Cat Friendly Clinic Accreditation

For many cats, and pet-parents, traveling to the hospital can be a potentially difficult or stressful experience. Here below are some tips and resources for you to review so that you can better prepare for these experiences. Not unexpectedly, some forward thinking and investment of time in training your cat in becoming more familiar with their transport is ultimately the BEST way to make the experience as smooth and anxiety-free, as possible, for all involved. In the event that your cat still needs more support, our veterinarians can also provide some prescription medication(s) to reduce anxiety and stress.

Here are some educational YouTube videos you may like to review, from, sourced from icatcare.org channel

(7-minutes)  Encouraging your cat to be happy in a cat carrier

(10-minutes) Getting your cat used to travel

(5-minutes) Putting your cat in a cat carrier

• Never travel with the cat loose in the car – always use a robust carrier.
• Choose carefully – cardboard, for example, is no match for a determined cat!
• The carrier should be easy to clean (preferably plastic or plastic-coated).
• The carrier should not be so large that the cat can fall about in it.
• A carrier that opens at the top is much easier to use as the cat can be gently lifted in or out.
• Cover the carrier with a cloth or towel during the journey to keep the cat calm.
• Secure the carrier in the car in a footwell or on a seat (with a seatbelt) so it cannot move.
• Place the carrier on a towel/padding to keep it level in the car and to absorb any ‘accidents’.
• Drive carefully and gently to avoid the cat being thrown around.
• Stay calm so the cat doesn’t pick up stress from you. Be reassuring and avoid loud noises.
• On arrival at the hospital, avoid rushing. Keep your cat in the carrier and hold it carefully – avoid swinging the carrier or banging it against objects or your legs.

Your cat will be less alarmed if the carrier smells familiar and reassuring. Use some, or all, of these tips:

• Ideally, the carrier should be ‘part of the furniture’ and somewhere the cat chooses to sleep or is fed, so it does not only appear when a visit to the vet is imminent!
• Put bedding in the carrier that the cat normally sleeps on or curls up on at home.
• Also, place an article of clothing belonging to the cat’s favourite person in the carrier.
• Wipe a soft cloth around the cat’s face to pick up its scent and rub this around the carrier, especially in the corners, and then leave it in the basket. (this utilises your cat’s natural ‘facial familiarisation pheromones’)
• Spray the carrier with Feliway® (a calming synthetic cat scent or pheromone, available from Dandenong Veterinary Hospital), at least 15 minutes before putting your cat in it.
• If your cat panics at the sight of the carrier, keep calm. Keep the basket close, but out of sight. Wrap the cat in a thick towel/blanket that smells familiar. Put the cat and the towel into the carrier quickly but gently. A top-opening carrier makes this much easier.
• Take some spare bedding (smelling of home) in case the cat is sick or soils the carrier.

REFERENCE: Cat Friendly Clinic Program Summary PDF document

Select these PDF links for further Cat Friendly Clinic program advice:

Giving tablets to your cat

Giving cats skin, ear or eye drops / ointment