Tips from Super-Vet Rachel from Johnson and Scott in Littleport
Many cats find coming to the vet a lot more stressful and scary than their bouncy canine friends, although a few of these get scared too!
International Cat Care (www.lcatacre.org) has some excellent advice on how to make this journey more enjoyable for you and your cat. They’ve also created the Cat Friend Clinic scheme to show which veterinary practices are taking steps to help make veterinary care easier for our feline friends. Here at Johnson & Scott we’ve just applied for the ‘Good’ level and hope to receive our certification in the next month or two. In the meantime, here are some helpful tips of things you can do at home and provisions we have in place for feline comfort!
The Ideal Carrier
This can have the top removed – allowing the vets to carry out the majority of their examination without removing the cat. If the top can’t be removed, top opening rather side opening allows for the cat to be gently lifted out.
Cover the carrier with a blanket or towel during the journey which allows your cat to feel protected and helps maintain a level of calm.
Reduce impact – secure the carrier in the car and be careful when carrying not to swing it around or bump it into things.
Persuade your cat that this is their carrier not ours!
Leave the carrier out at home permanently and encourage them to sleep or be fed in it. Try hiding their favourite treats there.
Put bedding or clothing that smells of home in the carrier for journeys. And bring spares for the journey home in case there is a small accident during the adventure.
Rub a cloth around your cat’s face to pick up their scent and then rub this around the carrier and leave it inside.
Feliway travel spray – spray in the corners of the carrier 30 minutes before use.
Once You Arrive
Ask our reception to show you our cat only waiting space, tucked in a quiet area near the nurses’ consulting room and out of sight of the dogs!
Keep the cat carrier off the floor. Cats feel safer when they’re up high and able to look down on their surrounds. Our cat waiting room has its own ‘cat tree’ a special shelving unit designed to support cat carriers.
If your cat is happier in the car, then by all means let us know you’re here and then wait with them there – but don’t do this on hot days!
Should your cat have to stay in, you’ll be delighted to know that we have a separate ward for cats. It has large specious kennels allowing us to have space to provide somewhere for your cat to hide as well as spaces between bedding, litter trays and feeding areas.
So go retrieve that cat carrier out of the garage and see how it measures up for cat friendliness. If you think you might need a new one, why not pop in to see us and you can admire that cat waiting area at the same time