# Cat freaks out going to vet



## Chasing Katy (Oct 20, 2013)

Last weekend I had to take Atticus and Boo to the vet for their boosters. While Atti was a bit scared, he was his usual easy going self and let the vet do her checks. Boo, however, was a different story.

I managed to get her into the carrier much easier than any previous attempts (she is now letting me pick her up and hold her, which is a massive victory). She shared the carrier with Atti, as I was hoping he would be a calming influence on her.

By the time we got her into the examination room she was growling and shaking. We opened up the carrier (it unclips on the sides so the whole top half can come off) and she jumped off the table and cowered. I had to hold Atti the whole time so the vet had to get Boo. She managed to get her and give her the injection, but she was so scared her heart was beating so fast that the vet didn't want to do anything else. So she went back into the carrier while Atti got weighed and checked and his booster.

As soon as I got them home and let them out of the carrier, Boo was back to her old self, no signs of any fear or upset.

The vet said that if she needs to go in for anything in future (check ups, treatment etc) we may need to sedate her. I obviously don't want to go down that route for anything routine, but I would like to get her to the stage where she's not as terrified.

Would Zylkene help, or are this there anything else people can recommend to keep my kitty calmer at the vet? As some will remember, I was having problems before where I couldn't pick her up myself without her freaking out, and we have gotten past that, so we are making progress. I would just like to be able to keep my cat healthy by making sure she can be seen by a vet at least annually.


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## lobus (Aug 28, 2012)

My Tyler is much the same when VET is in the day's diary . I use zylkene and a liberal dose of Feliway spray in the cat basket about 15-20 minutes before he has to go in it


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## Chasing Katy (Oct 20, 2013)

How soon before the vet do you start the Zylkene?


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## Sherylina (Sep 17, 2012)

Could the vet go to your home instead and do it in her home environment?

Our vets offer home visits for £15 (plus any treatment costs)


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## Chasing Katy (Oct 20, 2013)

I was wondering about that. She definitely is better with people in her environment, and in fact can be downright nosy!!


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## Sherylina (Sep 17, 2012)

Ask 

We enquired about sedating a feral cat to bring her for her second vaccs (first vaccs was a nightmare!) but they said that sedating can make them more aggressive and offered the home visit instead x


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## huckybuck (Jan 17, 2014)

Do you think the car journey might have compounded it? Gracie (confident 8 month old) hates the car with a vengeance - she shakes and pants and cries the whole time - so I am working on trying to get her used to car travel.


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

huckybuck said:


> Do you think the car journey might have compounded it? Gracie (confident 8 month old) hates the car with a vengeance - she shakes and pants and cries the whole time - so I am working on trying to get her used to car travel.


I was wondering the same. Also I would not put two cats in one carrier - I don't think that helps


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## bluecordelia (Jan 5, 2014)

I get the carrier out the night before so they mooch around it..its like Russian roulette as they both go on different dates for boosters and checks. I put them on the front seat with the door facing me. Seatbelt on of course.


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## BunksMum (Sep 26, 2013)

Bunk is terrible and last time he went to the vets he got so stressed out that (I believe) it brought on a case of cystitis. He pants and cries all the way there and trembles  I have to get home visits now because I can't stand to see him so upset. Our vet charges £46 call out fee though and they are a 5 minute drive away!


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## MistressKitty (Aug 15, 2014)

My vet is terrible for home visits - kept telling me to take MommaCat in to the surgery while she was in labour (and having a very difficult time of it) as they wouldn't drive the 10 mins to my home - and I don't drive!
I randomly get the cat carrier out and put it in the hallway for a few hours every few weeks then put it away again in the vain hope that they will get used to it being there and not freak out when THIS IS NOT A DRILL.


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## Ali71 (Apr 27, 2014)

Hi CK

Have you tried the Thundershirt for cats? It is reported to be very good for anxious times i.e. vet visits etc.

Thundershirt For Cat Anxiety | Thundershirt.com






Might be worth a look x


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## Chasing Katy (Oct 20, 2013)

It may be the car, or it may be the carrier. The only reason she went in the same carrier as Atti was because I had hoped it might soothe her to have him there. I also make sure I put in blankets that smell like home etc.

Unfortunately this may need resolving soon, as she may need to go in and get seen. The vet said she wouldn't do a home visit as it was pointless because if Boo freaked out at home then they wouldn't be able to sedate her etc.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

This is a bit late now, but I left the carrier out when they were kittens for them to explore it. Mine still don't like the carrier because it means they are going somewhere they are not keen on either the vets or cattery.

As someone has mentioned I put their pet bedding in and they like to hide under it.

If the cat is proper freaking out as my previous cat did turn the carrier on its end so the opening is at the top and place the cat back legs and bum end in first.

Today I would use feliway plug in, in their room, their pet carriers sit on top of their bed which is an extra large dog crate.

I don't put their carriers away just in case we have a house emergency and I need to get them out quickly and safely. I know Health & Safety forget the pets, that's not me. Hubby and me have a plan of action. This would only work effectively if the cats co-operated - which I know they would "under normal circumstances". Never had to put it to the test in an emergency tbh, hope I never have to.


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## Janeylo (Jul 13, 2014)

I long for a cat that is easy to get in the carrier and goes to the vets without fuss, so I'm no expert! Our Tammy ( adopted at 8 yrs old) hated the carrier or car journey so much she would poo and wee within 3 minutes of being in there. Current cat Sasha( adopted at 2 yrs old) used to have such a fear of the carrier she would splay all 4 paws out and brace against the doorway. Solved that with a Catit Cabrio top loader. Now she is in before she knows it. Although not her favourite thing by any means , she is now kind of resigned once she is in there. She also seems to realise that not all journeys in there end with the indignity of the vets thermometer, or the cattery. If your cat gets so distressed it is difficult to contemplate desensitisation therapy, but worth a try if you have the time? Get kitty in the carrier and wait for a while to see if s/he calms down when she realises nothing is happening (sorry forgot whether you have a boy or girl and don't know how to go back to your post without losing this). Allow the cat out and reward with a tasty treat or big fuss to show that all is well. Leave the carrier around so it becomes part of the furniture. Maybe take the cat on a drive that doesn't end up at the vets. It may take a while but hopefully over time they will be a little calmer. I do hope you find a solution as it feels horrible to be putting your cat through things like that even though you know it's for their own good!


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## huckybuck (Jan 17, 2014)

We've been doing car desensitisation for a couple of weeks now and I really felt like it just wasn't going to workhowever tonight we managed to drive for about a mile with not too much fuss. We had a lot of complaining to start with but I just ignored her and sang a long with the radio (I'm surprised we didn't have any more complaints lol). She eventually lay down and for the first time no panting so I do feel we might have made a breakthrough  

We go out every other day or two..started with just sitting in the car, then engine on etc etc. It's been slow but maybe we're getting somewhere


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

That sounds very good. Well done

Your patience has paid off. The music is a great idea. Heard that cats are calmer with classical music or those calming music they play in spas. I've never been sure if it works but I do put some classical for Bubble, at home.


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