Prepare Your Cat for a First Time Visit to the Vet

Your cat’s first visit to the vet is likely be a difficult and possibly unpleasant experience, both for you and for the cat. Among other things, the vet's visit involves such things as the discomfort of the cat carrier, the weirdness of the car drive or other form of transportation, the strangeness of the veterinary surgery and the potential for smelling, hearing and seeing the cat's natural enemy––dogs! While it's not the greatest experience you'll share with your cat, it is an important one and minimizing the stress involved is possible.

Steps

 * 1) Be a vet to your cat at home. This does not mean that you take up a course in veterinary and becoming a practicing pet care expert! It is simply referring to doing simple and easy regular DIY head to tail check-ups on your cat, to help prepare your cat for being prodded and checked out when it does end up at the veterinary clinic. Look at your cat’s ears, touch your kitty’s neck, legs, tummy, etc., while you’re petting him or her. This will help your cat get accustomed to being handled by another person, such as the vet.[[Image:Prepare Your Cat for a First Time Visit to the Vet Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *This can also give you an indication of which areas will set off your cat, allowing you to warn the vet. For example: "Take care when touching Fifi's belly; she tries to bite me when I do that."
 * 3) Get your cat to feel accustomed to being placed in a carrier. For many a cat owner, a first time vet visit reveals a common problem––a total lack of willingness to enter the cat carrier. It looks small, cramped and dark, so what is there to like about being forced inside of it? It is important to try to overcome the cat's reticence in relation to the cat carrier; after all, you'll be needing to take your cat to the vet at least annually for the rest of his or her life, so the sooner he or she learns to tolerate the carrier, the better.[[Image:Prepare Your Cat for a First Time Visit to the Vet Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 4) *Try to create a positive link or some sort of warm feelings between the carrier and your cat. This involves incorporating the carrier into both of your regular activities days before the visit to the vet. Line it with the cat's favorite fluffy blanket and encourage your cat to use it as a nap space. If you sit at a desk at home, or on a couch, place the carrier nearby, to encourage its discovery and use as a napping place. You can also give the cat treats while he or she is inside.
 * 5) *Be aware that no matter how much of a positive impression the cat gains about the carrier, this will be undone when it is used as a form of transportation. You will just have to learn to live with this and reinforce the positives of it each time.
 * 6) *Eventually, you may find it's just easier to back the cat into the carrier than forcing him or her in frontwards. It's not the most elegant solution but when you have a large, strong and uncooperative cat, dignity is the last thing to be preserved! Remember too, health care comes first.
 * 7) Work with the vet to properly prepare the exam room for your cat’s arrival. The exam room should have a soothing and quite ambiance. The vet should reduce the lighting and if there are ceiling fans in the room, they should be turned off, since cats find them very frightening. Having big, fluffy towels or blankets in the area where your kitty will be examined will also help make him or her to feel more comfortable during his or her stay at the vet’s clinic. It is a good idea to bring your own along, just in case; they can also be used to cover the carrier viewpoints should a dog happen to be seated next to you in the waiting room.[[Image:Prepare Your Cat for a First Time Visit to the Vet Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 8) Keep things calm. When inside the exam room, try to eliminate any loud or shuddering noises that could startle the cat. Talk to your cat in a soft and soothing voice. If your cat doesn’t like being in the carrier, let him or her out so that he or she can explore the room. If your cat gets on a chair or jumps down onto the floor, don’t worry: the vet will be able to conduct the exam in either of those places. And if the cat prefers to stay in the carrier, the vet will also be able to do some procedures, such as vaccinations, without getting him or her out of the bag.[[Image:Prepare Your Cat for a First Time Visit to the Vet Step 4.jpg|center]]

Tips

 * Rest assured that vets have seen it all; they're quite happy to accommodate the cat's needs by examining the cat where it feels happiest, even if this isn't on the standard table.
 * Your vet will be the best source of handling and traveling tips. Ask plenty of questions during your visit, so that you can become better informed on how to care for your cat as best as possible.

Sources and Citations

 * Original source of article: Albany Creek vet, http://mcdowallvets.com.au