Travis Country Veterinary Hospital
Low Stress for Cats
What's Low Stress Mean?
For us “low stress” is thinking about the veterinary experience from our patient’s perspective and making changes with the goal of lowering stress levels and in turn creating a more positive visit for everyone, including our clients!
Our team is trained to recognize signs of stress and respond appropriately. While we may not be able to completely remove every source of stress, we believe that when we can do better, we should do better.
Low Stress Starts at Home
For cats, low-stress visits to the vet start at home.
Thankfully, there are many things that can help before you leave the house. Choose a cat carrier that has multiple access points of doors on the front and top of the carrier. Also, look for one that is easy to take apart and has quick-release latches instead of screws.
Leave the carrier somewhere in your home that your cat likes to spend time in it and it will become a safe space. The next time you put them in it to go to the vet, they will be more comfortable and familiar with the carrier.
Lastly, cats prefer to remain out of sight, so draping a towel over the carrier, or better yet, a towel sprayed with Feliway pheromone can significantly reduce stress levels.
Come Hungry, Leave Happy
We use treats and snacks to help create a positive experience for your cat.
As long as your cat is healthy, it might be best to skip breakfast the morning of your appointment to help us utilize food rewards and positive reinforcement while your cat is here for their visit.
Coming in on an empty stomach makes it more likely that your cat will take treats and build these positive associations with our hospital.
Toys in Exam Room
Toys are another way that we try to refocus nervous kitty energy in a more positive and happy direction. Bringing your cat's favorite toy along to their visit can be a major comfort, much like a security blanket.
No worries if you forgot it at home, we have a bin of cat toys in each exam room to help create a more positive and even playful experience for your cat.
Warm Towels Melt Hearts
Another trick we have up our sleeves is a towel warmer.
Towels are great for providing a soft comforting barrier between their toe beans and the cold exam table. Towels also provide cats with a safe place to stay out of sight during their exam.
But if your cat is particularly nervous or stressed a fresh towel from the towel warmer may be the key to melting their fears away. We've never met a cat that didn't love a pile of warm laundry.
Soothing Sounds
Should your cat need to stay with us, we'll set them up in a room reserved only for our feline friends and provide soft comfy bedding and a clean litter box.
While here with us, they will enjoy music made specially to calm kittens. The music also helps to prevent them from becoming stressed by the sounds of dogs or other unfamiliar sounds.