DEAR JOAN: My 3-year-old Burmese, Zephyr, is affectionate, playful, sweet and also the most rambunctious and stubborn cat I have ever shared my life with. At home, I can brush his teeth, groom him and trim his nails with no problem. He doesn’t necessarily like it, but he is calm and puts up with it.
At the vet, it’s another matter. I took him for his annual check up this week. He was fine when the vet tech picked him up and put him on the counter, but then the trouble began. While the veterinarian was examining him, he started to struggle and complain. They brought out a towel to wrap him, and he really started to struggle. He snapped at the vet tech, which I have never seen him do before.
The veterinarian called in another tech, one who has known him since he was a kitten. She let him smell her hand, speaking to him in a calm voice. She picked him up without wrapping a towel around him and spoke in a calm, reassuring voice, as they examined him. His meow became quieter, and he didn’t struggle as much
Now my vet wants me to sedate him before every visit. I hate to do this. Do you have any suggestions for ways to make vet visits less traumatic for everyone?
— Paula Mints, San Jose
DEAR PAULA: I relayed your experience and concerns to Jennifer Woolf, who works for Veterinary Information Network (VIN).
She recommends that you request that specific vet tech and calming approach with each visit, when possible.
Dr. Woolf also says that if you weigh the benefits of sedation with the stress your cat is feeling, sedation can be a positive. Your cat gets the treatment he needs and avoids all the drama.
Meanwhile, she suggests making sure your cat is comfortable being in a carrier and in the car – two things that can kickstart anxiety — and practicing that. Start small, she says, by just getting the cat used to the car and carrier without even leaving the driveway. Build up to short trips.
You also can make short friendly visits to the vet’s office, asking staff to give him some treats and then leaving. That will help associate the office with positive things.
Lastly, if you are opposed to sedation, my suggestion is to look for a vet that makes house calls.
DEAR JOAN: We’ve had a hummingbird feeder for years hanging under our roof overhang that seems to supply all the local hummers. It hangs from an 18-inch wire hanger.
Three days ago, we found a 4-inch green praying mantis conveniently attached to the feeder awaiting a meal. When I saw this, I moved (the insect) to some shrubbery about 15 feet away. The next morning, it was back.
Are mantises capable of catching a hummer, and how would the mantis access this lofty feeder?
— Chuck and Diane Preas, Danville
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DEAR CHUCK AND DIANE: Yes, mantids are capable of catching and killing hummingbirds. They are adept climbers and, although it’s not obvious when they are seated, mantids have wings and can fly.
The easiest solution is doing what you’ve done: monitoring the feeder and removing mantids when you see them. You can also purchase baffles or domed covers to exclude praying mantises.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at [email protected].
