FFS every time I take the cat to the vet

[MrsSchadenfreude]

He comes back with a cold. He’s been sneezing all day. Last time this happened they sent us to a specialist vet as they said he might have a problem with his nose. Vet looked at us pityingly and said “It’s just a cold. There’s nothing wrong with his nose/face.”

He’s sneezing less but still feeling a bit sorry for himself. He has managed to bring himself to eat some wild sardines in olive oil.

Honestly I’d change vets and see if it stops happening.

Could he be allergic to something at the vets or in the car like a cleaning product. Did the specialist diagnose anything.

Mine vomits. In the carrier. I would take sneezing over that
If he's really mad then he throws up deliberately on the vet

It could well be an allergy to their cleaning products. Maybe whatever they clean the metal table with? It'll get on his paws, he washes his face....

How long does it last for? Does it happen other times when he may be stressed -chattery for example?

There are several viral upper respiratory tract infections in cats that become latent and then flare up when they are stressed.

It's much more likely that he's carrying a chronic subclinical viral infection and when he gets stressed after a vet visit it flares up. Changing vets won't help but reducing stress as much as possible may.

Have you habituated him to his carrier so he's calm in there? Is it as cosy as it could be? Do you use feliway spray? Are the journeys short? Do you keep the carrier off the ground/away from dogs?

I still see a lot of owners who battle their cats into barren plastic carriers once a year, arrive 20 minutes early for their appointment (not at the moment obvs) and then wonder why their cat is totally freaked out at the vets.

@Veterinari thank you, that’s very helpful. He doesn’t much enjoy his carrier, but goes in it resignedly. He’s got a Sleepypod Air, so it is cosy and fur lined. The round trip to the vet, including his jabs, is 20 minutes max, by car. He’s away from dogs (the vet won’t have dogs and cats in the clinic at the same time), and is off the ground.

So stress is removed as much as possible. Unfortunately last week he had to go in every day for an injection, so by Wednesday he knew where he was going! He is sneezing less now, but still feeling a bit sorry for himself and going to his hidey hole from time to time. He is eating well, and spent yesterday on his chair on the balcony with me in the sun, and sitting on my friend’s lap.

My cats are freaked out by the car journey, which is only 5 minutes; then the dogs barking in the waiting room....never mind the vet bit! They are also litter mates, and one used to get so stressed being separated from her brother, the vet told me to bring both of them!

That all sounds great OP

Maybe just leave he carrier out for a while, scatter a few treats and or feliway spray in there(when he's feeling better) and try and build up some more positive associations too

He has managed to bring himself to eat some wild sardines in olive oil.

Oh the poor thing. Could you not have found him some Beluga caviar?

I wonder if zylkene tablets the day before would help?.

Mine vomits. In the carrier. I would take sneezing over that

My old boy (RIP) used to shit himself. Good times.