My senior cat hates the vet. Are there drug-free ways to calm her?

Actually now the recommend medication is gabapentin. Ask your veterinarian for some and give it before the visit. With this the cats are just mellow, easy to handle and not as drugged as with the other medications. Diazepam is not used much in cats now due to it causing liver problems. Apromazine can make them sedate but doesn’t reduce the aggression. I personally don’t find Xanax effective. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cat.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! My favorite to use in cases like this to prevent stress is something that is actually sprayed in the environment/objects in contact with him instead of actually being given as a medication. This is called Feliway and you can find it online or at your local pet store. Works great in these scenarios. Good luck and have a great day!

Hi there. Yes, there are definitely medications that can help with chronic anxiety in cats, and she would likely also benefit from other changes in her environment to help make her more comfortable. Ideally, I would strongly recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate her in person and help you put together a detailed treatment plan for her, including medication if he/she feels that it would be helpful in Sunny's case. You can search for one in your area here: www.dacvb.org If this isn't possible, then you can certainly work with your regular veterinarian if he/she is comfortable treating behavioral issues in cats. You will indeed need to have her seen for an exam in order to start any prescription medication - so you'll need to bring her into the clinic, or you can see if there are any vets in your area who offer housecall services. You can ask your veterinarian about using a calming supplement such as Anxitane or Zylkene before the visit to help make her a bit more comfortable, if needed.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry but we are unable to prescribe medications without examining the patient in person. You will have to call your regular veterinarian. What I can recommend is that you try using Feliway spray and other natural calming medications like Zylkene first. Try it now before you are due to travel. Start giving the Zylkene twice daily. Then take a day where you want to test her. Spray the Flyway spray in the carrier and in the car, wait 15 minutes and then take her for a short drive. If not helping then you need to talk to your vet. ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=115875 ) ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=117326 ) Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Neutering could definitely help the aggression problem. I would also recommend picking up a product called Feliway. It comes in a spray and a plug in and it has pheromones that can help calm your cat. You will not be able to smell it. Sometimes this helps, too. You can also spray the towel in the carrier so he can bring it with him to the vet. I would contact your vet for an oral medication to help sedate him prior to his next exam. This would help ensure his safety and every one that handles him.

Hi there! You could try Feliway pheromone spray in her carrier before the trip, along with a natural calming supplement such as Zylkene or Composure. All of these can be ordered online or purchased at pet stores without a prescription.

Poor Puss! I know vet visits can be a challenge with some anxious kitties. As far as calming aids that you can get over the counter, you could try a calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure along with Feliway spray in the carrier - these are generally quite safe, and can be purchased at pet stores or ordered online without a prescription. Effects are usually pretty mild, though, so if he's extremely fearful this may not be enough to make a difference. If you have a regular vet who has seen Puss before, you could call them to discuss your concerns. There are some great prescription medications like gabapentin or trazodone that can be very effective at calming anxious kitties prior to a vet visit - but you would need a prior veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a vet in order to get prescription meds before the exam. If the visit isn't urgent, you can try placing the carrier out with the door open in an area where Puss spends a lot of time to let him investigate it and get comfortable on his own. By dropping treats in the carrier and letting him go in when he's comfortable, it can be much easier to get him in for his visit. If he needs to be seen right away, then you can use a blanket or towel to put over him, pick him up, and put him in the carrier without being scratched or bitten.