Dogs Endure, Cats Resist? Survey on Pet Reactions at Veterinary Clinics: Conducted by Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd. of 'PS Insurance'
A survey of 1,732 dog and cat owners revealed that about 70% of dogs and 75% of cats change their behavior at the vet. Cats, in particular, show intense resistance compared to dogs.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 11:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 02:18 (15h 17m after Collected)
Pet Medical Support Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Akihito Yonemitsu), provider of the pet insurance 'PS Insurance', conducted a survey among 1,732 dog and cat owners nationwide to investigate the reality of 'how their dogs and cats behave at veterinary clinics'. We are pleased to present the detailed results.
[Survey Overview]
Period: April 1, 2026 (1 day)
Target: 1,732 dog and cat owners nationwide
Age of targets: 20 to 69 years old
Method: Internet research
Valid responses: 392 (22.6% of the 1,732 targeted individuals responded. Among these, 195 were dog owners and 197 were cat owners.)
*When quoting this aggregate data, please clearly state the source as "Pet Insurance 'PS Insurance Survey'".
[Survey Results: Reality of How Dogs and Cats Behave at Vet Clinics]
- Changes in Behavior at the Vet
For dogs: "Changes slightly" (40.1%) was the most common. Still, 30.5% maintain their own pace, showing a calm demeanor.
For cats: "Changes slightly" (42.8%) was the most common. "Doesn't change at all" was only 2.7%, suggesting cats' dislike for hospitals is deeply ingrained.
- Reactions Observed at the Vet
For dogs: "Becomes restless" (38.3%) was the most common. Shivering, clinging, and other forms of agitation were seen in 89.8% of dogs.
For cats: "Becomes restless" (35.7%) was the most common. Resistance such as meowing and trying to escape was more than double that of dogs, showing a strong aversion to clinics.
- Thoughts on Seeing Unusual Behavior at the Vet
For dogs: "It can't be helped" (49.7%) was the most common. The combined total for "I feel sorry" and "Poor thing" was about 46%, showing that many owners, while understanding logically, still feel emotionally torn.
For cats: "It can't be helped" (44.0%) was the most common. However, "I feel sorry" was 6.7 points higher than for dog owners, indicating that many owners feel guilty seeing their cats resist with all their might.
- Measures Taken to Reassure Pets During Vet Visits
For dogs: "Talking to calm them down" (61.7%) was the highest. "Holding them / placing them on my lap" was also high at 44.6%, showing the mainstream strategy of the owner becoming a 'secure base'.
For cats: "Talking to calm them down" (64.3%) was the highest. Combining "getting them used to the carrier normally" and "covering the carrier with a cloth" reached 47.2%, highlighting practical preparations unique to cat owners.
- How Owners Treat Their Pets After the Visit
For dogs: "Giving treats or rewards" (55.4%) was the highest. "Praising them a lot" and "Increasing hugs and petting" were also tied around 50%, turning the post-visit into a full-scale appreciation time.
For cats: "Giving treats or rewards" (59.9%) was the highest. On the other hand, "leaving them alone" was at 15.9%, more than three times that of dogs, showing owners who yield to the cat's own pace.
*Because these aggregated data are rounded to one decimal place, the total sum may not exactly equal 100%.
*For questions marked "multiple answers allowed," the denominator is the number of respondents for the question, so the total percentage of choices may exceed 100%.
*The actions of "going to the veterinary clinic" or "visiting the hospital" mentioned in the text are not limited to medical treatment, but also include going for health checkups and vaccinations.
[Behavioral Changes of Dogs and Cats at Veterinary Clinics]
Dog owners' responses:
"Changes slightly" (40.1%) was the most common. This was followed by "changes significantly" (29.4%), "doesn't change much" (24.1%), and "doesn't change at all" (6.4%).
Indeed, about 70% of dogs seem to show a "different face" at the veterinary clinic. One can imagine the scene where a dog that usually seeks constant affection at home looks completely serious on the examination table. On the other hand, about 30% answered "doesn't change much" or "doesn't change at all", so we cannot overlook the existence of strong-hearted dogs who proudly maintain their pace even at the clinic.
Cat owners' responses:
"Changes slightly" (42.8%) was the most common. This was followed by "changes significantly" (32.1%), "doesn't change much" (22.5%), and "doesn't change at all" (2.7%).
For cats, combining "changes significantly" and "changes slightly" reaches about 75%, slightly exceeding dogs (about 70%). Even cats who usually go their own way might honestly show their true feelings at the vet. Also, "doesn't change at all" is remarkably low at only 2.7% compared to dogs (6.4%), suggesting that a cat's hatred for veterinary clinics is truly ingrained.
