Taking my older cat to the vet

Question
Hello! I have a question about my older cat. He is 11 years old and neutered, and never leaves the house. The last time he saw a vet was when he was a baby, but recently we have discovered lumps along his spine, so we are planning on taking him to see a vet. How should I go about taking him to the vet, while trying to make it as stress free as possible? He never leaves our home, so he panics when he is transported anyhwere. Any tips? Thanks!

Answer
Chelsea,

I am assuming, of course, that you have a suitable cat carrier for him?   If not, this will help a great deal.  Cat carriers provide a certain level of security for your cat.  He will still stress out and there is nothing you can do about it.

We often take our kittens for rides in the cat carrier early on and visit the local pet supermarkets, so they do not associate being in the car with going to the vet.  However, at age 11, this will not help.

Also, once a cat is over 10 years old, he is considered geriatric, so make sure, amongst other things, you have his teeth checked and, maybe, his kidney and liver functions.

Since he is going to the vet, you do not want to give him anything to calm him down, since this may conflict with the vet's diagnostics.

One thing we often do is to put a favorite toy in the carrier with the cat.  Make sure you use familiar bedding in the carrier.

I hope he does OK.

Best regards... Norm.