Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Does where I take my cat for an exam affect their stress?
By Griffin, Francesca C et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2021·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Evaluation of clinical examination location on stress in cats: a randomized crossover trial.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of healthy adult cats underwent physical examinations in two different settings: one with their owners present and another where the owners were absent. The cats showed higher heart rates and signs of stress when examined without their owners, indicating that being separated from their owners can increase anxiety during vet visits. To minimize stress, it's best for owners to stay with their cats during examinations whenever possible. This approach can help keep cats calmer and provide more accurate health assessments.
People also search for: why is my cat stressed at the vet · cat anxiety during exams · how to calm my cat for a vet visit
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of owner separation and physical examination location on fear, anxiety and stress (FAS) behavioral indicators in cats. METHODS: The study was a prospective, non-blinded, randomized, two-period, two-treatment crossover trial. Healthy adult cats presenting for wellness or dental evaluations at a single veterinary teaching hospital received three physical examinations: a baseline assessment (owner present) followed by physical examinations in both a treatment area (owner absent [TAOA]) and an examination room (owner present [EROP]). The physical examination sequence order was randomized. Low-stress handling techniques were used for all examinations. The primary endpoints were heart rate (HR; beats per min [bpm]) and total FAS scores. HR was measured by auscultation, and FAS by five specific behaviors scored as 0/1 and summed for each assessment period. RESULTS: Twenty-one healthy cats were enrolled. HR measured at entry (baseline) was a significant determinant of subsequent HR readings. HR measured during examinations conducted in both EROP and TAOA were elevated to levels indicative of stress (>180 bpm). HR was significantly higher for TAOA relative to EROP (30 bpm, 95% confidence interval 18-43;<0.001). Behavioral FAS scores showed no statistically significant effects of sequence or room. FAS scores for TAOA assessments were clinically elevated relative to baseline (1.5 FAS, SE 0.7; = 0.05); EROP FAS scores relative to baseline did not differ statistically (0.5 units, SE = 0.5; = 0.43). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Owner separation coupled with physical examination location can result in clinically significant increases in perceived stress in cats, and compromise vital sign assessments. Whenever possible, physical examinations and procedures should take place with the owner present with separation from unfamiliar dogs and cats.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33054492/