Not every pet is terrified of going to a pet hospital or the vet, but it can be notoriously difficult to bring in your cat. Cats are smart and self-reliant. They don’t like to go into crates and usually they hate rides in the car. This makes it especially difficult to bring a cat to the pet hospital. But there are some things you can do in order to make it easier on you and your cat, and the sooner you start working on your cat’s attitude towards the pet hospital, the better.
The best way to keep your cat from freaking out about visits to your pet hospital is by training them when they are kittens. Start them out with time in a crate when they’re little, letting them walk in and out on their own and giving them treats when they go inside. That way they will realize that it’s their home and a safe place. Many cats act like going into a crate or box is a punishment, because they only associate crate time with times when they are being forced into a confined space. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You should also bring your kitten to the pet hospital and help them to understand that it’s not always a bad thing. Getting shots is no fun for anyone, cats, dogs, horses, or humans. So it’s understandable that the association that most pets have with a pet hospital is a negative one. Bring your kitten to the pet hospital for regular, gentle check-ups when they get handled nicely and given treats. They’ll form good associations and it’ll be easier to bring them to the pet hospital for the rest of their lives.
Re-Training Older Cats
Of course, not everyone starts out with a kitten. If your cat is older and you want to work on getting them used to going to the pet hospital, it’s a bit more difficult. But you can still use a few techniques to try to convince them that it’s not all bad.
First and foremost, use treats. Give them treats when they go into a crate and train them to spend time in their crate without making any associations with trips to the pet hospital in Richmond, TX. Cats are not easy to train, but with a bit of love they’ll get the picture that you’re not trying to hurt them. After all, going to the pet hospital is a good thing for your cat.
A great pet hospital for cats that are nervous about vets is Greatwood Veterinary Hospital.
