My cat is angry, hiding, and terrified of vet visits. What can I do?

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.

I'm glad to hear that Rosie overall seems to be fairly normal despite her vocalizations. Changes in vocalization can occur to a number of reasons, including endocrine/metabolic diseases (such as hyperthyroidism), cognitive dysfunction, hypertension (high blood pressure), neurologic conditions or as a sign of pain. If Rosie's vocalization continues, consider taking her back to the vet for blood tests and blood pressure measurement to try to rule out other underlying issues. I hope that all goes well!

It sounds as though Rosemary is in pain. It is difficult to say for sure where since I cannot examine her. If the problem persists and does not go away on its own, I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

You can try wrapping him in a thick towel first then placing him the the carrier. You can also try a non-conventional carrier, such as a large hamper with a lid wired to the top. A housecall veterinary service is also an option.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Rosie. Doesn't sound like this is normal from what you have described. If this abnormal behavior continues, and especially if she continues to refuse food, then you need to have her evaluated by your veterinarian. Your vet can get a detailed history, perform a physical examination, and recommend a diagnostic/treatment plan. A minimum database would be fecal/blood/urine tests and possibly some x-rays. Many things could contribute to this including pain, fever, toxin exposure, infection, among others. Good luck with Rosie.

If Angel seemed healthy on Monday I would be surprised if her behavior was due to a medical condition although it is possible that she is acting more aggressive due to pain. You may want to try confining her to a small area of the house and making sure that she has to interact with you when she is fed to help acclimate her. It can take cats a long time to become comfortable in new surroundings and if she is truly feral and an older cat she may never be particularly affectionate towards people. If you feel like she may be painful or if anything else changes it might be a good idea to recheck with your vet.

Poor girl! There could be something that has spooked her. Or she could be not feeling well. Or there could even be an internal conflict with another cat in the household. The first thing I would do is make sure she is healthy. I would see if your vet can look at her and make sure she isn’t painful, no infection, no fever, no urinary tract infection, etc. if she isn’t feeling well, this definitely can cause a change in behavior. If everything is normal then I would make sure she is getting along with everyone in the house. Make sure there are plenty of litter boxes as this is something they commonly will become territorial over. You can even put out some feliway diffusers which are pheromones they help calm down cats. Unfortunately these don’t work on everyone. You make also look into vetriscience composure treats as a natural calming supplement. I hope this helps!