What is that special touch they have?

Jcatbird

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I agree that the ease and experience, confidence of the person doing it counts big time! Also the cats know which vet/tech loves cats. There WAS one vet that the cats did not like. So... he was not allowed near these cats. He “left” the practice shortly after that. Smokey played dead on her first few visits but when the vet got worried, we noticed one eye slightly open.... watching. When the vet called her on it, she just sat up and purred. (Testing the vet? Lol) These cats act like they own that place! As ferals I took each one there just for a visit and no treatment as I was trying to socialize them. I think that helped a little. I think the vet has more trouble with me! “You want me to Sub Q at home!!!! :thud:“ I survived and Smokey cooperated. More or less. Lol I got stink eye but we got it done.
When the vet came here the cats had some fun and.... it was a merry game of jump over the vet. Literally. It was hilarious! The vet and tech ended up in every closet, behind every piece of furniture and under every bed. The cats had a great time. The vets ended up laughing too. The cats weren’t nervous. They just had their first chance at payback for every time they have gotten the thermometer. They purred and made biscuits on the vet once she picked them up. After the check up, they followed us around to watch the pursuit of the next cat. You can’t catch me!!!!!
 

Meowmee

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Each cat is different but I think many get scared at dvm and become more submissive.

I have taken numerous cats to DVM over the years. Most of my cats are OK. When I first took Wizard for his DVM appointment after his TNR I think, he was the sweetest cat in the world, but the way the dvm was holding him, trying to get blood out of his leg- he got very upset, and actually tried to nip them, although he didn’t bite et. I’ve never seen him do that before or ever again.
Sybil got very upset at the Cat only Dvm office I think because there were other cats free roaming who lived there. They were trying to get urine out of her, and they had to have me come in the room- she was growling, and getting so upset I told them to stop and we went back to our former dvm.

Merlin was so upset last time that he was crying in the cage hyperventilating, and panicking. Somehow he managed to calm down by the time DVM actually looked at him. For his first TNR appointment he was sedated. After that he saw this Dvm once just for a check up, but they didn’t really touch him. So I think now I’m going to have to premedicate him so he doesn’t get so stressed out. Merlin bit me when he was outside but I tamed him, and now he is a huge luv bug. However I don’t think he’s ever gonna trust people at the Dvm, although he will let them do things to him.

Quinn can be a little monster if I try to do anything to him at home but at the DVM he becomes quite submissive and I’ve never seen them have any trouble with him.

Zena has not been back since his TNR where he was sedated. I am wondering what is going to happen…I have to take him and Quinn soon. He’s a luvbug but he can get quite feisty now when I clip his claws, and comb him which he never did before. I did manage to trim his fur around his bum- his poop was getting stuck on it I had to do it in the bathroom and he really fought me but we got through it. When he came inside he was terrified, and aggressive but now he is a huge luv bug too.

I think the real problem is going to be Fred and Cinn because they are not touchable at all. And I’m worried about how I’m even going to get them into a carrier to get them to a DVM appointment, in fact they will have to be sedated so I’m gonna have to take them back to the veterinarian that does cheaper sedation probably. I’ve never had cats who are so scared that I can’t touch them at all.

I took a cat that I rescued near my house many years ago to my Dvm at that time. I thought he was tame because I was able to get him in the carrier, but as soon as they got him out of the carrier he started climbing the walls, and somehow they managed to cover him with a blanket, and get him calmed down. I don’t remember now if they actually did anything to him, it all happened so fast. I don’t remember now what I did after that with him if he was tnr eventually. All the other cats I rescued then were touchable, so, I just put them in the carrier, and took them to my regular dvm to be neutered, and vaccinated etc.
 
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Antonio65

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So, what's their secret technique? :dunno:
It depends on the cat.
My previous cat Lola was an angel at home, I could do just anything to her, anything. But the vet couldn't even open her mouth to check her teeth. So, at the vets', any manouvre was done by me. The vet asked me to do this and that, and I did it.
My Pallina was very nervous at home, but she was just like a toy cat at the vets, they could explore her as much as they liked, not a meow. I couldn't even brush her at home.

My current cats are two little angels both at home and at the vets. Blood sample, thermometers, ultrasound scans, X-rays, checking mouth and ears? No problem at all. And my vets praise them a lot :)
And I can brush them, brush their teeth too, trim their nails, pill them, and so on. They always purr at me.
 
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GranolaLouise

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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:livid:. I've had both.
I can see your point. We feel the same when dealing with others. I remember the time I had to ask a surgeon for myself.."How many of these procedures have you done"? Yup, I did! Turns out he was a newbee and I went with another choice. Not that newbees aren't capable, but my Prime Care said it was a good question to ask if feeling uneasy.
That is definitely true oopsy
 

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I agree with so many of the above answers. Our RB cat Smoke was a Menace to Society. I'm not judging him; he probably didn't have a great life before he met up with us. He could be very sweet, especially with Speck, who was a kitten at the time. He let Speck do him any old way and never protested. I could reach to pet him and might draw back and bloody mess of a hand.

