Decrease Tension After a Veterinary Visit

Even the best of friends can get a little tense after a trip to the vet. Your cat might come back with the different smells from the practice on them, or perhaps a needed device such as a cast or collar, feeling like a whole new cat and a whole new threat.

Letting your cat out of the carrier right away may actually make things worse. In a colony, cats returning to their group after being away announce their arrival slowly. Imagine the chaos if someone just barged back in—everyone would be on edge!

A detailed Step-by-Step Guide that can be used to re-introduce your cats can be found here. If your cats have tension among them, it is best to use this more detailed Step-by-Step Guide.

Here are some summarized tips to help your cats peacefully reunite:

1. Prepare the Home: Before you even leave for the veterinarian, use a feline synthetic pheromone diffusers or spray in areas where your cats may encounter one another. This mimics calming feline pheromones.
2. Give Everyone Space: Once home, leave the carrier in a quiet spot like the garage or a quiet, secure room for a few minutes. This allows your cat some time to adjust after the car ride and veterinary visit.
3. Greet Your Cats: Head inside, greet your other cat(s), and distract them with treats in a separate room. While they’re eating happily, gently rub each cat’s cheeks, chin, and between the eyes and ears with a clean towel.
4. Spread the Scent: Bring your cat in the cat carrier into the home to a different location than the cats getting the treats (preferably a quiet room with a closed door). Open the carrier and let your cat get acclimated to the room. Afterward, let your cat sniff the towel that has the other’s scent on it. This lets the other cat(s) get used to your cat’s scent without a face-to-face encounter. Once your cat is used to the smells on the towel, wipe the towel on your cat’s cheeks, chin, and between the eyes and ears. Bring the towel into the other room (without your cat) so the cats who were at home can smell it.
5. A Gentle Introduction: After all cats are comfortable with the smells on the towel, you can open the door and let them choose to walk out and see the other cats. If there is tension with smelling the towel or you perceive it will not go well, do not move on to this step. Instead, go through back this Step-by-Step Guide to integrate the cats more slowly.
6. Patience is Key: Give Your cats some time to adjust to being back home. Let the other cats investigate the towel and the room’s scent. When your cat finally emerges, they’ll likely be greeted like they just woke up from a long nap, not a trip to the veterinarian. This calm approach can help prevent tension in your household.

If your cats are not getting along or are demonstrating tension, utilize this detailed Step-by-Step Guide.