Less stressful vet visits are something that all pet owners try to arrange for their furry friends. But that’s not always possible, especially for cats. Dogs you can put on a leash and have them jump into the backseat of the car (or lift them in if they’re a bit reluctant about leaving the house) and you’re off to your veterinarian in Richmond.
Cats, on the other hand, need a little more preparation for transportation to the vet’s office. They need to be placed into a pet carrier and that’s where the stress levels start to peak, for you and your kitty. Too many pet owners get scratched up or cancel their appointments entirely because they just can’t get their cat into a carrier.
It’s not even that the cat somehow knows they’re going for a veterinarian appointment. You could be moving into a new home or cat-sitting for a friend and need to move kitty from one location to the next, getting that cat into a cat carrier is a challenge.
But cats do need to go the vet’s office from time to time, whether it’s for a routine checkup, an update on their vaccinations, or some other concern. So with that in mind, here are some suggestions for getting your cat into a carrier so you can make the vet a less stressful experience for you and your cat.
Your Pet Carrier
Most cats aren’t all that interested in being placed into a small, confining space. To be honest, most of us aren’t all that keen on the idea either. But if your cat carrier is too small for your cat, you can’t really fault kitty for not wanting to be stuck inside something where there’s little to no room for movement.
The solution might be to get a larger carrier, so the cat can feel like there’s a little bit of breathing room and space to move. You may also find it easier to get the cat inside of a top-loading carrier as opposed to one that opens along the side.
Another idea to make the cat less apprehensive about going into the carrier is to leave it out in the open. That way the cat can sniff around it, step inside to investigate, maybe even lie inside of it from time to time. This makes the cat more comfortable about going into it which will make it easier for you to scoop the cat up and place inside when you need to go to the vet.
Comfort Levels
Leaving the carrier out for the cat to explore and relax in will help with acclimation. But there are other things you can do to make the carrier all that more enticing to go into when the time comes. So try feeding the cat in the carrier or at least place treats inside of it from time to time. Again, do all of this on a random day, not the morning you need to go to the vet.
Placing some familiar toys and a comfortable towel or shirt that has a certain familiar scent on it can also be helpful in getting your cat to climb into the carrier and feel more at ease inside.
