How do they know!

I'm supposed to take Spencer to the vet for a follow up to check on his mouth. I know he is doing very well and his mouth looks good to me and he is eating and enjoying the new food. I swear I didn't do or say anything out of ordinary, but somehow he knew! He's hiding under the bed and I can't get him out; not even when I poke him with a broom stick handle! I called and canceled the appointment, and now 10 minutes later he's at his food dish!

I swear all my cats have been able to tell even when I phone the vet!  It's like Mouse will be on guarde every time I call, he knows I've phoned the vet but doesn't seem to be able to differentiate between calling to order his food or L Lysine, or a full on visit.  He'll stay on alert until either I come home with said goods or he's been caught out. 

They seem to pick up on the tiniest changes in routine, and things being moved about.  I don't leave the crate out all the time but it does come out several days before an appointment (unless emergency) and goes away several days later. With my vet phobic cat I had to keep it out as her appointments were always emergencies.

First off I take a few deep breaths to relax and prepare for the 'routine', and approach it like I'm acting in a play.  

If I come in and have to collect a cat to go straight out I'll still take my coat off, put the kettle and TV on and pretend I'm in to stay.  If I need to get ready to go out to the vet I do things like turn on the TV and the kettle and do stuff again that makes out I'm staying in.   If it means making a fresh cup of coffee and putting something in the microwave and turning it on I will.  Once the cat appears it's scoop up and bundle in.  I don't do anything to indicate going out until the cat is in the carrier.

I can call the vet when I'm at work to make an appointment for Amber Louise. And come home and she's no where to be found. She knows. I don't know how she knows, but she knows!

He's a smart one!  He catches on to things very quickly.  You might be able to fool him once, but he won't fall for it a second time.  There is no bribing him with brushes, treats, pets... absolutely nothing.  He is one that does things only on his terms.  Yet he is such a docile cat.

Next time I'm going to make sure my bedroom door is shut so he can't get into the bedroom and hide under the bed. That is the only place I can't get to him.  Previous visits to the vet weren't so bad because my bed wasn't on the frame so they couldn't hide under a bed.

Oh yes, forgot that bit! With snowleopard she was bright and vet phobic.  I had to block off all potential hiding spots quietly and as subtly as I could, along with putting the tv and the kettle on, and maybe even put my PJs on!  It would to to the point where only the kitchen, hall, and a small spare room with hardly any furniture in would have the doors open (and of course the carrier would be in the small room).  I had to be swift or she would turn in to some wild banshee surfing the walls at mid height, at which point I would go in to hiding and pretty much cry because it was so hard to see her so distressed.  I had to practice relaxation breathing the whole time I was trying to get her in the carrier otherwise I'd set her off with my own stress.