Cecil had his annual vet visit back in January. This was a new vet clinic for him, which I hoped would be a good thing. I carefully chose a clinic with Fear Free Certified staff. I had taken both dogs there and really was impressed with how they handled them. And Cecil’s new doctor (the cat vet at the clinic) is wonderful – it was immediately clear that she really “gets” cats!
However, Cecil still had a tough time. He was due for some bloodwork and a physical exam. He has never loved the vet but at other clinics, they have always been able to do what they needed to do. This time, they tried to get blood and could not. He was growling and hissing. I was very glad they stopped, rather than push through and make it happen. I suspect that is what happened at the last clinic and that is why he suddenly was so upset over this procedure.
I feel badly even describing this because I hate the idea of him being so upset and afraid.
They really needed to do the bloodwork because he needed a dental cleaning (his teeth have always been awful) which requires anesthesia. So, we returned a week later with Cecil on some gooood meds and they were able to get the blood sample more easily. He still wasn’t relaxed or calm, but he didn’t growl or hiss. His bloodwork showed a clean bill of health and he got his teeth cleaning shortly after that. He’s as good as new.
Sort of.
He and I have work to do. Before next January, my goal is to help him learn to remain calm and happy during restraint for a blood draw. This is a big goal. We might not make it in 9 months. But I have to give it my best shot, because it’s just not acceptable for vet care to be so stressful for him.
This is another example of something I’ve been working on diligently with my dogs for years but hadn’t tried to do with my cats. I always felt like they could tolerate the vet just fine and that was good enough. It wasn’t until Cecil developed some extreme stress that I realized this is not good enough. And when we know better, we should do better. So get ready for some videos of Cecil’s vet care practice! I’ll be sharing our training sessions frequently on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Lauraperkinsanimalbehavior/
I almost called this post “Treating your Cat more Like a Dog” – But I didn’t want to imply that cats’ species specific needs should be ignored. However, some of the things I’ve been doing with my dogs have gotten me thinking about my cat’s behavior a little more carefully too.
I have two stories to share about our cat, Cecil. I’ll share one today and one next time.
He’s 11 years old. He and his sister, Ida, were adopted by my husband before we were married. We were dating at the time and I got to be there the day he brought them home, so even though they are my “step-pets” I’ve known them their whole lives. Cecil is an especially active orange tabby. Cecil once raided the spice cabinet above the stove, he used to hide the sink drain cover in Justin’s shoes, and he has always followed us around the house like a puppy. He has also always dashed outside whenever we had the door open for a moment too long. (Ida is much more mellow by nature. I’ll have to write about her soon too.)
As Cecil has gotten older, he’s slowed down a bit but he still is always in the same room with one of us. And he still yearns to go outside. He often makes a break for it in nice weather and then when we need to bring him in, he hides under the deck. Usually this happens when I am on the way out the door to an appointment.
This behavior makes perfect sense. He never got satiated on outside time because he only gets a few minutes at a time. And usually getting picked up = going inside. So he would avoid us when we were outside.
Cecil in his cat tree by the window – A perfect spot to watch the birds.
A month or so ago, when it started getting warmer out again, Cecil got out. And since I’m home 24/7 right now, I had the time to let him explore. So I did. I followed him from about 15 feet away – which seemed to be enough space that he wouldn’t run away from me under a tree/bush/deck. I grabbed some of his favorite treats. And I just watched. After 20 minute or so I said hi to him and he chattered at me and I offered him some treats. Then I let him go back to exploring.
After another 20 minutes, he finally walked back the the door that goes inside on his own. I pet him, gave him a few more treats, put the dogs in another room and left the backdoor open. He came in on his own and got a few more treats. I closed the door and played with him with his favorite toy. Then he took the longest nap he’s had maybe ever!
This is exactly how I would teach a recall to a dog in a similar situation. I’m not sure why, but I just hadn’t thought about teaching my cat a recall before.
Anyway, we’ve been practicing this on nice days. Over the last few weeks we’ve gotten to the point now where he will come to me easily after about 10 minutes outside. After 20 minutes I can convince him to go in if I need to. But if he is given complete choice, 45 minutes seems to be the right amount of time.
Cecil comes for Petting (below)
Practicing Recalls with Treats (below)
Cecil on March 25th – You can observe that he moves away from me when I approach. This was early on in our outdoor adventures. (below)
Cecil on April 8th – After some practice with outdoor adventures, he comes when I call, then I let him go explore some more. (below)
Now that he is not in constant deprivation for outside time, he is a little less likely to dart outside when we are going in and out. Now that I don’t scoop him up and take him in every time I get close to him outside, he is coming up to me on his own for petting and treats. He has stopped running from me. Yesterday, for the first time I tried approaching and I was able to walk right up to him and pet him. The consequences changed so his behavior changed.
I’ve really enjoyed watching him outside. He explores, eats grass, sniffs out critters, watches the birds, rolls on the sunny sidewalk or deck. He’s even spent time getting pets from us while we sit in the sunshine together – more interested in our attention than exploring. I’ve learned so much about what he enjoys, what enrichment could look like for him, and I feel like we’ve really bonded over this time.
Evening snuggles
Safety Note:
I need to mention – this isn’t possible for everyone – our secure yard makes this something I’m comfortable with. Our 2 acre yard is fenced with 1×2″ wire and there are very few gaps in it. I have covered up the gaps between the fence and the ground. I have never observed him even looking up the fence to indicate he might climb or jump. So I feel pretty confident that he will stay in the yard if we are right there. But I wouldn’t let him out of my sight. I am very focused on following him.
If your yard isn’t cat-escape-proof you might be able to try a harness and leash or build a catio to let your cat have a similar experience at home. Remember to slowly teach your cat how to wear the leash and harness first and build lost of positive reinforcement into the experience.
