CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Today is a day that many pets and their owners don't like to think about, "Take Your Cat to the Vet Day.”
Dr. Natalie Marks is a veterinarian at Blum Animal Hospital on the North Side and an industry consultant. She told WBBM that only 30% of household cats in the U.S. actually make it to their vet, compared to 80% of dogs. Part of the reason, cats are sneaky.
“You need to remember cats are inherently are predators, and they hide disease, they hide when they’re aren’t feeling well until they just can’t anymore, because that’s when they become prey in the wild. But, our cats in our house today innately behave the same way.
“There is a huge discrepancy even though cats are the number one household pet in the United States. So, ‘Take Your Cat to the Vet Day’ is a way to focus a little bit more, not just on getting them to the vet, but more importantly focusing on preventive care for cats,” Marks said.
And, once you know that trip to the vet has to happen, there are tricks to get that sweet little kitty to go for a ride.
“Cats love classical and reggae music. So, if you’re playing soft music, it makes this really spa-like environment for your cat. Your cat will willingly go in the cat carrier. It’s not just brought out hastily ten minutes before you’re going to leave once a year to go the vet,” said Marks.
Dr. Marks advises get that cat carrier ready long before the fateful day.
“Putting a cat carrier out, into the living room as if it’s furniture, leaving the top or the side open, putting a lovely kind of fleece bedding in there, whether it’s a fleece towel or a bed, that’s a cat’s preferential texture, and feeding that cat in the cat carrier,” Marks said.
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