Once, when we had him at the vet, I warned the vet before Smoke came out of the carrier that he needed to be careful. Smoke not only let him remove him from the carrier without incident, he actually purred for the vet. "Yes, I can see he is a vicious cat," the vet says. (Our vet is kind of sarcastic.)

Yet, our RB cat Fuzzy attacked that vet's wife (also a vet) to the point that she dropped him! I was not at that visit. I was livid and ready to go all redneck on her, but DH explained that she didn't have any choice. He said she was covered in blood. I was only able to touch the tip of Fuzzy's nose (he was a former feral kitten) but DH could pick him up and carry him around.

So, it definitely think it depends on the cat. Bree is the sweetest of our all cats (no offense, Elsie) but she screamed so much in the waiting room at the vet that people were asking what DH had in the carrier. He told them a bobcat and they believed it until he told them the truth.
 
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GranolaLouise

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DH could pick him up and carry him around.
The vet's wife got attacked, but the vet and DH were good.
My cat fears men..she runs and hides when any approach. I wish I knew her background..I bet she has a very interesting story to tell.
Isn't it frustrating when they are looking at you or meowing and they can't communicate !! You know they want something, but...WHAT?!
It has brought me to tears several times and I know I am not the only one.
 

Alldara

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The vet's wife got attacked, but the vet and DH were good.
My cat fears men..she runs and hides when any approach. I wish I knew her background..I bet she has a very interesting story to tell.
Isn't it frustrating when they are looking at you or meowing and they can't communicate !! You know they want something, but...WHAT?!
It has brought me to tears several times and I know I am not the only one.
I really wish we could know! So many theories surrounding Magnus.

He's VERY frightened of umbrellas. The first rainy day we opened the door (to look out of the glass screen door) and someone walked by with one, he cowered under the bed. We didn't know why at first, and then he did it again a few hours later. The umbrellas were going ong the side path next to our neighbours, not in front.

I hope it's because they make people seem bigger and oddly shaped and not because of any other reason.

He's also nervous of men, though we think it's because his foster home he never met any and we didn't have many people over due to COVID. He has decided now that some male guests are okay. We even have to avoid the one male vet at the clinic. (He loves the vets the weirdo!)
 
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GranolaLouise

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I really wish we could know! So many theories surrounding Magnus.

He's VERY frightened of umbrellas.
My cat is afraid of prints. She was afraid to get on a bed because of the quilt print or designs. She got used to it now, though.
Cats are so strange.
Now I know why the vet office and hospitals are all very blah ,calming colors....more blah than human medical clinics.
 

OopsyDaisy

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I can see your point. We feel the same when dealing with others. I remember the time I had to ask a surgeon for myself.."How many of these procedures have you done"? Yup, I did! Turns out he was a newbee and I went with another choice. Not that newbees aren't capable, but my Prime Care said it was a good question to ask if feeling uneasy.
That is definitely true oopsy
I can just imagine the look on that vet's face!

My late Kokanee was on palliative care and it took me and my husband to medicate her every day. She also had to be sedated to go to the vet. Getting her in the carrier, forget it! I didn't have her from a kitten, so I'm not sure what her upbringing was like.

Our regular vet thinks that Lulu is an absolute sweetheart and I actually posted a little video of me giving her medication. So easy. However, when she went to the surgeon, they said she was "horrible", hissing and snarling :angrycat:. Which made me wonder how they treated her. I was so offended! I can do anything with her at home. The regular vet said she'd be like that too if she had a broken hip!

Ash, just loves everybody, all the time. :catlove:

Just a side note: I leave my carriers out all the time in the spare room and the cats will sleep in them. I think that makes it much easier to get them in on vet days.
 

Alldara

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Our regular vet thinks that Lulu is an absolute sweetheart and I actually posted a little video of me giving her medication. So easy. However, when she went to the surgeon, they said she was "horrible", hissing and snarling :angrycat:. Which made me wonder how they treated her. I was so offended! I can do anything with her at home. The regular vet said she'd be like that too if she had a broken hip!
Certainly, I've noticed some bad personality matches between certains cats and certain vets over the years too. Lulu would be much more used to your regular vet and her office as well, plays a big part.
 

Alldara

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Our regular vet thinks that Lulu is an absolute sweetheart and I actually posted a little video of me giving her medication. So easy. However, when she went to the surgeon, they said she was "horrible", hissing and snarling :angrycat:. Which made me wonder how they treated her. I was so offended! I can do anything with her at home. The regular vet said she'd be like that too if she had a broken hip!
Certainly, I've noticed some bad personality matches between certains cats and certain vets over the years too. Lulu would be much more used to your regular vet and her office as well, plays a big part.
 

