Aggressive During And After Vet Visits?

[catalinacat]

My cat got spayed recently...and since then she is incredibly difficult to take to and during vet appointments because she is scared and probably associating it with the pain of surgery. She has been fairly good about vets up until now. She went in again to get her stitches checked and she was acting feral and aggressive in ways I’ve never seen beform and it was actually kind of scary to watch since I was afraid she might hurt a vet-although I guess they’ve probably dealt with it enough?

She’s my first cat so I just never seen anything like it. Even after she got home she is actually hissing at me a little (which she never does) and seems on edge. I gave her some of her favorite foods which kinda helped

Is this just typical cat behavior? Is there anything I can do to lessen her fear and anxiety before, after, and during vet visits?

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[basscat]

Many cats are like that. They'll get over a day or so after being back home.
Mine was great his 1st visit.
Now, when we walk in the front door at the vet, he comes unglued. And with him? Even inside of his carrier, he'll clear the waiting room.

 

[Monk'sMom]

One of ours (Mr. Monk, in my avatar) used to be the only one of our cats who *loved* the vet and was fine going to her in the car. She couldn't hear his heart because he purred so loud when she handled him. But after a neighbor's cat punctured him (very aggressive cat they refuse to neuter, who remains the whole neighborhood's boogycat) and Mr. Monk needed stitches and a collar to heal, he became the most scared of trips to and examinations by his formerly beloved vet.
They do remember traumatic painful experiences, and some vets go to great lengths to take their time and minimize this. One of the vets in the practice manually screws off the top of the cat carrier as to not subject the feline to being hauled out, and takes thrice as much time with every single contact. Our vet is wonderful and a fantastic diagnostician, but she is often in a rush.
I write all this to suggest your cat was possibly handled too roughly there before or after the spaying. You say she was never that way on vet visits before this, so it is a fair guess.

But she will regain her equilibrium with you if you are patient. Be kind and affectionate and let the healing complete. And yes, the vets can handle even real feral cats but maybe a different vet (if it's a multi vet-practice) will be better for her next appointment.

 

[basscat]

One thing I just don't understand though (not too change the subject too much).
At the vet, they act terrified.
But, I walk outside and hear a 3,000lb bull out back trying to destroy his stall. And they are scared of my cat?

 

[Ladewyn]

Yeah, my boy is like that too. I hate taking him to the vet, just because he's so stressed. Luckily I'm a vet student and the teaching hospital has some really awesome vets on staff, some of whom specialize in cat care. I also had the opportunity to learn a bit about low-stress handling.
The first thing is try to recognize if she has any specific triggers. For Tucker, it's being put onto the exam table, and towels (he hates being wrapped up, even though for a lot of cats that actually winds up being a useful low-stress tool). So my vet at school works on the floor with him, while I distract him with treats so he doesn't try to bite at her or scratch her.
I also suggest talking to your vet about pre-visit sedative, especially if simply removing triggers doesn't work. I give my little guy gabapentin in his food about an hour before his visit. It's not enough to totally knock him out, just makes him act a bit 'drunk': think wobbly and slow. The appointment is still stressful, but not nearly as bad since he can't react as quickly and cause a ruckus, so the vet can work fast and get everything done so he doesn't have to be stressed for very long.

It's all about reducing the fear and stress involved in the appointment. The more experienced your vet is with cat behaviour and stress, the better. Not all vets are created equal on this front, simply because not all vets have the same level of experience with cats.

 

[DrinkeroftheWind]

I also suggest talking to your vet about pre-visit sedative, especially if simply removing triggers doesn't work. I give my little guy gabapentin in his food about an hour before his visit. It's not enough to totally knock him out, just makes him act a bit 'drunk': think wobbly and slow. The appointment is still stressful, but not nearly as bad since he can't react as quickly and cause a ruckus, so the vet can work fast and get everything done so he doesn't have to be stressed for very long.

It's all about reducing the fear and stress involved in the appointment. The more experienced your vet is with cat behaviour and stress, the better. Not all vets are created equal on this front, simply because not all vets have the same level of experience with cats.

I 100% agree with the Gabapentin use to help take the edge off. I have a 2 year old cat tha becomes feral at the vet. I'm a vet tech and hand raised her, but she will try to murder me too at the vet. She gets Gabapentin 100mg the night before and again the morning of her appointment. She is very sweet and will let you do anything after getting it. She has to have the higher dose, but some cats do just fine on a lower dose of Gabapentin. Maybe ask your vet about it?

 

[erikaash27]

My cat also behaves the same way at the vet. He had to get a cyst removed through surgery and now he acts very feral at the vet. It has gotten to the point where the vet can't even give him a general exam. Cats really do remember traumatic experiences.

Others have mentioned Gabapentin, and I highly recommend asking your vet for it also. It helps the whole scenario be less stressful on my cat and he's a lot more calm to allow the vet to do her job.

Best wishes!