My cat gets aggressive at the vet

Although there are extraordinarily docile cats, there are others who are nervous and even aggressive in the face of new situations, such as visit to the vet. If, in addition, these situations have been experienced by the cat previously, and have included relatively painful experiences (such as injections), the feline remembers them, which may increase their nervousness. All this makes the visit to the veterinarian, sometimes, becomes an unpleasant experience for the cat, its owner and for the specialist.

In we love cats and their well-being, for that reason, we would like to give some advice about what to do if your cat gets aggressive at the vet.

Plan the query

If your cat is aggressive and does not like to go to the veterinarian, it is important to ensure that he is not longer than strictly necessary in his clinic, for the good of all. With this we do not mean that a little and incomplete consultation and physical revision should be made, since, as we will see later, the time of consultation and exploration of the animal should never be skimped and all the necessary tests should be carried out, costing the time cost. We were referring to not having to wait too long in the waiting room of the veterinarian, since at this time the animal is confined in a carrier, in an unknown place where there are or have been other cats or even dogs, with which the cat is getting more and more nervous and aggressive.

To avoid this as much as possible, and although there may always be unforeseen delays, it is advisable to call the veterinarian first to request an appointment, informing the same of the character of our pet to try to give us an appointment at a time when there is no great work hustle that may lead to delays.

Relate the transporter with positive stimuli

Cats are extraordinarily intelligent animals and they know when we are up to something, they also have a better memory than we think. For this reason, and especially if we had to go with the cat to the veterinarian with some frequency, the animal detects the actions that we usually do before taking it to the clinic, for example, take your health card and, obviously, enter it in the carrier, which not only makes the cat aggressive in the vet, but also begins to show that attitude even before leaving home. Therefore, it is advised to avoid that the cat sees us making such preparations.

As for introducing it into the transport bag, which is quite inevitable, it is convenient accustom the animal to being in the carrier. This can be achieved by putting the cat in it on any occasion when he is not going to leave the house, without anything bad happening, and give him food and prizes while he is in it. The goal is to get the feline to associate the carrier with positive stimuli.

If it is a classic carrier, from which you can remove the top and the door leaving only the lower base, similar to a tray, it may be easier to start by placing it in the tray and, when you agree to be in it, perform this action with the closed carrier. This serves to make him get used to as much as possible and not see it as something so negative.

Introducing a blanket or toy recognizable by the cat in the carrier to take it with him to the veterinarian can be quite useful.

Relax your cat before going to the vet

There physical or pharmacological means to reduce in part the anxiety and aggressiveness of the cat before going to the vet. Thus, placing a pair of tweezers on the back of the cat’s neck, which is where their mother would take them when they were puppies, can help to calm them down a lot. They sell tweezers available for this purpose in many veterinary centers and specialized stores, although some of them can be used as stationery, but paying attention so that the pressure is not excessive and can injure the skin of the animal. If you have never done this practice before and you have doubts, before damaging your cat, consult with the veterinarian so that he can show you how to do it correctly.

Tranquilizing drugs are also available that help reduce cat anxiety. These medications must be prescribed by the veterinarian after presenting the case, since they can only be legally acquired with veterinary prescription and, although they are used correctly, they are very safe, a bad dosing of them can have fatal consequences.

On the other hand, diverting the attention of the aggressive animal with your favorite toys or food can also be good options, including them in your carrier as we said in the previous section to stay calm during the journey.

At the vet

It must be remembered that, since most cats live in the safety of the home and do not interact with other animals, they usually get less sick than dogs, which means that, in general, they go to the veterinarian less often than dogs. many cases only once a year for vaccines. Therefore, since they are not usually explored by the veterinarian, it is necessary that when they go to the same the exploration is as complete as possible. For this it is necessary that the cat collaborate, something that is not always possible. In this way, in cats that get very aggressive at the veterinarian and nothing manages to calm them, it is necessary resort to a sedation to be able to explore them properly and not overlook anything.

Sedation should always be done by the veterinarian and, sometimes, it is possible to do it without removing the cat from the carrier, taking advantage of the slots in it to insert the syringe.

The importance of education

To conclude, to say that, in general, taking care of the feline’s education to make it docile is beneficial not only for prevent the cat from becoming aggressive at the vet, but for several reasons. A well-educated cat manages to communicate better with his human companion, a fact that strengthens the bond between both, helps to achieve a good coexistence and to keep the animal balanced and happy.

However, unfortunately it is not an exact science, and not always the correct education is a guarantee of pleasant veterinary visits. On the one hand, each cat has a certain temperament that is sometimes difficult to change no matter how hard we try; On the other hand, sometimes aggressive cats can be extremely submissive in the veterinarian and calm and well-behaved cats show unexpected signs of aggressiveness when they are in a strange environment, this being partly unpredictable. Therefore, it is important to ensure the correct education of the animal, but also to have the appropriate knowledge to know how to act if the cat finally shows signs of aggression.

If you want to read more articles similar to My cat gets aggressive at the vet, we recommend that you enter in our behavior problems section.