Fearfree cats

[cats4ever]

There's a new trend in veterinary medicine, addressing the stress and fear a lot of animals, especially cats, are experiencing, when they have to go to the vet.
Even though cats outnumber dogs as pets, they receive far less veterinary care, because they get stressed easily, which, in return, stresses the parents who then rather avoid the visit altogether.
Vet visits are vital to a cat's health and longevity, and I hope that the following article will be of some help to anybody who feels helpless when it comes to their kitty's vet visit.


https://consciouscat.net/2015/06/15/fear-free-veterinary-visits/

[Karen]

All interesting stuff - I have a friend who has a very fearful large dog, so she pays a bit extra for house calls instead of stressing out herself, her dog, the staff at the vet's office and other people and patients! I wonder if some vets would do the same for very scaredy cats?

[Randi]

That's really good advice and I hope most people do it this way. :)


When I took Fister to the vet, he never liked the car ride, but the rest of it was no problem. There was a calm atmosphere in the clinic and I think Fister could sense that the vet liked him. One of the first times he went there, the vet did spray his cage with that calming stuff... I didn't even know it exited at the time. The vet didn't have a seperate examining room for cats and dogs, but we usually only had to wait for 5 min. and Fister was not agressive towards other animals.


I tried his box out, too, and one time he jumped in it and fell asleep, but most times I had to put in the kitchen while he was in the bedroom sleeping. I carried him out there and put him in it, it worked fairly well, if he was asleep. He did complain a little, though.


The worst was when he had to go to a cat hotel when we travelled, he screamed all the way in the car, and one time he made quite an effort to get out, to the point where some of his claws came off. That, although we had covered the box with a blanket.


Later in his life, I got this old pram to transport him in, a ten nimute walk through the cemetary, that he seemed to like, he could watch the squirrels and birds on the way.


This is a picture from one of his trips...
http://petoftheday.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=43726&stc=1&d=1253041221

[cats4ever]

I love that picture. I bet Fister enjoyed his outings.
My kitties would not do well with home visits. They're terrified
of visitors.:(

[mon]

That's really good advice and I hope most people do it this way. :)


When I took Fister to the vet, he never liked the car ride, but the rest of it was no problem. There was a calm atmosphere in the clinic and I think Fister could sense that the vet liked him. One of the first times he went there, the vet did spray his cage with that calming stuff... I didn't even know it exited at the time. The vet didn't have a seperate examining room for cats and dogs, but we usually only had to wait for 5 min. and Fister was not agressive towards other animals.


I tried his box out, too, and one time he jumped in it and fell asleep, but most times I had to put in the kitchen while he was in the bedroom sleeping. I carried him out there and put him in it, it worked fairly well, if he was asleep. He did complain a little, though.


The worst was when he had to go to a cat hotel when we travelled, he screamed all the way in the car, and one time he made quite an effort to get out, to the point where some of his claws came off. That, although we had covered the box with a blanket.


Later in his life, I got this old pram to transport him in, a ten nimute walk through the cemetary, that he seemed to like, he could watch the squirrels and birds on the way.


This is a picture from one of his trips...
http://petoftheday.com/talk/attachment.php?attachmentid=43726&stc=1&d=1253041221
That is SO smart. It's great Fister even seemed to enjoy strolling through the boneyard. I like boneyards too. Unfortunately we are way too far from any vet to use a pram and stroll ☹️ However, if that ever changes, I will always keep this idea in mind! Thanks ✌️

[Randi]

I'm glad you like the idea, mon. :) Someone who lived above me left the pram when they moved out, so I took it. It's the perfect size for the box, but it is now down in the cellar, with no air in the tires.

Heidi, Fister didn't like visitors, either. He would hide under the bed most of the time.