: You can help your kitty become more comfortable with vet exams by touching your cat's ears, face, paws, and tail while she's relaxing at home.  Gently picking up her paws, feeling her stomach, and opening her mouth will also help her feel more comfortable when your vet has to examine her.

Making Your Cat Comfortable in the Waiting Room: Some cats feel less vulernable when covered with a towel.  If it helps your kitty, bring a towel to cover his carrier with while waiting for your appointment.  Don't allow strangers or dogs to approach your cat in the waiting room.  Most cats are stressed out by unfamiliar people and pets.  Kindly explain to others who want to peek in on your cat that your kitty is stressed and needs his space right now.

Be Prepared: Write down any questions or concerns you want to discuss with your veterinarian.  Note any symptoms your cat has been exhibiting as well.  Pam Johnson-Bennett recommends using your smart phone (if you have one) to video concerning behaviors so that your vet can view them firsthand.  I've actually done something similar in the past for my vet, and I believe it helped her understand Jewel's behavior better.

Do you remember when Jewel was howling, seemingly randomly?  I used my smartphone to record the audio so that our vet could hear it for herself.  I also took photos of the way Jewel ate to help our vet understand Jewel's eating position, which changed over time.  The audio files and photos definitely helped her gain a better understanding of Jewel's symptoms and behaviors.

Going to the veterinarian for regular checkups is important.  Using these tips will help you reduce stress for both you and your kitty on trips to the veterinarian.

What do you do to reduce your cat's stress on trips to the vet? 

Sources:

American Association of Feline Practitioners 

Petfinder: Get Your Cat to Like the Vet

Pam Johnson-Bennett: Reduce Your Cat's Stress During Veterinary Exams

Frontier Veterinary Hospital: Making Vet Visits Easier

Preparing Your Cat for a New Baby

Bringing home a new baby is exciting for you, but it can be quite confusing for your kitty.  That's why it's important to not only prepare yourself and your home for your new baby, it's important to prepare your cat for the new arrival as well. 

Photo credit: Brad Brundage

Keep a Schedule: Cats are creatures of habit and don't like change.  Create a schedule before the baby comes that you'll be able to keep.  Gradually move your cat's feedings, playtime, and cuddles to the new schedule so he will be accustomed to it by the time you bring home your new baby.  Don't give your kitty a lot of extra attention before the birth of the baby.  Instead, gradually give your cat less attention outside of his scheduled play and cuddle time so he won't feel ignored when you're busy taking care of the baby.

Getting Kitties Used to Baby Sounds: You can help your kitty adjust to all the strange sounds that will inevitably come into the home with a new baby.  Purchase a CD of a baby crying.  Begin by playing the CD at a very low volume while your cat enjoys mealtime or engages in interactive play with you.  You want to ensure that your kitty associates a baby's cry with positive experiences.  Gradually raise the volume of the CD over several days or weeks until you have reached a realistic volume.  Be sure to go at your cat's pace; don't increase the volume of the crying baby until she is comfortable.  

Photo credit: Daniel Guumaraes

Baby toys and equipment also make noises your cat won't be used to.  If at all possible, buy and set up baby equipment well ahead of time.  Turn on the baby swing, and reward your cat if she decides to get near it.  Likewise, get out new baby toys, turn them on, and allow your cat to check them out.  Reward her for approaching or getting near them.  Never force your kitty to get near baby toys or equipment.  Remember, you want your cat to have positive experiences around the baby's things.

Helping Your Cat Adjust to New Smells: Use baby powder, baby oil, baby shampoo, and baby lotion on yourself so your cat can begin to get used to these new scents.  

The Baby's Room: Decide whether your cat will be allowed in the baby's room well before the arrival of the infant.  

If the Room Will be Off-Limits: Take any furniture your cat loves out of the baby's room so that he can continue to have access to it.  Put a cat tree or bed just outside the baby's room.  Install a tall baby gate in the doorway to get your kitty used to being restricted from the room.  Aytime you go into the baby's room, put a couple of treats on your cat's tree or in his bed.  

Once the baby comes home, give your kitty treats when you're feeding or rocking the baby in its room.  This will help your kitty associate the baby with something positive while rewarding him for staying out of the room.  

If your cat sneaks into the baby's room, gently put him outside the door.  Do not scold or punish him.

Photo credit: Trevor Leyenhorst

If the Baby's Room Will Not be Off-Limits: Put a cat tree or bed inside the baby's room.  Aytime you enter the baby's room, reward your cat with treats in her bed or on her tree.  After the baby arrives, give your cat treats in her bed or on her tree when you are feeding or rocking the baby to reward her for being near the baby.  

To train kitty not to jump into the crib, place some soda cans filled with pennies on the crib's rim.  If your cat tries to jump into the crib, the noisy soda cans should deter her.  Alternatively, you can use a crib tent to keep your kitty out of the crib.

When Baby Arrives: Be calm when you introduce your cat to the baby.  Talk to him in a soothing tone.  Reward him for getting near or approaching the baby and for positive interactions with the infant. 

Cats can happily coexist with new babies.  These tips should help your cat adjust to the arrival of a new family member.  

Have you ever introduced a cat to a new baby?  What tips can you share with expecting parents?

Tips for Caring for A Blind Cat

Have you recently adopted a blind cat?  Are you thinking about adopting one?  Has your beloved companion suddenly lost his sight?  No matter what the case, caring for a blind cat is nearly as easy as caring for a sighted one.  Here are some tips to help you out.

Keep the Environment Familiar: It's very important for blind cats to have stable environments.  Don't move the furniture in your home.  Don't leave clutter around for your kitty or trip over.  Don't move her bowls or litter box.  It will take some time for a blind cat to adapt to her environment, and once she does, she needs to know that things won't change on her.  

It's also a good idea not to pick up your kitty and carry her around.  This will likely disorient her, and she won't know where she is in the home.  This is especially true for kitties who are still adjusting to a new home or to recent blindness.  

Safety Concerns: It may be a good idea to leave your cat in a safe room when you go out if he is still adjusting to blindness or to a new home.  Introduce your kitty to one room at a time so he doesn't become overwhelmed.  Block off your stairs with a baby gate until your furry friend knows where they are located.

Do not let your cat go outdoors alone.  The outdoors present dangers to sighted cats; however, blind kitties are more vulnerable to outside hazards.  If you want to take your cat outside to enjoy some fresh air, put him in a harness on a leash, put him in a carrier, or build him a cat enclosure.  Make sure your kitty has a breakaway collar, ID tag stating that he is blind, and microchip so that if he does get out accidentally, it will be more likely that he's found and returned to you.

Help Her Use Her Other Senses: In blind people and cats, the other senses are heightened.  Help your kitty keep track of where you are by talking to her each time you enter or leave a room.  Always speak to her before you pet her or pick her up to avoid startling her.  Additionally, if you have other pets in your home, put bells on them so that your sightless companion knows where they are.  

Your companion's toys should be ones she can find with her other senses.  Give her toys that make noise, such as bell balls, or that have a strong smell, like Yeoww! catnip toys.  

Blind cats need a little extra care and attention from you, but they are totally worth it!  If you would like more information about blind cats or would like to adopt one, please visit the Blind Cat Rescue.