Rescue Cat Refusing to Go to the Vet's Leaves Internet in Stitches

There are many things a cat doesn't like such as water, dogs and the vet's. One woman has recently recorded the struggle of taking her cat for a check-up.

An orange cat named Hazel has been caught on camera as she kicks up a fuss prior to a trip to the vet.

Her owner Kiara Burns, 27, (@kiaracburns) shared the stressful moment on TikTok, where it has racked up 1.4 million views. Hazel can be heard screeching and hissing while she makes it almost impossible for Burns to fit her into the carrier.

Speaking to Newsweek, Los Angeles-based Burns said: "She is a spicy orange kitty who doesn't like anything she doesn't want to do, especially the vet! But snuggles immediately after screaming at the top of her lungs so really she's just a brilliant girl."

The video captioned: "Happy 5 year adoptaversary to the best thing to ever happen to me! Hazel, you give me a run for my money and I couldn't love you more," has gained a lot of traction online.

So far, the clip has racked up 217,800 likes since it was shared on August 18. And it turns out Burns isn't the only owner to go through this fiasco.

One comment said: "Ngl [not going to lie] as a vet receptionist I get so many calls like 'I'm sorry we have to miss our appointment we can't get our cat in the carrier."

VCA Animal Hospitals says cats often associate their carrier with negative experience. The U.S. and Canada-based animal hospitals' website encourages cat owners to create positive and pleasant experiences for their felines to reduce stress.

"The first thing to do is to avoid storing the carrier in the garage or basement and only bringing it out when a trip to the veterinarian is imminent," it advises.

Instead, owners should open the door or remove the top of the carrier and leave it in their cat's most favored place in the house. This way, the carrier will be associated with familiar sights and scents of home.

Owners should also make the carrier cozy and add treats inside the carrier. Another option for owners would be pheromones, used by cats to mark familiar objects, spritzing the carrier with a synthetic pheromone prior to the appointment, VCA suggests.

It's safe to say many cats act similarly to Hazel—one cat was dubbed a "demon" after lashing out at the vet's following an injection.

Another cat owner's comment racked up 15,500 likes, it said: "My orange cat did this and then peed all over the bag once he got inside."

"THE MEOWS IM DYING," said another person.

"I used to leave the carrier outside for him to chill in all the time. No struggle, even with a devilish orange cat like mine haha," said another owner.

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.

Update 8/31/23, 3:45 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the original poster and the original video.