Senior Cat Comfort & Care

Vet visits can be scary and stressful for cats — they have no choice or control. They’re being handled by strangers in ways that don’t feel natural or safe. This fear leads to a state of fight, flight, or freeze. Their heart and breathing rates can increase. They may soil themselves or become aggressive out of fear. It can be difficult to diagnose physical discomfort because they’re tensed up. These are just some of the things that make it a pretty scary experience for your cat and impact the quality of the exam and tests.

You have the power to make this all a lot easier on them. At any age, you can start positive desensitization work (Tip #18), helping them learn that being in their carrier, in the car, handled certain ways, and even in the vet clinic isn’t scary. You can discuss with your veterinarian whether a sedative would be appropriate for your cat. And, if your cat is fearful, you can ask your vet to use gentle, fear-free tactics during the visit, like speaking in a soft voice, offering treats, doing some of the exam in the carrier, and other things that reduce your cat’s stress.