Cat Has Hilarious Way of Avoiding Eye Contact With Vet: 'Can't See Him'

A trip to the vet is often a traumatic time for pets and their owners, but one cat called Pete reckons that avoiding eye contact will make his problems disappear.

In a photo shared to the subreddit u/OneOrangeBraincell on April 24 by u/Bmurr1985, Pete can be seen burying his head into a blanket while lying in his carrier. The image is captioned: "If Pete can't see the vet then the vet can't see him."

Seventy percent of U.S. households, or about 90.5 million families, own a pet, according to the 2021-2022 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). This is up from 56 percent of U.S. households in 1988, the first year the survey was conducted.

So far, the post has received 6,800 upvotes. Newsweek reached out to a cat expert to find out how to put your feline more at ease when making the same dreaded visit to the vet.

Tracey Morgan is a qualified veterinary care assistant who works as part of the nursing team for an emergency out-of-hours veterinary clinic in Shropshire, U.K.

Morgan told Newsweek: "Taking your cat to the vet can be extremely stressful for all concerned, but particularly for our feline friends. Having no control over their surroundings, unusual smells, and loud noises, can make their anxiety escalate quickly."

Morgan has provided five tips for owners to help their cats feel more at ease when visiting the vets:

1. Preparation is key. Many of our felines will run and hide as soon as the cat carrier comes out, so desensitize them to the sight of the box. Leave the carrier out for them to explore for days before (if it's a planned visit). Build up a positive association from a young age by leaving the door open for them to check it out on their own terms. Pop a couple of treats inside, and by the time you need to use the box, it won't be so alien to them.
2. Spray the carrier and its blanket with a feline pheromone spray 20 minutes before you place your cat into it.
3. Make sure the blanket you are using in the carrier has familiar smells to help relax your cat. Anything they lie on, or anything that smells like you (cardigan, etc) will work, you can also provide an extra towel in case they want to hide under it. If they feel like they can hide themselves from potential danger, it can be a really good coping strategy.
4. External noise can be extremely stressful, especially from dogs. When you arrive at the vet clinic, assess the waiting room. If it is busy and loud and it's safe to wait in the car (i.e. it's not a blistering hot day), then let the clinic know you have arrived and will wait in the car until they are ready for you. Your cat's ears and anxiety levels will thank you for it.
5. Stay calm. Our animals often pick up on our emotions, which can exacerbate theirs. By taking these simple steps, you can make the vet visit much nicer for your feline companion. If your cat is still truly terrified, talk to your vet. They may be able to prescribe something for your next visit to help chill your cat out.

More than 50 Reddit users have written under the post, and it seems they are playing along, too. One comment read: "Why did you name an empty carrier Pete?"

Another owner wrote: "Mine used to do the same! He'd try to hide n the trash cutouts on the counter. Then we figured out that if we covered his head with a dish towel, he'd stay perfectly flat on the exam table. [He] would then play "dead weight cat" when they tried to lift him to examine him."

A third user posted: "Flawless logic, can't argue with him!"

Newsweek reached out to u/Bmurr1985 via Reddit for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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