Pet care: For cranky cat in car, it's not about the journey, it's about the destination

Q: I have a cat who yells and yowls while riding in the car. He starts as soon as I push him into his cat cage. He hates the veterinary clinic.

Dr. Nichol: Spewing obscenities and invective during car travel is cat-speak for “I’m homicidal.” Your boy knows that his destination won’t be a feline amusement park, but more likely an exam and vaccinations. He’d rather file his knuckles with a cheesegrater. There is a better way.

Despite their protected lives, our cats hide their illnesses to avoid appearing vulnerable to predators. They’re selling the idea that they have the magic to heal themselves. They’re lying. Early diagnosis and treatment save lives. Cats need modern medicine as much as you and I. Fear of travel and the funky smelling destination begins when the dreaded carrier appears.

You need one with top and bottom halves. Cover it with a towel, with its door open and snacks inside, for a few weeks of inspection. Plug in a Feliway Optimum diffuser nearby. About 90 minutes before leaving home, give your kitty a prescription liquid antianxiety medication called Bonqat in a small amount of food.

Then invite the little guy to camp out on a big fluffy towel in your lap. When it’s time to leave, slowly wrap him up like a burrito and gently set him in the lower half of the carrier. The top goes on quietly. The whole thing is covered by another towel.

A veterinary staff, trained in Fear Free pet handling (fearfreepets.com) will know the plan. They’ll call your cellphone while you’re waiting in the parking lot. You’ll sneak inside through their side door and head straight into an exam room. The doctor will remove the top of the carrier, conduct a physical exam and even some treatments while your cat sits partially covered inside. He’ll be safely out the door in minutes.

Avoidance of the fight-or-flight response is essential. Cats are “one event learners.” They catch on fast; their fear can worsen each time a harrowing ordeal is repeated.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com

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