Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How German cat owners see stress in cats at the vet
By Karn-Buehler, Jessica & Kuhne, Franziska·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2022·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Perception of stress in cats by German cat owners and influencing factors regarding veterinary care.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Most cats experience stress during trips to the veterinarian, with nearly 89% of cat owners noticing their pets showing signs of anxiety. Interestingly, about half of the owners also reported feeling stressed during these visits. The study found that when owners perceived their cats as stressed, they were more likely to feel stressed themselves. However, when veterinarians used feline-friendly handling techniques, it helped reduce stress for both the cats and their owners. This suggests that a calm approach can improve the experience for everyone involved.
People also search for: why is my cat stressed at the vet · feline-friendly vet techniques · reducing cat anxiety during vet visits
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Visiting the veterinarian is generally perceived as a stressful situation for cats. Previous studies have shown that the perception of stress may influence cats' healthcare. In order to minimise stress in cats during the veterinary consultation, feline-friendly handling has gained importance and is increasingly being used. The aim of this study was to find out whether cats experience stress during a visit to the veterinarian (and, if so, to what extent), and which factors influence the perception of stress and whether feline-friendly handling techniques have an impact. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among German cat owners. In total, 889 questionnaires were evaluated. The results were analysed with binary logistic regression and a χ² test. A principal component analysis was used to detect the main influencing factors on the perception of stress. RESULTS: Most of the cats (88.7%, n = 732/825) were perceived as stressed during a veterinary consultation, while only about half of the owners (50.8%, n = 419/824) stated that they felt stressed themselves. The cat owners (n = 819) who perceived visiting the veterinarian as a stressful situation also described their cat as stressed significantly more often compared with owners who did not feel stressed (χ² = 101.113, P <0.001). The probability that owners experienced stress themselves was significantly increased if they perceived their cat to be stressed too (odds ratio 0.073, 95% confidence interval 0.016-0.328). One factor that influenced whether an owner was stressed was the stress behaviour of their cat (P <0.001). Furthermore a feline-friendly demeanour by the veterinarian led to less stress in the owners (P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The owner's stress influences the perception of their cat's stress. By adhering to feline-friendly handling guidelines, veterinarians can reduce owner stress associated with veterinary visits, thereby promoting optimal veterinary care and health for their feline patients.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34493102/