*Owners who have "never been to a veterinary clinic" are excluded from this aggregation.
*In the aggregations below, respondents who selected "doesn't change at all" for changes in their pet's behavior at the clinic are excluded.
Reactions observed at the veterinary clinic
[Survey Overview]
Period: April 1, 2026 (1 day)
Target: 1,732 dog and cat owners nationwide
Age of targets: 20 to 69 years old
Method: Internet research
Valid responses: 392 (22.6% of the 1,732 targeted individuals responded. Among these, 195 were dog owners and 197 were cat owners.)
*When quoting this aggregate data, please clearly state the source as "Pet Insurance 'PS Insurance Survey'".
[Survey Results: Reality of How Dogs and Cats Behave at Vet Clinics]
- Changes in Behavior at the Vet
For dogs: "Changes slightly" (40.1%) was the most common. Still, 30.5% maintain their own pace, showing a calm demeanor.
For cats: "Changes slightly" (42.8%) was the most common. "Doesn't change at all" was only 2.7%, suggesting cats' dislike for hospitals is deeply ingrained.
- Reactions Observed at the Vet
For dogs: "Becomes restless" (38.3%) was the most common. Shivering, clinging, and other forms of agitation were seen in 89.8% of dogs.
For cats: "Becomes restless" (35.7%) was the most common. Resistance such as meowing and trying to escape was more than double that of dogs, showing a strong aversion to clinics.
- Thoughts on Seeing Unusual Behavior at the Vet
For dogs: "It can't be helped" (49.7%) was the most common. The combined total for "I feel sorry" and "Poor thing" was about 46%, showing that many owners, while understanding logically, still feel emotionally torn.
For cats: "It can't be helped" (44.0%) was the most common. However, "I feel sorry" was 6.7 points higher than for dog owners, indicating that many owners feel guilty seeing their cats resist with all their might.
- Measures Taken to Reassure Pets During Vet Visits
For dogs: "Talking to calm them down" (61.7%) was the highest. "Holding them / placing them on my lap" was also high at 44.6%, showing the mainstream strategy of the owner becoming a 'secure base'.
For cats: "Talking to calm them down" (64.3%) was the highest. Combining "getting them used to the carrier normally" and "covering the carrier with a cloth" reached 47.2%, highlighting practical preparations unique to cat owners.
- How Owners Treat Their Pets After the Visit
For dogs: "Giving treats or rewards" (55.4%) was the highest. "Praising them a lot" and "Increasing hugs and petting" were also tied around 50%, turning the post-visit into a full-scale appreciation time.
For cats: "Giving treats or rewards" (59.9%) was the highest. On the other hand, "leaving them alone" was at 15.9%, more than three times that of dogs, showing owners who yield to the cat's own pace.
*Because these aggregated data are rounded to one decimal place, the total sum may not exactly equal 100%.
*For questions marked "multiple answers allowed," the denominator is the number of respondents for the question, so the total percentage of choices may exceed 100%.
*The actions of "going to the veterinary clinic" or "visiting the hospital" mentioned in the text are not limited to medical treatment, but also include going for health checkups and vaccinations.
[Behavioral Changes of Dogs and Cats at Veterinary Clinics]
Dog owners' responses:
"Changes slightly" (40.1%) was the most common. This was followed by "changes significantly" (29.4%), "doesn't change much" (24.1%), and "doesn't change at all" (6.4%).
Indeed, about 70% of dogs seem to show a "different face" at the veterinary clinic. One can imagine the scene where a dog that usually seeks constant affection at home looks completely serious on the examination table. On the other hand, about 30% answered "doesn't change much" or "doesn't change at all", so we cannot overlook the existence of strong-hearted dogs who proudly maintain their pace even at the clinic.
Cat owners' responses:
"Changes slightly" (42.8%) was the most common. This was followed by "changes significantly" (32.1%), "doesn't change much" (22.5%), and "doesn't change at all" (2.7%).
For cats, combining "changes significantly" and "changes slightly" reaches about 75%, slightly exceeding dogs (about 70%). Even cats who usually go their own way might honestly show their true feelings at the vet. Also, "doesn't change at all" is remarkably low at only 2.7% compared to dogs (6.4%), suggesting that a cat's hatred for veterinary clinics is truly ingrained.
*Owners who have "never been to a veterinary clinic" are excluded from this aggregation.
*In the aggregations below, respondents who selected "doesn't change at all" for changes in their pet's behavior at the clinic are excluded.
Reactions observed at the veterinary clinic