Confused and upset after first vet visit

And I'm not even talking about the kitten!

Took my kitten to the vet for the first time earlier today. I was very excited because I learned that this vet was a cat owner (most around here are dog owners). Everything was going fine, check in, take her back, the nurse took her back for tests or whatever. Then the doctor came in. First, he layed into me about discipline because I complained about my kittens habit of jumping up my legs when I walk by her. After basically berating me for "allowing" this bad behavior, he told me to use a spray bottle with her. I was extremely surprised by this. I did a ton of research before getting this kitten, and everything I've read talks about how spray bottles don't really work, just make your cats dislike you, etc. I couldn't believe the vet was telling me to do it. Then to top it all off, the vet, nurse, and receptionist all told me different dates to come back and told me different things had been done today. I don't know what to do. I was asking questions but was still told different things.

I apologize for the complaining, it was just a strange experience and I'm sort of upset about it. I just don't feel like I was listened to and I'm very confused by what I was told.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Any advice? There aren't a lot of options for vets around where I live, I had never gone to this one before. I chose him after having a negative experience with the most popular vet in town with my dog who passed away two years ago. Should I look into going somewhere else? Call and ask for some clarification on the information they told me?


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If that vet (who is a cat owner???) told you to use a spray bottle on your kitten, DON'T GO BACK!  If he's wrong about a small thing like this, imagine what else he's wrong about?

I'm so sorry you've had this experience.  It's costly finding a good vet.  You still have to pay to see the bad ones, but at least now you know who NOT to go to.  

NEXT!!

Here's an article that may help:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-choose-the-best-veterinarian-for-my-cat

I'm curious when you said the receptionist told you things that were done which you said had not been done.  Do you mean the things that happened when they took the kitten to the back?

 It makes me wonder if they just charged you for something they say they did but did not do.  A!fter all, how would you know?  The kitten was in the back!  You couldn't see what they were doing or not doing.  

Man, I'd steer clear of this place!  

IDK, many friends of mine use spray bottles on cats and dogs and it did work for them. 
You know how children all respond to different types of punishment, and how some parents spank, some pull a strand of hair, some give time outs, some take away TV or other privileges, and how the kids of those parents may respond differently, and some of the kids hated it and will not do it themselves, but others will say it really helped them?
It is like that for cats. 
Maybe for that vet the spray bottle really worked?
You said you read online it did not work for cats, but did you try it?

 

I've tried it, and it doesn't work. It just makes the cat afraid of the spray bottle. Cats don't understand punishment, only rewards, so give them a treat when they are doing the right thing. For behavior you want to discourage, walk away and ignore the cat for a while. That's cat language for not interested.

If all you want is to keep a cat off your counters or from scratching your furniture, then spraying might "work" but it will also teach your cat to not trust you.  He will associate you with a bad feeling every time he sees you.  What's the use in having a pet if they simply obey you and avoid you like the plague?  Might as well not have a cat!  I found an article that says it a little differently:

https://cattamboo.com/cats/should-i-spray-my-cat/

Thanks everyone. Regarding the vet being a cat owner: I've now realized that there are actually two vets at the pet clinic I went to, so I can't be sure if the vet we saw today was the cat owning one. The vet I met today didn't look like the vet I saw when I looked up the clinic online (and the one on their website was the cat owner). So that could explain the squirt bottle advice. Also, they were very busy (they stay open after 5 which is when our appointment was so many people were coming in after work). I think tomorrow I will call and just ask for some clarification. I do have the invoice which lists what was done but a lot of it I don't understand (I don't know the names of medications used, etc so I can't really read it).

Also I could clarify about the confusion with what was done/when to come back. I got my kitten from my local humane society, and they took care of her first two booster shots and one other vaccination (not sure what). Also the humane society has told me to come back next week for a rabies vaccine. (All were included in the price of adopting her). So I gave those papers to the receptionist who made a copy for Lux's records.

In the exam room, a nurse came in first, and I told her what she's already had done at the humane society. She asked about spaying, and I said the humane society told me she was spayed but I didn't know they could do that so early. So the nurse said they'd check and let me know. This is also when I mentioned the attacking my legs.

