Due for a visit? Don’t stress.
Visits to your veterinarian should not be stressful for your cat or for you. Gone are the old days of dragging your reluctant cat out from beneath a bed, wrestling him into a carrier while suffering scratches galore, cringing through a yowl-filled car ride, enduring a white-knuckled wait in a waiting room filled with other tense pet owners and fearful pets, and holding your breath during a confrontational, stressful physical exam for your frightened cat.
It’s time for a new approach.
The problem with stressful trips to the vet is that not only are they very unpleasant in the moment for you and your cat, they also can have long-term negative consequences, like your feline friend receiving less veterinary care than he or she really should over the years. After all, who wants to voluntarily go through a nightmare process like this once or twice a year for wellness exams and care?
We get it. That’s why we take a fresh, innovative, and effective approach to veterinary visits for cats.
What We Do
Because regular visits for wellness care and monitoring are so important to your cat’s health and longevity, we’re committed to providing a calm environment, proper handling, and expert care designed especially for cats, all with the goal of a low stress and fear-free visit for your cat and you.
A visit to the vet pleasant? Maybe even enjoyable? We know it sounds far-fetched, but just ask our awesome clients… it can be done!
- Our waiting room is spacious, quiet and calm.
- Our exam rooms have interactive furniture pieces and toys designed to encourage your cat to leave his carrier and enjoy the exam room.
- Your cat is free to remain in her carrier or explore the exam room while we take a history from you, provide care recommendations, and discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
- We treat your cat as an individual. If he prefers the safety of his carrier, we’ll remove the top and let him stay in the bottom half during his exam. If he wants to zoom around and has to be bribed with treats to hold still, we can do that, too (Also, we can totally relate! We wish human doctors did this with us). We’ll take our cues from your cat’s behavior.
- Our examinations are thorough, careful and gentle, designed to keep your cat calm.
For your cat’s comfort and care, Mid Atlantic Cat Hospital is an accredited Cat Friendly Practice. This accreditation process is entirely voluntary; feline only practices do not have to be Cat Friendly Accredited.
Click here to learn more about our Cat Friendly Practice Accreditation.
Mid Atlantic Cat Hospital is the only gold level Cat Friendly Accredited Practice on the Eastern Shore.
What You Can Do
A stress-free visit actually starts at home (and admit it, aren’t you tired of re-enacting WWE-caliber dramatic wrestling scenes with your cat whenever appointment time rolls around and the carrier makes an appearance?). There are simple steps you can take to help your cat feel more comfortable in her carrier and during the ride here.
- Keep the cat carrier out for your cat to get used to it, with familiar bedding in it to make it inviting.
- Leave the carrier door open so your cat can explore it without feeling trapped.
- Try using a feline pheromone product like Feliway spray, to make the carrier smell more welcoming to your cat.
- Try a few short, trial trips in the carrier and car with rewards and nothing scary at the end of the ride.
- Talk to us! We may be able to help by prescribing a medication or recommending a product to help your feline friend’s travel anxiety.