What is that special touch they have?

[GranolaLouise]

When I go to the vet , the techs and the vets can do ANYTHING to my cat and she just stands there and lets them.
Prying open to look at the teeth? Not a scratch or squirm.
Weigh- in? Not a muscle moves when on their scale!
"Oh you have such a good kitty!" They say.

But when she gets home? I try to simply give her a topical ear treatment and she runs away light lightening and hides.
This morning I found a 'clingon' and tried to clean it with some tissue and waterless shampoo foam. No way was she having THAT!
They stick their Thermometer up her butt.. Not a peep,nor a meow. ME? I get a YOWL just from a damp tissue!!!!!!!!

So, what's their secret technique?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I think some cats sort of 'freeze' at the vets - unfamiliar humans/environment when compared to home. It also probably has some to do with the demeanor of the person(s) handling the cat. Vets/vet techs work with tons of animals and are more 'clinical' in their behavior than the cat's caretaker, who can easily get stressed and anxious doing things to their cat that they know aren't necessarily enjoyable.

But I am sure you will also hear from others letting you know that their cats are no better 'behaved' at the vet's than they are at home.

Once again, as is the case for so many cat behaviors, it is based each cat's own personality/individuality!

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Depends on the cat imo. Phoebe and Daisy are far more cooperative at home.

 

[maggie101]

Peaches shakes so she is frozen. Piece of cake for vets. It probably helps if I'm not there

 

[GranolaLouise]

Depends on the cat imo. Phoebe and Daisy are far more cooperative at home.

Yeh, and the background And treatment received from the last home as well I guess.
I have only had her since August, and she would sleep at the foot of my bed. Only last week she snuggled up next to me and left her spot at the foot of the bed. I wonder what kind of treatment she received previously.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Yeh, and the background And treatment received from the last home as well I guess.
I have only had her since August, and she would sleep at the foot of my bed. Only last week she snuggled up next to me and left her spot at the foot of the bed. I wonder what kind of treatment she received previously.

Only a short time! I’ve had Phoebe seven years and Daisy more than two, and they’re very snuggly cats. Phoebe’s lying on me atm.

 

[Furballsmom]

My angel Poppycat was very fearful at the vet and he'd melt into them as they were carrying him. He was quite the gentleman though, and both they and I could do what we needed to, (although claw trimming took some patient work initially here at home ).

My boy Captain Jack is a sweet charmer of an orange marmalade feline, and is more intent on getting pets, kisses and more pets so again, I'm able to do anything with him and so is the vet . He does yell his head off in the carrier however, even with it covered and a calming product used, so I'll probably stick with our housecall vet for the simpler things.

 

[lisalu]

When I first got my cat, she had worms and I was sent home with an oral medication which I COULD NOT get down the cat's throat (I still wasn't super comfortable with handling her at the time.) I took her back to the vet and asked if they could help me out. The doctor confidently said, "Okay, I'll show you how to do it." He squirted the medicine down the side of her mouth and Stella promptly blurped it back right in his face. Sorry, but I LAUGHED! (I do think the vet techs probably have better luck with this, they are the ones who usually administer meds, just like nurses are better at drawing blood or giving shots than doctors are.)

 

[OopsyDaisy]

Depends on the cat imo. Phoebe and Daisy are far more cooperative at home.

Same experience here.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

When I first got my cat, she had worms and I was sent home with an oral medication which I COULD NOT get down the cat's throat (I still wasn't super comfortable with handling her at the time.) I took her back to the vet and asked if they could help me out. The doctor confidently said, "Okay, I'll show you how to do it." He squirted the medicine down the side of her mouth and Stella promptly blurped it back right in his face. Sorry, but I LAUGHED! (I do think the vet techs probably have better luck with this, they are the ones who usually administer meds, just like nurses are better at drawing blood or giving shots than doctors are.)

Magnus the Slasher of Vets would have been proud of her!