OopsyDaisy

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Certainly, I've noticed some bad personality matches between certains cats and certain vets over the years too. Lulu would be much more used to your regular vet and her office as well, plays a big part.
Yes. So many factors in play. That's just the way it goes I suppose. :ohwell:
 

Silver Crazy

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My last visit I had a young newbie vet to give Blue his vaccinations.
Unfortunately the vets here are taught that Bengals are difficult and hard to handle and the red warning on top of Blues spreadsheet saying dont handle cat unless owner is present added to her apprehension and he was the first Bengal she had ever met.
Could see she was torn between fear of handling the cat and giving him a cuddle (she was definitely a cat lover) Blues constant growling didnt help but when she first started examining him he stopped growling and gave her a head bop then went back to growling. I was sure the head bop was to reassure her and show her his growling was just an act..lol
Look on her face was gold. Told her he is all noise and no action as long as I am touching him and spun him around and opened his mouth for her to examine him, he took the shots and I dropped him on the floor and he went back into his carrier.
Hopefully boosted her confidence a bit but could tell Blue sensed she loved him to bits.
I think thats the key if the cat senses that and they feel safer.
 
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GranolaLouise

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I can just imagine the look on that vet's fac

Just a side note: I leave my carriers out all the time in the spare room and the cats will sleep in them. I think that makes it much easier to get them in on vet days.
The first time Louise went to her current vet she yowled all the way there because she hates the carrier..she still yowls in it. But when we got there the vet opened it,said she'd be back and to let her come out and explore. So kitty came out and explored all around the exam room and then walked right back to the carrier she so despises and patiently waited for the vet like she was at home in her favorite spot. Go figure! I think she is just a drama queen.
 

OopsyDaisy

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The first time Louise went to her current vet she yowled all the way there because she hates the carrier..she still yowls in it. But when we got there the vet opened it,said she'd be back and to let her come out and explore. So kitty came out and explored all around the exam room and then walked right back to the carrier she so despises and patiently waited for the vet like she was at home in her favorite spot. Go figure! I think she is just a drama queen.
Isn't that typical.
 

neely

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In my personal experience, there's such a big difference between cats going to the vet vs dogs. Our dog would lick the vet's face and do anything for a treat. One of our past cats, Sylvester, would poop on the examining table. 💩
 

OopsyDaisy

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In my personal experience, there's such a big difference between cats going to the vet vs dogs. Our dog would lick the vet's face and do anything for a treat. One of our past cats, Sylvester, would poop on the examining table. 💩
So true. Our dogs love the vet and get all excited. We had a similar incident on the weigh scale. 💩
 

Jcatbird

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My last visit I had a young newbie vet to give Blue his vaccinations.
Unfortunately the vets here are taught that Bengals are difficult and hard to handle and the red warning on top of Blues spreadsheet saying dont handle cat unless owner is present added to her apprehension and he was the first Bengal she had ever met.
Could see she was torn between fear of handling the cat and giving him a cuddle (she was definitely a cat lover) Blues constant growling didnt help but when she first started examining him he stopped growling and gave her a head bop then went back to growling. I was sure the head bop was to reassure her and show her his growling was just an act..lol
Look on her face was gold. Told her he is all noise and no action as long as I am touching him and spun him around and opened his mouth for her to examine him, he took the shots and I dropped him on the floor and he went back into his carrier.
Hopefully boosted her confidence a bit but could tell Blue sensed she loved him to bits.
I think thats the key if the cat senses that and they feel safer.
Our vet was afraid of the Bengal boys too. Insisted they come for neutering in a trap for easier sedation. That upset them and it took triple dose. ( might have anyway) After handling them she realized they are just big sweethearts with different mannerisms. They have power but prefer fun and love. She handles them with no problem now. Their , much smaller ,sister is full of Tortitude and more likely to show a bit of sassy. Lol
 

Jcatbird

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Alldara Alldara Don’t need to be sad. The Bengal boys quickly forgave and it was a good lesson for the vet. The boys love her now and she loves them. These days she handles lots of Savannah and Bengals so the experience was part of the learning curve. She no longer fears the big cats. I love seeing her handle them with that “special touch”. She teaches the newbies that they are gentle giants. It’s the smaller packages of dynamite :angrycat:they have to watch. Lol
 

Alldara

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Alldara Alldara Don’t need to be sad. The Bengal boys quickly forgave and it was a good lesson for the vet. The boys love her now and she loves them. These days she handles lots of Savannah and Bengals so the experience was part of the learning curve. She no longer fears the big cats. I love seeing her handle them with that “special touch”. She teaches the newbies that they are gentle giants. It’s the smaller packages of dynamite :angrycat:they have to watch. Lol
Lol! I'm glad the experience turned around.
 
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