TOP TIPS FOR STRESS FREE JOURNEYS FOR YOUR CAT

Allow plenty of time to get your cat into the carrier. Try to remain calm. If
you are stressed, so will your cat be, and the more difficult it will become!

If possible, leave the cat carrier out in the house all the time, or leading
up to a scheduled journey. Leave toys and bedding in there so it becomes
a familiar and reassuring hideaway – something that will reduce stress
when they need to go to the vets.

When buying a new carrier, consider one which has the option where you
can easily remove the top half. This means that nervous cats can still be
examined easily without the stress of being removed from the carrier.

When putting your cat in the carrier try doing it in a small room which has
fewer hiding places. Use calm, slow movements and speak quietly and
calmly to them.

A calming pheromone such as Feliway
(http://www.feliway.com/uk/Nuisances-for-cats/Visiting-the-vet) can be
sprayed in the carrier before leaving. Please read the instructions as it is
normal to have to wait 15-30 minutes after spraying the bedding or
carrier before putting the cat in. We always have Feliway in stock, but
please remember to buy it in advance of your journey wherever possible.

Place a towel over the carrier. This wil help cats feel more secure and less
stressed.

If you are travelling with your cat to Avon Lodge, there is a possibility that
there may be a noisy dog in the waiting room. If this is the case we are
happy for you to wait in the car with your cat (please check-in first!) or
you can ask one of our staff to put your cat in a quiet area away from the
waiting room.

Should you have any questions at all about minimising stress for your cat,
please call us on 0117 977 3230 or 0117 964 0113.