Cat Box

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Some cats are very docile when in a veterinary practice; they purr and rub up against you.  When they get nervous they meow and try to crawl back into their carrier.  However every once in a while you get that extremely angry cat that wants to rip you to pieces.

A cat came in today who was so angry, he growled any time we walked by his crate.  Anyone who would have stuck their hand into the cat crate would have been shredded alive, so for the doctor to even palpate the cat, we needed to sedate or even anesthetize him.  And so, I was introduced to the "Cat Box."

The cat box is a clear plastic box used by veterinarians when it is too difficult to get near a cat.  The cat is placed into the box.  Oxygen and a gaseous sedative are attached to the box.  When the cat inhales, it is able to get oxygen into their body but also a sedative, which slowly relaxes them into a tranquil state, making it easy for us to work with the cat. 

The cat box is used only on the most vicious cats we see in the practice.  Most veterinarians can say they have used the cat box only a handful of times, but when it is needed, it is a good tool to have.