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how does your vet handle your cat?



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 7th 05, 09:46 PM
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Default how does your vet handle your cat?

A few years ago, after my sweetie and I had been dating for a year or
so, we were talking about his cats. He mentioned that he has to sedate them
for vet trips because they're so difficult to handle. I thought whatever, ok.
They were nice, friendly cats so I didn't know why that would be.
Then I went with him once when he took his female in for a checkup. Sure
enough, he gave her a little kitty-valium (I don't remember the actual drug but
it didn't knock her out, just made her woozy.) At the vet she was still
extremely upset and freaked out. The vet's assistants (2 of them) came in with
leather gloves on and proceeded to manhandle the poor thing into submission so
the vet could look at her. They didn't hurt her, but basically forced her to
allow them to check her.
Having grown up with cats and love them dearly, I was horrified. The
cat was so terrified she tried to bite and scratch anyone who came near. She
lost her bowels and urinated on the table. Not being there for her history, I
could only guess that they'd somehow gotten into a downward spiral of
must-control-the-difficult-cat that caused her to freak out more with each
yearly visit which caused them to control her more, etc.
Well, this fall my sweetie and his girl moved in with me and my girl.
(He lost his male cat, the female's brother the year before to cancer, I lost
my older female this summer to diabetes. We thought our two babies would do
well to be brought together as new siblings, as well as wanting to get together
ourselves!) This past weekend, we took both cats to my vet for a checkup. I'd
been regaling him with tales of my vet who was very sweet with the cats, let
them roam the examination room at will and offered them treats.
This time, I suggested to him that he not sedate his girl. I had a
feeling that she now associated that sedated feeling with being molested and
traumatized, not that ANY cat likes feeling sedated. So I figured that not
sedating her might help break the nasty terror cycle. She cried a little in the
carrier on the way, but nothing near as bad as that time before. I warned the
vet and her assistant that the cat may be difficult to handle and that she's
extremely vocal*. They took note of that, but were able to conduct the whole
exam with bare hands(!) and take blood from her with little trouble. She
yowled and hissed. But not once did she try to scratch or bite and she
didn't lose her bowels. After we got home, she was back to her normal
personality within 30 minutes, no longer upset.
The old vet may be a good guy, but his approach to animal handling is
abysmal. And this was a cat-only vet, too! I'm so glad we're transferring her
to my vet. Has anyone here experience anything like that?

Sharon
*Just in case I was wrong and they did need leather gloves. I didn't want them
to be hurt either.

BTW, she's a siamese cat in a gray tabby coat. She's extremely vocal all the
time. When she's got her evening crazies (playtime) she makes noises that I
swear I've only ever heard coming from a cat being tortured. She makes up for
her volume by being cute as can be, and always surprising us with bizarre
things to say. Everything from tortured howls to loud meows to purrmeows to
talking with her mouth full commenting on her dinner.
  #2  
Old February 7th 05, 10:15 PM
Maria
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I'm glad to hear the cat is transferring to your vet and hope it
continues to be free of those pills during visits to the vet. Choosing
a vet is important. When I moved to a new place, I contacted the local
vet and spoke to her for some time on a quite a few occasions. I also
had a chance to meet other cat owners and asked for opinions on the
local vet. Some were positive, others negative. So far so good for us,
though. My two NFO's do not have any problems when at the vet. They're
very well behaved and I think that's partially due to the vet's
handling of the cats.
  #3  
Old February 20th 05, 12:39 PM
SoloStar
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I presume your boyfriend has a bit of intelligence, right? Why would he
continue going to a vet (who has assistants who were clearly
inappropriate)? Not only are there are other vets who practice (some
areas have more than others), but some vets come to the house....a
brilliant idea for pet parents to consider when needing a vet for a
terrified cat. It sure beats sedating the cat!

  #4  
Old February 21st 05, 10:04 PM
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In article .com, "SoloStar" writes:
I presume your boyfriend has a bit of intelligence, right? Why would he
continue going to a vet (who has assistants who were clearly
inappropriate)? Not only are there are other vets who practice (some
areas have more than others), but some vets come to the house....a
brilliant idea for pet parents to consider when needing a vet for a
terrified cat. It sure beats sedating the cat!


No kidding. When I pressed him on it (before we tried my vet) he said
that if his vet wasn't so good he'd have definitely gone elsewhere for his
cat's care. I can't imagine the vet being *that* good to make up for such
traumatic treatment, but hey... I couldn't tell him what to do with his
babies. It's like telling a parent how to parent, I think. I mean, people DO,
but it doesn't make it right.
At least now we're transferred to a place that treats the animals with
a modicum of respect. And now we know she doesn't even need to be sedated. It
was the leather gloves that freaked her out the most.

Sharon
 




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