Tips for a trip to the vets!

[londonchick]

We have had our rescue cat just over a year now. She is adorable but we are terrified of taking her to the vets on Friday! She turns into a creature possessed at the sign of anything slightly unsettling.

Anyone got any top tips as to how to make the experience better for all of us?!

I think asking for tips 2 days before you go to the vet is leaving it a bit late!

Otherwise I would have suggested:

Put her on Zylkene www.amazon.co.uk/Zylkene-Capsules-100-x-75mg/dp/B001A36FXC. My vet recommended this, as have several cat breeders. I have yet to use it, as I've only taken mine to the vet once so far, but it has good reviews. The cat needs to be on for at least week before the stressful event though.

Also, I would have suggested positive association. Treats for going into the carrier, practice being in the carrier, practice going into the car. I'm only on step 1, practice going into the carrier with the door closed (my cat is really bad with travelling!) but I'm hoping it will get better with time. Obviously, this takes months, not two days!

I tend to deal with a lot of what are perceived to be difficult cats in my practice. Firstly do you use a top opening travel box reducing the stress of getting in and out, but cover with a towel for the journey. Do not put the box in the floor in the waiting room put it on a table or chair facing away from dogs or even better in separate cat area. In the consult room less is more when it comes to handling. I always try to do a lot of observing and when examine the cat I don't allow anyone else to hold cat and use minimal force when handle the cat. Again when administering treatment I try to minimalise handling. I rarely even get the lightest of scratches and when does happen it is usually when someone jumps in the 'help' me.
Interested to read recently that my common sense approach is part of the new cat friendly practices scheme.
Once you have found a vet who gets your cat try to see them - I have a host of special cats who I regularly see.