Calm Before The Vet

[aradasky]

I have four cats now, and vet visits for checkups have become a thing rarely done. I do not get shots for them however, if they are sick they go. I have trouble lifting and carrying around the plastic carriers and I have two big cats that are heavy on their own. So, I decided to have a vet come to me.
It has been several years since my cats have been seen by a vet and I have a now, 16 year old who's teeth and general condition I wanted checked. I also wanted rabies shots since we have a bat that likes to "rest" on our front porch and there is a slight chance it could get into the house. Bats have been found with Rabies in our county.
I called a mobile vet and had all four cats where I could get them. Two in bathrooms. When the vet got there, the tech came out (vet was on the phone) and did NOT tell me that they would get the cats, so I went in and brought one out. Well, of course, he had a hissy fit, jumped from my arms and hid under my king-sized bed. He did not get seen that day.
The vet came in and very professionally told me it is their job to get them, they can do a lot of checking actually in the bathroom and even sedate them if needed. She successfully saw three of my cats.
The vet has Yelp comments saying that she is uncaring. I did not find that, I like professionalism and that is what I saw in her. I like her. Competent, efficient, has natural and holistic ways to treat animals available and when I told her that my 16 yr old is in palliative care with me, she totally understood. By the way, her teeth are fine and blood test came back fully normal. Vet gave her new Natural food additive for her arthritis. I had been using glucosamine and she said it stops working after a while. Also 1/2 baby aspirin three times a week. I want to try this type of treatment before opioids. They seem to be working for now, she is more active.
They found one cat needs a good teeth cleaning and the guy who hid still needs to be seen. So the vet is scheduled for two more visits. General check up and blood tests, then teeth. I assume the cat that hid will need his teeth done as well as he is the brother of the one who does. Genetics...
Anyway, I just texted the vet to see if I could get something to give them to calm them before she got here so they are not so upset by her visits. I read other threads that talked about very difficult vet visits and my cats took several days to calm. I mean, if there is something that we can give them that stops the panic, then why not?
I happen to have some hemp suppliments that I was trying with Raven, my 16 year old but they made her sleep more and did not seem to help with the arthritis pain. I am going to ask if these may be enough for the two I am asking about.
When I hear back from the vet, I will post more.

 

[Topherius]

My vet uses a pheromone spray when they have to put cones and clip nails and such. Im not sure the brand she uses but it could work. A few spritzes in the air and maybe in the carrier and its supposed to have a calming effect. Feliway is one ive heard of Traveling with a cat in a cat carrier <---- one such use for their product

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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I genuinely believe that it is - for the most part - a matter of becoming accustomed to having the veterinarian visit. The first time my vet came to see everyone - some years ago - cats were stuck to ceilings, hiding in breadboxes, and doing gymnastics on curtain rods. They now see him just about weekly, and they pay no more attention to him than they do the wallpaper, and I attribute this to simple acclimatisation (though I expect that the fact that they see him in a social setting - as opposed to forever poking and prodding them - probably has allayed some of their fears, and assuaged their delicate little kitty constitutions).
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[bodester413]

I had the vet come to the house last year to give Bodhi his shots and do a checkup. He freaked and dissed me for 3 days afterwards, but it was still definitely better than getting him in the carrier and taking him into the office. I'm planning on having them come here again this year when he's due for some shots. I swear my cat can read me like a book. Last year I tried my best to be calm so he wouldn't realize something was up.......and I thought I did a good job. I doubt a human would have been able to tell I was nervous about something.....but Bodhi?....lol.....About an hour before the vet arrived he started pacing around the house like he knew something was going on.

 

[aradasky]

topherius, I will check out the spray if I do not hear back from my vet. I have a great pet store nearby. Thank you.

1cat, weekly visits? Are you making dinners for the vet? Dating? LOL

bodester, yes my guy is very cautious when I pick him up now......

 

[bluebirdy]

Can you do prep by doing a lot of the things that the vet would do with your cats and then rewarding with a treat.

My cats don't mind going for vet visits. I use clicker training with my cats and acclimitized them to the carrier that way. I also randomly put them into the carrier sometimes if I'm going to pick someone up so they go int he carrier at other than trips to the vet

I also do mock exams with my kittens. Basically I just used this article as a blueprint and reward with treats after the parts they dislike the most.

"Do mock vet exams at home to familiarize your cat with human handling. Do things like handle your pet’s paws, inspect her ears, clip her nails, open and inspect the inside of her mouth, move your hands over her legs and body, and comb or brush her coat. If you do these regularly your cat will be less stressed when it’s the real thing at the vet’s office."

How to Prepare Your Pet Cat for Vet Visits

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

1cat, weekly visits? Are you making dinners for the vet?

aradasky - We're Friends. When it became necessary to trap the cats loosed by my neighbour when he disappeared, my vet offered to help design and build a surgery and holding center in one of the buildings, after which he spayed / neutered, vaccinated, vetted and oversaw the fattening up of more than fifty cats and kittens, and then worked with me and with two local rescue groups, "showing them off," at the children's wards of two local hospitals, which resulted in placing them all after eighteen months.

