Choosing a vet and making visits less of an ordeal
A stressed cat at the vet hides symptoms and is harder to examine. A clinic that knows how to handle cats and a carrier it is used to change the whole visit.
What to look for in a clinic
Rather than the nearest or the cheapest, look for a clinic that sees lots of cats and shows it: a waiting area separate from dogs, or at least a raised spot to put the carrier, quiet consulting rooms, staff who handle cats calmly without restraining them more than necessary, and who explain what they are doing. There is an international accreditation, the International Society of Feline Medicine’s Cat Friendly Clinic scheme, with bronze, silver and gold levels, held by clinics in a number of countries. It is not essential, but it is a good clue.
Emergencies, before you need them
Ask your clinic what happens out of hours and find the nearest 24-hour emergency vet, with the number saved in your phone. Urinary problems in males, falls, poisoning with lilies or paracetamol and breathing difficulties will not wait until morning. In Spain, an emergency consultation at night or on a public holiday usually costs €80 to €150 just to see the cat, before any tests or treatment. Knowing this in advance saves you time searching at three in the morning.
The carrier, an ally
Most cats hate the carrier because they only see it when going to the vet. Leave it open at home all year round, with one of its blankets inside, and now and then give it a treat or its meal in there. Choose a rigid one that also opens from the top and whose top half can be removed: that way the vet can examine the cat inside it without hauling it out. On the journey, cover it with a towel, carry it steadily rather than swinging it, and in the waiting room put it up high, away from dogs.
If your cat finds it really hard
Some cats arrive at the clinic so frightened that a proper examination is impossible. In that case, talk to your vet: they may consider anti-anxiety medication given at home a few hours before, ask for you to be seen first thing or without waiting, or carry out some check-ups at home. Never give it a sedative or a human medicine on your own initiative. A less stressed cat is easier to examine, and the visit becomes something it can put up with, not a trauma that gets worse every time.
After the visit
When you come home with one cat and another is waiting, the one who stayed sometimes hisses at or attacks the returning cat: it smells of the clinic and is not recognised. To avoid it, leave the returning cat in a separate room for a while to groom and get its own smell back, and rub both with the same blanket before putting them together. Write down what you were told, which vaccines are due and the next appointment. And ask about anything you do not understand in the consulting room, not on a forum: a good vet would rather explain twice than have it done wrong at home.
A clinic that treats cats well, the 24-hour emergency vet located in advance, a rigid carrier that opens from the top and lives open at home, and no medicines on your own initiative. If your cat has a terrible time, tell the vet: there are options.
Educational content from Michipedia. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.