Trying to calm nervous cat
We have had a cat for two years who is not only nervous but hard to approach by myself, my wife and our daughters. We have tried to be accommodating, including buying her toys, playing with her, spoiling her with her favorite foods and more. Yet, despite our best efforts, she continues to be wary of all of us and hides when visitors come to our home. We knew we could not bring her to a vet or get her in a cat carrier, so we had a housecall vet, like yourself, come to the home to examine her and give her the needed vaccines. The vet was successful, but it was a bit of an ordeal. Our vet suggested that there were various ways to ease the cat’s nerves with medications. Could you suggest a few? Are there any other tricks to make the vet visit less stressful for the cat and for us? Or should we just find a way to get her to a clinic in the future? Lastly, do you have any suggestions as to how we can change her nervous nature?
I have received a lot of behavioral questions lately. Some suggest that with people more at home during the pandemic we are seeing more of such issues. Let me begin by saying I think your decision to have a vet- erinarian do a house call was wise in protecting yourselves and getting the job done. However, there may be a time when you may need to bring the cat to a veterinary hospi- tal for an emergency. Safety for all of you and the cat should be a pri- mary concern. One thing you can do is to leave the cat carrier out and open and find a way to make it attractive to the cat. Put treats in there, a soft towel or blanket, and let the cat become acclimated to the carrier being a safe space. It is not uncommon for a cat to associate a carrier with negative thoughts like being placed in a car to go to a facility where they are poked and jabbed.
I would consult with your veterinarian about possible means of sedation or easing the anxiety that the cat might feel. I would not suggest you try to pill a cat that might be aggressive, but rather placing whatever is needed in the food or compounding it into palatable liquid form that can be administered. Over the counter Benadryl can be useful. On the other hand, your veterinarian might recommend a sedative like Acepromazine or something like Gabapentin. Other than what you have already done, I would suggest you seek out a local veterinary behaviorist to see if you can teach this old cat new tricks, so to speak. A combination of training techniques and anxiolytic medications might be called for and hopefully your cat will become more approachable and gentler in time.