How to prepare your cat for a stress-free visit to the veterinary clinic

Cats, just like humans, need regular preventive (sometimes forced diagnostic) examinations.

Cats are skilled at hiding their illnesses, so it is very important to schedule a visit to the veterinarian at least once a year, or more often if your pet is over 7 years old.

By nature, cats are independent, territorial animals, very sensitive to different smells, and always want to control their environment. This "outlook" makes visiting the veterinarian quite a stressful process.

The following factors affect a cat during transportation and staying in a new place

• unaccustomed carrying;
• traveling in a car;
• foreign odors and noise during transportation and in the clinic;
• strangers and animals that may be dangerous from the cat's point of view;
• examination by strangers and tactile contact with them in unfamiliar situations;
• possible tests, surgery, or hospitalization.

Is it possible to avoid stress in your pet? What to do if you need to visit a veterinary clinic, but your cat does not want to go into the carrier? How can you accustom your pet to transportation or make the move less traumatic?

Having experienced transportation difficulties once, the owner may refuse to visit the clinic in the future.One of the reasons why veterinariansat are increasingly faced with situations of seriously illanimals - this is fromurgent visit due to fear stressin.

So how do you prepare your pet for transportation and avoid stress?

1) Early preparation at home:

Medications to control stress in cats:

• Bifar No stress pillows (2-3 pcs/day), it is recommended to start using them 12 hours before the visit.
• GimCat Anti-Stress Paste (6 cm from the tube every day or add to the food (1 cm strip = approx. 0.5 g). It is recommended to give the paste 2-3 days before transportation. After a stressful event, continue the course until you notice that the cat has become calm and relaxed.California echolocation ensures healthy sleep, has a calming effect and reduces anxiety. St. John's wort - reduces the perception of stress, has a mild antidepressant and anti-inflammatory effect. L-tryptophan - promotes the production of serotonin (the hormone of happiness). Beta-glucan - reduces the risk of inflammation in the cat's body due to stress.
• If the visit is planned in advance and you, as the owner, know that the cat will not only be frightened, but also aggressive, you can use gabapentin 300 mg (commercial names Gabantine, Gabalept, Gabagamma). It is especially important to use the drug before a scheduled visit to the groomer. You can buy 1 capsule at the reception desk of any of our clinics. 2 hours before the visit, drink ½ of the capsule contents with a little water. The drug also helps to make the cat feel more comfortable during the visit if it remains under observation for some time (for example, after sterilization).If it was not possible to give the drug to the cat, you can add it to its favorite food or mix it with liquid food. Remember that the drug has a bitter taste and can sometimes cause excessive salivation. This condition is not dangerous.
• Feliway Classic (diffuser, spray) - is a synthetic analog of the pheromone of the facial glands of cats, which sends a signal to the animal that there is no cause for concern. Pheromones improve the emotional state and help to adapt to different conditions.
• Feliway Friends is a pheromone diffuser containing calming natural markers. It helps to reduce conflicts and improve relationships between cats in a family. It promotes harmonious cohabitation on a sustainable basis.
• Royal Canin Calm is a dry food that helps to combat stress. It contains the peptide casozepine and the amino acid L-tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin. Due to its high taste, animals eat it with appetite even under stress.
• VetExpert-KalmVet is a capsule recommended for the relief of symptoms of stress and anxiety in animals. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is a precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Chamomile - among its various biological properties has a calming effect.Apigenin, contained in chamomile extract, interacts with benzodiazepine receptors and eliminates anxiety, has a calming effect. Valerian, namely the extract of active substances from Valeriana officinalis, has been known for many years for its properties. The mechanism of action of valerian is based on the presence of terpene bonds, mainly valeric and gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) acids.
• Vetoquinol Zylkene - Zylkene capsules containing modified milk protein alpha S1-casein, a molecule that helps babies relax after feeding with milk. It has a calming effect similar to tranquilizers, but without side effects (drowsiness, discoordination, etc.).

2) Preparation before departure

1. Bring a towel or blanket from home to wrap your cat in during the doctor's visit. Cats like to hide and fixing cats for manipulation, if necessary, is better through a soft blanket.

2. Do not transport your cat to on your hands or in a towel. Use only carriers.

Try to make the carrier part of your interior and as familiar as possible in your cat's daily life.

The carrier should be of sufficient size and easy to disassemble. The structure of the carrier should allow the cat to enter and exit it freely (even at the clinic). In addition, the removable top is especially convenient if the cat is shy or aggressive. It is also convenient to remove the top when examining very sick cats.

Cats are very independent animals - loners. They avoid contact with unfamiliar environments and hide from conflicts. This is their normal psychology. The carrier serves as a place of shelter and gives them a sense of security.

The biggest mistake is to take the carrier outjust before you leave. Associations in animals form very quickly, both positive and negative. Therefore, the second time the same situation will force the pet to hide in ahidden place and not show itself until the situation is "normalized".

It is advisable to transport cats to the clinic in the most comfortable conditions. Therefore, the main task is to create a cozy environment in which the cat will feel safe. This can be done with the help of soft blankets, pillows, on which cats like to lie at home.

3. How to make a cat enter the carrier?

You need to admit that you can't force a cat - you can only negotiate with a cat. Collisions and catches at home are very undesirable, and if the cat is completely scared, it is better to postpone transportation for several hours. 15 minutes before leaving, treat the carrier inside with Feliway spray (a spray with synthetic cat pheromones).

3) In the car

Carefully secure the carrier to the seat, and avoid turning or braking suddenly while driving. It is advisable to close the windows to avoid unnecessary noise. If you are using the carrier for the first time, first try to secure it to the car seat without the pet inside.

Almost all modern carriers are equipped with grooves for using a car seat belt. Make sure that the seat belts can secure the carrier firmly.

4) At the clinic

At the clinic, at the reception, tell the receptionist the pet's name, your last name and go to the waiting area.

Do not place the carrier on the floor. You can place it next to you on the couch or on a special shelf. The higher position will give the cat a sense of security.

In the waiting area, there are blankets or diapers for carriers. One of them can be used to cover the carrier from above to avoid visual stimuli.

You can also conduct home training, in a calm environment, carry out procedures similar to a clinical examination in a clinic - you can examine the ears, teeth. At home, you can train some of the doctor's movements while rewarding the cat with treats. This will help form positive associations.

Of course, there are situations when the above recommendations are either impossible to follow or do not help control stress. In this case, contact our specialists in advance of your visit. A felinologist will be able to choose the most appropriate medication for your cat to reduce stress.

Let every visit to the clinic be calm and stress-free!

Zoolux with love for cats.