2 Tips To Reduce Your Cat's Stress Level When Visiting The Vet
Authorities estimate that there are between 74 and 96 million cats living in American homes today. If you have a feline friend of your own, you probably know just how important regular veterinary care can be when it comes to keeping your cat healthy. Unfortunately, making the trek to your local vet clinic can be stressful for your pet. Here are 2 tips you can use to help reduce the amount of stress your cat will feel when visiting the vet for orthopedic surgery in the future.
1. Acclimate your cat to the pet carrier.
Wrangling your cat into the pet carrier can be the most stressful part of many veterinary visits. You can make this process easier on your cat (and yourself!) by taking the time to acclimate your cat to the pet carrier in advance. Here are a few suggestions that can help you with this task:
Make the carrier part of everyday life. Rather than just getting your pet carrier out when it's time to visit the vet, leave it in the living room with the door open. This allows your cat the opportunity to explore the pet carrier at his or her leisure. When the pet carrier is no longer associated with the vet's office, it becomes less stressful to get your cat into the carrier when to time to travel to your vet's clinic arrives.
Don't be afraid to use rewards. Building positive associations with the pet carrier is an important part of acclimating your cat to this seemingly terrifying object. Place your cat's favorite toy or a few treats inside the carrier. This will help you pet learn that going into the carrier means he or she will get something good, making it less difficult to load your cat into the pet carrier for a veterinary appointment in the future.
2. Bring items that can help your cat relax with you to the vet.
Once you arrive at your vet's office the waiting room can become a serious source of anxiety. Barking dogs, unfamiliar faces, and strange noises can each contribute to your cat's stress levels. Bringing some of the following items with you will allow you to reduce the amount of stress placed on your pet at the vet clinic:
Blanket- Keeping your cat inside the pet carrier, and covering the carrier with a blanket, can help reduce stress. Blankets help to reduce access to frightening visuals, and they can help block the sounds that cause cats stress.
Pheromone Spray- When cats rub up against one another they emit comforting pheromones. Sprays containing these pheromones can be purchased for about $25, and spraying the interior of your pet carrier with a pheromone spray can calm your cat.
Visiting the vet is an essential part of being a good cat owner. If you feel that trips to your veterinarian are too stressful, try acclimating your cat to the pet carrier and bringing items that can help your cat relax with you to your next vet appointment. Contact a clinic like Animal Clinic Of Billings for more tips.