Happy habituation!

This is our Cat Friendly Clinic Advocate and Registered Veterinary Nurse Rachael having some play time with one of our kitten visitors! The kitten was in with the rest of the litter for second vaccinations and microchipping and as there was no one in directly after their appointment, they stayed on for a habituation session in the consult room.

Habituation sessions help to build pet confidence around the veterinary environment to help normalise the experience and reduce pet stress on future visits. Pets are given time to potter and explore the consult room and are slowly, gently and positively introduced to pieces of equipment that will be used routinely at health checks, normally across several sessions, so they’re not so scary later down the line.

Habituation sessions are all about positive reinforcement. There are lots of treats involved, including the use of LickiMats® which pets love. Having a happy time at the vets when pets are young is so important as it supports wellbeing on veterinary visits throughout later life.