You're peacefully napping in the early-morning sunshine. The barking dogs outside are barely audible. You've just eaten. Life is good. One of your best friends, an enormous, sometimes ridiculous fellow, give you a hug. That's nice. But then you're thrust into a container that smells of fear, bounced around for a moment, and assaulted by noise. Engines rumble. Birds cackle at you, mocking your caged helplessness.

Your worst fears are realized when your "friend" rattles and bumps your prison through a waiting room full of yowling cats and large woofing dogs.

Is that what your cat experiences when visiting us? Well, we'd like to offer some  ways to make your visit to NOAH less stressful.

Here are a couple of suggestions...

1.Transport your cat in a carrier
Putting cats in a carrier on the way to and from the veterinary
clinic is extremely important. Cats are often startled by loud
noises or other pets, and, if you’re carrying your cat in your hands,
you might not be able to hold on if it abruptly tries to get away. Also,
cats that are allowed to roam freely inside the car face the risk of more
severe injury should there be an accident.

2 Choose a hard-plastic carrier with a removable top
Some cats might resist being put into a carrier. But removable
tops make getting cats into—and out of—the carrier easier. Simply
undo the screws or latches, lift off the top, set the cat in the bottom,
and replace the top. This eliminates the need to force the cat inside,
which makes the cat—and you—more relaxed.

3. Make the carrier a favorite place
Some cats come to love their carriers. When cats see their
carriers as safe, enjoyable places, they’re happy to go into
them and feel more safe in scary places, like the car. Use these strategies
to create crate-fondness in your cat:
• Leave the carrier out in your house so your cat can access it
at any time.
• Make the carrier inviting by putting a favorite blanket or toy in it.
• Every now and then, lay a few treats inside the carrier.

4. Head to the veterinary clinic for “happy visits”
Does your cat seem to bristle at the thought of visiting the veterinarian?
Then take it on a few stress-free trial runs. Call the veterinary
clinic to ask if the schedule would allow you and your cat to stop in for
five or 10 minutes. You won’t be making a medical visit, but rather a
mock appointment that allows your cat to experience all the steps of
a routine visit without the physical examination. This free-of-charge
“happy visit” gives your cat the chance to get used to the sounds and
smells of the clinic, meet the veterinary team members, and eat a few
treats all while enjoying the safety of its carrier. After some canoodling,
you and your cat will head back home.

If a car ride alone puts your cat in a tailspin, entice your cat into its
carrier and start by going for a test drive around the block. Continue
to take a drive every now and then, gradually increasing the amount
of time you and your cat spend in the car. Remember to reward your
cat with a treat for being a good passenger. Eventually, you’ll work
your way up to doing a drive that will allow you and your cat to make
a “happy visit.” Positive reinforcement is the best way to modify feline
behavior, so making car rides and veterinary visits pleasant will help
decrease your cat’s anxiety.