For some owners, the thought of booking a vet visit for their cat can result in a feeling of dread, as catching and transporting felines is often a challenge, plus there’s the added worry they may escape on the journey to or from the practice.
It’s obviously important that you are well prepared for vet visits, to ensure your cat can have ongoing healthcare and emergency treatment if it’s needed, and the good news is there are ways to make these journeys less stressful, for you and your cat.
How do I take my cat to the vet without stress?
Before your cat’s appointment
You can start preparing for the vet visit well ahead of your appointment. First, it’s important to invest in a suitable carrier to transport your cat safely and reduce the risk of them escaping. Choose a purpose-built, solid carrier that has access at the front and fully opens at the top with easy-to-open clips.
If you only use the carrier for vet visits or trips to the cattery, your cat can easily make negative associations with it, and it’s not uncommon for some felines to perform a disappearing act as soon as they see their carrier being brought out. Try leaving the carrier out and open at home for your cat to explore. You can pop in some cosy bedding, food and toys to encourage your cat to venture inside and help make them feel that it can be an OK place to be.
Place an absorbent, non-slip liner in the carrier that smells of home and can be washed afterwards if needed. You can also use a pheromone spray in the car and the carrier to help reduce your cat’s anxiety and stress - ask your local vet practice for more information about this.
Travelling with your cat
On the day of your cat’s appointment, calmly pick them up and place them in their carrier. If they are wriggly or seem worried, you can gently wrap them in a towel which has been sprayed with pheromone spray.
It is very important that your cat is safe and secure during the journey. Driving without your cat appropriately secured may be classed as driving without due care and attention, which is a finable offence and may also invalidate your car insurance in the event of an accident.
Try to position the carrier so it is level on the back seat - you can place a folded towel or blanket under the back of the carrier to help with this. Then secure the carrier with the seat belt fastened across it. Some carriers have specific seatbelt hooks. Cover the carrier with a towel and soothe your cat by talking to them reassuringly. If the weather is warm, ensure there is adequate ventilation under the towel by leaving one side of the carrier not covered by the towel.
For cats that get particularly stressed or sick when travelling, it is best to withhold food for two hours before your journey, unless there is a medical reason for you not to do this.
If you want to listen to music on the journey to the vets, consider playing calming classical music, rather than anything loud and upbeat.
Arriving for your cat’s appointment
Once you have arrived at the veterinary practice, the safest way to move the carrier is to hold the top handle and use your other hand to support the carrier from the bottom.
When checking in for your appointment, the reception team will direct you to the best place to sit in the waiting room. Lots of vet practices have a designated cat waiting area, away from dogs and other pets. Sit with the basket facing towards you, so your cat can see you, and keep the sides of the basket covered to help them feel safe. Cats are often happier when they are higher up, and some vet practices provide shelves to place carriers on.
If your cat tends to become stressed at the vets, ask the reception team if it would be okay to wait in the car until the vet calls you through for your appointment.
If your cat really struggles with the stress of visiting the vets, speak to your vet to see if stress-reducing medication might be an option.
Travelling home
Follow the same tips for safe travel on your return journey home. When you get back, try not to overwhelm your cat with attention and give them time to readjust after the vet visit. Also, if you have more than one cat, keep an eye on them for a while as the cat that has been to the vets may smell a little unfamiliar and other felines can react to this.
Hopefully these tips will help you and your cat have a stress-free trip to your next vet appointment, but if you have any specific concerns relating to travelling with your cat or managing their worries, please reach out to your veterinary practice for further advice.
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Registered veterinary nurse Lucy Wright has more than 17 years of veterinary nursing experience and is the regional lead for Best Friends Veterinary Group in the Cambridgeshire region. Lucy has a passion for animal welfare and behaviour, striving to ensure pet healthcare is as stress-free as possible for all involved.
Best Friends Veterinary Group is part of VetPartners, a UK and European veterinary group, which includes first opinion practices for large animals, equine and small animals as well as a growing network of referral practices that offer specialist care for small animal and equine patients.