A cat’s less‑than‑fearless trip to the vet has struck a chord online after his owner shared a clip captioned: “watch my cat absolutely not being brave at the vet.”
The video shows Joker, a cat from Miami Beach, clinging tightly to his owner during a routine check‑up.
What began as a lighthearted post quickly turned into a wider moment of recognition for pet owners, with commenters flooding the feed with videos and photos of their own animals hiding during vet visits—from burrowing into their owners’ arms to squeezing behind boxes and even curling up inside sinks.
Vet visits are a common source of stress for pets, but the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) does have some tips for helping your pet have a calmer vet visit.
They suggest starting with carrier training, getting your pet used to being in the carrier by leaving it out at home and making it enticing with blankets and even some catnip.
The same thing can be done with car rides, trying out short car rides and praising and rewarding them throughout.
Other tips include spraying the inside of your cat’s carrier with a pheromone calming spray before they get inside, and lots of positive reinforcement including treats, petting, brushing, play, whatever your cat values most.
Joker’s owner, Marianna, said the visit was simply a routine check‑up and described her cat as affectionate and deeply attached to her.
“My cat is very sweet but not the most smart,” Marianna told Newsweek, laughing. “Sometimes you might have the impression he is not even aware of his surroundings but as long as I’m there he’s fine. He’s very attached to me.”
Joker’s clingy behavior is nothing new. “This is not unusual at all, he follows me around and climbs on me all the time,” Marianna said, adding that she often shares content showing that side of his personality.
She said she decided to post the video simply because she found the moment endearing. “I shared the video because he was too cute not to share,” she said, noting she was surprised by how strongly people responded as the video gained more than 2 million views. “I was super impressed by the people reaction especially about how the feed became a place for people to share pics of their cats at the vet, I think it’s very cute.”
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.