I've no heirs and no relatives, and often, when one dies in such a state, their place goes to the dogs. In this case, it will go to the cats, as he's executor of the estate, and caretaker of my own cats. He'll move up the road eight miles, and my counsel has formed a Trust which will, with the Town's approbation, allow the place to become a no-kill shelter, adoption center, and a veterinary service for those who need but can't afford professional veterinary care. Even barring all that, he's a terrible poker player, as is one of my attorneys, and eventually I expect to get back every last dime I shelled out for veterinary services.
.

 

[aradasky]

Bluebirdy, great ideas! My two youngsters, I still call them kittens at 3, were feral and are extra flighty and cautious.

1cat, what a wonderful friend to have! I love how you have taken care of everything, even at the very end. I have two daughters who love cats, neighbors and others who would help. So many of us do not do that type of planning. I am a hospice volunteer and I see so many who are in this situation and their animals end up in shelters. It is sad. My next adoptions will be older cats who have been left like this.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Bluebirdy, great ideas! My two youngsters, I still call them kittens at 3, were feral and are extra flighty and cautious.

1cat, what a wonderful friend to have! I love how you have taken care of everything, even at the very end. I have two daughters who love cats, neighbors and others who would help. So many of us do not do that type of planning. I am a hospice volunteer and I see so many who are in this situation and their animals end up in shelters. It is sad. My next adoptions will be older cats who have been left like this.

For my own part, it was just a few minutes spent making plans; the Lord took care of everything else.
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[drmroth]

I use Natures Miracle calming spray to calm my little ones. I spray it on me, and the towel that I wrap them in and in the car to take them to the vet. If your vet is coming to you then I'd spray it around the house, especially where the vet is going to be seeing them, on you and on the vet.

Another option is Bach Rescue Remedy for pets.

 

[aradasky]

I have several sprays to spray me, the house and everything on the mornings of the visits. If they do work, I am going to get some diffusers as recently my 6 yr old is having hissing contests with my male 3 year old.

 

[aradasky]

Tomorrow is the second vet visit. I have two soft carriers out and both Shetland and Orkney have layed in them for a few minutes. Today I will try to entice them in longer with some treats. I sprayed everything in the room, including the carriers with Mature's Miracle calmin spray but have not noticed any difference. I will spray everywhere with Feliway Comfort Zone. I am sure I will be able to only use the carriers for tomorrow and Thursday will have to put them into the bathrooms. They have a LONG memory...
I am fine with them being angry with me, just a long as I can get them - an ME- through the next two day. LOL

 

[aradasky]

I got Shetland and Orkney in the bathrooms. They are not happy. And when the vet got here she got Shetland first. He panicked in the carrier. She asked if it was okay to give him a bit of a sedative and I said, Please! I hate it when they think they are going to be hurt. I cannot imagine me trying to get him into a carrier. Shetland is being looked at right now, then Orkney will get her blood test done.

They did not have to sedate Shetland, vet said he was okay in the van! All four are hiding Under beds now.

Two cats are in for teeth cleaning tomorrow via mobile vet, that means sedation which means no food or water for breakfast. And then the joy of trying to get them into the bathrooms again for the vet. I will shake the heck out of the treat canister. They will all be hungry and come running because when two are not supposed to eat, it is easier to not feed any of them. They will get to eat in the afternoon.

Oh, and need to continue flea meds.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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aradasky - Shetland and Orkney? Can't be. John Donne tells us that, "no cat is an island."
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[aradasky]

.
aradasky - Shetland and Orkney? Can't be. John Donne tells us that, "no cat is an island."
.

Hahaha..I love Scotland and have been to Orkney twice, Shetland once. I came home from one of my Scotland trips and adopted the kittens. They were with me for a week and I could not think of names. Was looking at pics of my trip and WaLa! Their names jumped out at me.

 

[danteshuman]

We had a family cat. An amazing sweetheart bottle baby .... until she went to the vet! She had to be restrained with 2 catch poles and had a warning label on her file that said she bites LOL Just imagine a vet, a vet tech plus an owner all in one room trying to get a hold on 1 ten pound declawed cat. Anyhow she hated any and all vets (and all cats that went to a vet) until she started getting regularly boarded at a vet's office. Suddenly she was sweet as could be at the vet office. Not just that vet's office but all vets. It might be worth a try for a couple of weekends with your very skittish kitty.

 

[aradasky]

Good idea except I do not get regular shots for mine. I dont think they can get boarded.

 

[danteshuman]

Can you get a prescription for an oral sedative for scared kitty and give it to them before the vet arrives? (So the vet arrives to a sedated/sleepy kitty in the bathroom?)

 

[aradasky]

I asked for one for tomorrow's visit, but they don't want one tomorrow because the cats are going ot have their teeth cleaned and will be sedated for that.

 

[aradasky]

And the result of all of this is that Shetland had two teeth pulled and Orkney had three. I was surprised. They have a mouth chemistry that is working against them.

The vet left some liquid pain meds that I had to sign for and give my birthdate! I gave a dose to Shetland last night and he spent the night under a bed.

They both wolfed down food for dinner, both got up and ate breakfast, running around and playing with catnip toys, so I am not going to give pain meds. I did give Shetland a dose of aspirin (1/2 a baby aspirin) and I think that will help. His tongue is sticking out a bit so I know there is something that bothers him, probably the stitch he has.