 

[mxphs]

When I go to the vet , the techs and the vets can do ANYTHING to my cat and she just stands there and lets them.
Prying open to look at the teeth? Not a scratch or squirm.
Weigh- in? Not a muscle moves when on their scale!
"Oh you have such a good kitty!" They say.

But when she gets home? I try to simply give her a topical ear treatment and she runs away light lightening and hides.
This morning I found a 'clingon' and tried to clean it with some tissue and waterless shampoo foam. No way was she having THAT!
They stick their Thermometer up her butt.. Not a peep,nor a meow. ME? I get a YOWL just from a damp tissue!!!!!!!!

So, what's their secret technique?

OMG!!! this is humphrey to a tee

Wow, thought i was the only one. Literally when the vets talk about givin gmeds to him at home iam alway slike oh jesus its not like this whenhe's with me. I do think they kind of freeze at the vet too, he will let them do anything.
Check teeth, give shots -I sometimes have to force him into getting his nails trimmed. He relents eventually but god he doesn't want to!

 

[neely]

Carleton's a good sport at the vet especially when being weighed, he loves the scale because it has sides and he feels secure. As long as they can do what they need to in the first 10-15 minutes he cooperates but once his patience wears thin he starts to get more agitated and give me a look like, "take me home mom, NOW."

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Carleton's a good sport at the vet especially when being weighed, he loves the scale because it has sides and he feels secure. As long as they can do what they need to in the first 10-15 minutes he cooperates but once his patience wears thin he starts to get more agitated and give me a look like, "take me home mom, NOW."

Phoebe liked to sit on the scales at our last vet because they had a piece of polar fleece on it!

 

[NekoM]

ME? I get a YOWL just from a damp tissue!!!!!!!!

I’m not going there with that

 

[OrangeTabbyDad]

My girls are the same. Vets/techs make them freeze with fear. Except if they try to cut their nails... Then it's full on demon-kitty time!

 

[Margot Lane]

Plus, at least at my vet’s, there aren’t too many hidey places. Plus, there’s the smell of d-o-g.

 

[lisalu]

Or how about a cat that will go in a paper bag. A cat that will go in a shoe box. A cat that will go in a suitcase. But get out a crate with a nice comfy pad and treats inside and NO WAY.

 

[iPappy]

I've had cats and dogs in for nail trims, and the owners say "you're going to have a real rodeo with this one, here's a muzzle, you're going to need it" and 9 times out of 10 they just stay in one place as I work away and get it done in no time flat.
I think, for me (and using nail trims as an example) is it's something I have done daily for so often, I have no hesitation and confidence because it's just a daily thing. I feel like vets and techs are the same, they are used to gently restraining, ear cleaning, temp taking, shot giving, and all the things they do and have a natural confidence because it comes so naturally to them.
I had to medicate Sarah's ears when she had ear mites. I am confident in cleaning ears, but not administering cold ear drops on a cat that's almost 15 and has a heart murmur, not to mention one I have an emotional attachment to. I managed to get it done while she was eating, but it wasn't something I looked forward to.
I do feel the emotional attachment has something to do with it. I briefly was in vet med 20+ years ago, and I saw and dealt with a lot of bloody, gory stuff. But when the vet had to take blood from Tag, who I was very bonded to, they had to take it from the jugular. As they did, he stood there wrapped up in my arms calmly and showed no reaction, but my world greyed out and I almost went down.

 

[Alldara]

Confidence and speed have a ton to do with it for sure. Plus vets and Techs know the tricks like, "press here to open cat jaw".

I've done nails for many owners who aren't comfortable and it's usually easy. Sometimes an extra support person helps but that's usually for the pet. (Not a professional, just have helped a lot of friends and neighbours)

 

[OopsyDaisy]

I think a lot of it is confidence too and the animals can feel it. It gives them a feeling of safety. Then again, some cats are just impossible. They be like. I've had both.