Nurse took her back to check for worms, ear mites, trim claws, etc.

Then vet, nurse, and my kitten come back in the exam room. The first thing he talked about was using the spray bottle to stop the leg stuff (again, after basically blaming me for letting it happen). He then said that she was healthy, had ear mites but they gave her a treatment for it but she'd have to come back for it again/to make sure they've cleared up. Never mentioned the spaying, never mentioned if they gave her a shot today, but did say to come back in three weeks for her third and final booster shot.

They sent me on my way with some Revolution to apply tomorrow (I guess this is a combo heart worm/flea preventative?) and that I'd need more in a month. Then checking out with the receptionist, I asked when to come back since the nurse and vet said 3 weeks, and the receptionist said "well she had her first two boosters at the humane society (btw her second booster was only last week) and we gave her her third today so that's it, just come back to get more Revolution (I got a month free)". So that's why I'm so confused. A lot of people use this clinic, I've heard nothing but positive things about this place, so I'm not sure what to think right now! If anyone would like me to post what the invoice says and could enlighten me on what exactly it says was done today that would be great.

Thanks again everyone, I'm still learning when it comes to kitties!


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Funny. Cats seem to understand punishment around WA state okay. In fact, they will punish their kittens, and even us humans. 
If I do something the cat had said no to, she nips me. She will next time nip and swat. She also gives a look. 
I know many people who swear by the spray bottle. 
So again I think it depends on #1 the personality of the cat, and #2 the personality of the human doing the punishment. 
If a human says NO and says it firmly the cat learns the meaning fast. 
If the human is like my mom and says "no" in a sweet manner with baby talk, it means nothing. 

meggers8806 said:

Thanks everyone. Regarding the vet being a cat owner: I've now realized that there are actually two vets at the pet clinic I went to, so I can't be sure if the vet we saw today was the cat owning one. The vet I met today didn't look like the vet I saw when I looked up the clinic online (and the one on their website was the cat owner). So that could explain the squirt bottle advice. Also, they were very busy (they stay open after 5 which is when our appointment was so many people were coming in after work). I think tomorrow I will call and just ask for some clarification. I do have the invoice which lists what was done but a lot of it I don't understand (I don't know the names of medications used, etc so I can't really read it).

Also I could clarify about the confusion with what was done/when to come back. I got my kitten from my local humane society, and they took care of her first two booster shots and one other vaccination (not sure what). Also the humane society has told me to come back next week for a rabies vaccine. (All were included in the price of adopting her). So I gave those papers to the receptionist who made a copy for Lux's records.

In the exam room, a nurse came in first, and I told her what she's already had done at the humane society. She asked about spaying, and I said the humane society told me she was spayed but I didn't know they could do that so early. So the nurse said they'd check and let me know. This is also when I mentioned the attacking my legs.

Nurse took her back to check for worms, ear mites, trim claws, etc.

Then vet, nurse, and my kitten come back in the exam room. The first thing he talked about was using the spray bottle to stop the leg stuff (again, after basically blaming me for letting it happen). He then said that she was healthy, had ear mites but they gave her a treatment for it but she'd have to come back for it again/to make sure they've cleared up. Never mentioned the spaying, never mentioned if they gave her a shot today, but did say to come back in three weeks for her third and final booster shot.

They sent me on my way with some Revolution to apply tomorrow (I guess this is a combo heart worm/flea preventative?) and that I'd need more in a month. Then checking out with the receptionist, I asked when to come back since the nurse and vet said 3 weeks, and the receptionist said "well she had her first two boosters at the humane society (btw her second booster was only last week) and we gave her her third today so that's it, just come back to get more Revolution (I got a month free)". So that's why I'm so confused. A lot of people use this clinic, I've heard nothing but positive things about this place, so I'm not sure what to think right now! If anyone would like me to post what the invoice says and could enlighten me on what exactly it says was done today that would be great.

Thanks again everyone, I'm still learning when it comes to kitties!


