You know your cat is a special creature, which is likely one of the reasons you chose to bring them to a cats-only veterinarian. As cat experts, we not only provide cat-specific veterinary care, but we’ve tailored our whole animal hospital to suit your feline friend’s needs. While we try to do all we can to make your cat’s experience with us a good one, there’s also a lot you can do at home before the appointment to make their trip (and yours, too!) a little easier.
Tips for Visiting Us: For You, the Owner
- One of the first things you'll want to do is fill out our New Client Form. You can fill this out online, or print it out and bring it with you to your first visit.
- If you’re coming from a different veterinarian, please bring your cat’s previous medical records, or have your previous vet send them over. This helps us assess any previous conditions, learn about any allergies, and develop a vaccination plan.
We'd love to see you and your cat!
Tips for Visiting Us: For the Comfort of Your Cat
Once you’ve got all your paperwork in order, it’s time to prep your kitty for their visit with us! We all know that cats don’t always love their carrier, so here are some tips to get them acclimated to their traveling home and when they're here visiting us, too.
Before Your Visit
- Leave the carrier out well before your appointment (or all the time, if possible).
- Fill it with things they love: throw in soft blankets, hide a treat or two in there, and spray pheromones to create a calming environment.
- If your cat has regular feeding times, feed them in their carrier for one of their meals. As they get more comfortable, try closing the door while they eat, and then open it when they're finished.
- Play with your cat in or near their carrier to normalize its presence.
- Reward them for going in, and work your way up to closing the door on them. Then, praise excessively!
At Your Visit
- Luckily, at our animal hospital, there are no dogs to avoid, but that doesn’t mean your shy kitty won’t be a little nervous. Bring a blanket to throw over the carrier if they seem nervous while waiting in the lobby.
- While we have toys here, it can be helpful to bring their favorite toy from home to give them something familiar to play and relax with!
- If your cat is nervous about leaving the comfort of their carrier, we'll come to them. Taking the top off allows us to examine your kitty without removing them from their safe haven.
- Pheromone-filled rooms give off a pleasing and comforting aroma to cats to make them feel at home.
If you have any questions at all before your visit, please don’t hesitate to call us at (713) 522-8362. We’ll be happy to discuss your cat’s particular needs and accommodate them as best we can!