It’s time to take your cat to the veterinarian.  We know cats aren’t the best travelers and the car ride and visit can be stressful. You can make this a much more pleasant experience by following these simple helpful tips and using Feliway.

Ideally, the cat carrier should be out in the open at all times.  To make the carrier a positive experience, you can feed you cat in the carrier and place soft bedding in the carrier.  If you are not able to leave the carrier out at all times, then at least one week prior to visit:

1. Put the cat carrier in a room where your cat spends a lot of time and prop open the door so she can explore it.
2. Place familiar soft bedding in the carrier to encourage your cat to spend time in the carrier.
3. Place treats, catnip or toys in the carrier through out the week.
4. Every day, spray or wipe the carrier with Feliway.  Feliway contains a reassuring pheromone that helps your cat feel safe and secure.

The day of the visit:

1. Spray or wipe the inside of the carrier with Feliway 10 minutes before putting your cat in the carrier.  This will allow the alcohol to evaporate.  Also, spray a towel that you’ll use to cover the carrier.
2. Put a treat in the carrier to entice your cat to enter it willingly.
3. If your cat doesn’t enter the carrier willingly, remove the top of the carrier and place your cat in the bottom half and calmly replace the top.
4. Place the towel that you sprayed with Feliway over the carrier so your cat can’t see out.  Leave the towel on the carrier until the veterinarian is ready to examine the cat or the cat is willing to walk our of the carrier on its own, in the exam room.

The return home from the veterinarian:

1.  Reapply Feliway to the carrier and towel in the exam room.
2. As soon the cat is in the carrier, place the towel over it until you have returned home.
3. If you have multiple cats at home, leave the returning cat in the carrier for a few minutes to see how all the cats react.  When everyone is calm and peaceful, let the cat out of the carrier.
4. Give treats or affection to your cat as she gets home to associate good things with her carrier and the car ride.

  Feliway?  Feliway is a synthetic copy of the natural facial pheromone that cats use to mark their areas as safe.  Cats recognize the pheromone in Feliway, which helps them feel calm, safe and secure.  Feliway is clinically proven to help reduce stress-related behaviors due to travel such as excessive meowing, vomiting or eliminating.  Feliway can also help reduce or eliminate common behavioral issues such as urine spraying and ventricle scratching.  For more information, ask us how Feliway can help your cat.  This article is made possible by Ceva Animal Health.