Going to the vet can be a little challenging for you and your cat. As soon as the backpack/travel case comes out, POOF, kitty is gone! How did they know? We all are well aware that they’re amazing but are cats psychic on top of having nine lives? Did they hear you make the appointment and mark it down on their Cole and Marmalade calendar to know when to hide? Some cat parents have turned to whistle training to help make check ups a little less stressful.
Photo Property of Amazing AcroCats
What magic does a whistle have to make a cat want to go to the vet?
It really only takes one visit to “Dr. Stick-and-poke” for a cat to know that the pet tote or travel bag is the enemy. Now whenever they see it, that means run to the best hiding spot and most unreachable place in the house! Unless you have a cat that travels often, the only time the carrier comes out is when its time for a visit to the vet. One helpful thing to do is to leave it out so that its not always “making an appearance”.
Photo: Nipsey Cuddle; Feline Owner to Sterling Trapking Davis
Finally, using a whistle when giving high value, special treats will help bring a kitty out of his or her hiding spot. They then associate the carrier with yummy snacks, and the whistle with knowing snacks were coming. Practice this enough and pretty soon the whistle will mean ‘hurry and get to the carrier’! Not only will this benefit you for vet visits, every second counts in an emergency situation.
You’re not fooling me, human.
Again cats are smart and they will probably get the treat and still run off when you try to pick them up. To prevent this, cat rescuers like Samantha Martin of the Amazing AcroCats, give the high value treats inside the carrier. Giving treats like broiled chicken, fish, and things that they don’t always eat everyday is the trick. A little soft/crunchy kibble is nice, but a fresh piece of chicken is worth sprinting to the sound of that whistle.
Photo: Alanis Mewissette; Feline Owner to Sterling Trapking Davis
Now we’re ready to roll!
By leaving it out and having treats waiting inside whenever you blow the whistle, suddenly the evil nemesis or carrier is more like a reward. And lets be real, cats actually train us so its best to go through this process a few times a week so that they’re comfortable with and trust it. The whistle is similar to a colony feeder shaking the bag of dry food or the sound of a fresh can of wet food when its mealtime. Now instead of crawling in impossible spaces or calling out while making kissing sounds, you can blow your whistle and kitty will do the rest!