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If you want to know about medications, maybe you can ask your pharmacy? They help humans, but they learn names of medications and may be able to explain the purpose to you.
And yeah it looks like you are right about Revolution's purpose: http://www.1800petmeds.com/Revolution-prod10265.html

meggers8806 said:

Thanks everyone. Regarding the vet being a cat owner: I've now realized that there are actually two vets at the pet clinic I went to, so I can't be sure if the vet we saw today was the cat owning one. The vet I met today didn't look like the vet I saw when I looked up the clinic online (and the one on their website was the cat owner). So that could explain the squirt bottle advice. Also, they were very busy (they stay open after 5 which is when our appointment was so many people were coming in after work). I think tomorrow I will call and just ask for some clarification. I do have the invoice which lists what was done but a lot of it I don't understand (I don't know the names of medications used, etc so I can't really read it).

Also I could clarify about the confusion with what was done/when to come back. I got my kitten from my local humane society, and they took care of her first two booster shots and one other vaccination (not sure what). Also the humane society has told me to come back next week for a rabies vaccine. (All were included in the price of adopting her). So I gave those papers to the receptionist who made a copy for Lux's records.

In the exam room, a nurse came in first, and I told her what she's already had done at the humane society. She asked about spaying, and I said the humane society told me she was spayed but I didn't know they could do that so early. So the nurse said they'd check and let me know. This is also when I mentioned the attacking my legs.

Nurse took her back to check for worms, ear mites, trim claws, etc.

Then vet, nurse, and my kitten come back in the exam room. The first thing he talked about was using the spray bottle to stop the leg stuff (again, after basically blaming me for letting it happen). He then said that she was healthy, had ear mites but they gave her a treatment for it but she'd have to come back for it again/to make sure they've cleared up. Never mentioned the spaying, never mentioned if they gave her a shot today, but did say to come back in three weeks for her third and final booster shot.

They sent me on my way with some Revolution to apply tomorrow (I guess this is a combo heart worm/flea preventative?) and that I'd need more in a month. Then checking out with the receptionist, I asked when to come back since the nurse and vet said 3 weeks, and the receptionist said "well she had her first two boosters at the humane society (btw her second booster was only last week) and we gave her her third today so that's it, just come back to get more Revolution (I got a month free)". So that's why I'm so confused. A lot of people use this clinic, I've heard nothing but positive things about this place, so I'm not sure what to think right now! If anyone would like me to post what the invoice says and could enlighten me on what exactly it says was done today that would be great.

Thanks again everyone, I'm still learning when it comes to kitties!


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It doesn't matter if this vet office has a good reputation.  It's possible that the people who gave such recommendations only took their pet there for routine stuff or simple stuff.  The fact is this vet made you feel rushed, blamed, and not completely listened to.  That's a BAD first impression.  Go with that.  It won't get better with this vet, only worse.  

@meggers8806  I think everyone looks for different things in a vet. There is one vet near here that a lot of people recommended to me as he has been in town for years and will come and look at your pet at any hour of the day or night if you think your pet needs him. However, when I took my cat to see him he put her in a metal cage that had adjustable sides so he could squeeze her into a tiny corner so that he could take her temperature. I didn't like this at all and never went back again.

I've found a great vet now, who handles my cats with the gentleness and respect I think they deserve. 

I think that if you are feeling upset after visiting your vet you really should try to find another one. A good relationship with your vet is absolutely essential, your vet needs to be a person you can trust and feel comfortable with so that your cat will feel comfortable going there for treatment.

Are there any Cat Only vets in your town? I think that a vet that suggests using a spray bottle or any other kind of discipline on a cat is probably more of a dog person. You'd be better off with a vet that understands cat behavior a little more. 

I'm so sorry that you aren't happy with your vet visit. If you are uncomfortable with the vet office s a whole, I would suggest trying out a different vet.

As far as her attacking your legs, a few of our Behavior articles may be worth a read.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/the-dos-and-donts-of-cat-behavior-modification

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-set-healthy-boundaries-for-your-cat

It may be worth it to start a thread in our Behavior forum about it as well.

Good luck!