We Became a Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice

Belinda likes to sit back, relax, and enjoy her stress-free abdominal ultrasound.

Many cat owners know the feelings they experience when they have to take their cat to the veterinary clinic.  Maybe your cat howls the entire drive to and from the clinic.  Perhaps their behaviour is less than congenial once you get there. Believe me, I understand.  I have one cat who is terrified of anything outside of her home turf, and another one that turns into a wild panther who seems to be on a seek and destroy mission. These are some of the reasons that I sought to make changes in our clinic to ensure that our feline friends would be as calm and stress-free as possible during their veterinary visits.  And with any luck, that sense of calmness would to extend to all of us anxious cat owners.

Some cats are easily disgruntled by just the thought of visiting the veterinary clinic. Tucker, pictured above, is a perfect example of such a cat.

If there’s one thing I love most about cats, it’s that you really have to earn it with them.  They typically can’t be instantly won over with a treat like your typical Labrador retriever.  You need to take it slow and speak their language.  So with this tactic in mind, let me explain a little bit about our Cat Friendly Practice certification.

The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) was founded in 1970 and represents a large network of veterinarians and veterinary technologist members.  Their vision:“ We are trusted leaders in feline health and welfare in the veterinary community and cat caregivers.” Not only that, but they promote, support and deliver resources for high standard of practice, science-based medicine and continuing education.  I am indeed a member of this organization, and as such became enthralled with the idea of gaining our Cat Friendly Practice certification.

The Cat Friendly Practice program was developed to make veterinary visits more enjoyable for cats and their owners. Through methods of fear-free handling, changes in clinic layout and protocols, this can be achieved with just a little bit of dedication and know-how.  Additionally, all Cat Friendly Practices must adhere to high standard of medical care within their cat medicine and surgery program. The certification process involves a very extensive checklist and submission package that must prove that we are in fact, as Cat Friendly as we say we are.

For the sake of time, let’s summarize some of the fantastic efforts we have made to ensure ours cats are “Feline Fine” when they visit Central Veterinary Services:

·     A cat-only room so that previous dog scents are not left behind

·     Separate feline waiting area with visual separation from dogs in the waiting room

·     Feliway feline pheromone diffuser to enhance feelings of calmness

·     Classical music playing during the appointment

·     Irresistible “Catit” lickable treats given at the time of examination and vaccines

·     As many diagnostics as possible performed in the exam room to avoid moving the cat throughout the clinic

·     Specialized cat vaccines that are non-adjuvanted and less likely to cause vaccine site reactions

·     Privacy shields and perches for in-clinic kennels when cats are hospitalized

·     Feline Ambassadors – staff members who have taken a particular interest in feline care and help to uphold our standards of practice

·     Extensive adherence to high standard veterinary medicine and surgery

I will be the first to say that this project was a lot of work, but I will also be the first to say that the rewards have been immense.  Cats are happier, owners are happier, and we are happier too.  Cats are able to visit the clinic without it automatically becoming a stressful experience.  Cat owners are able to see their cat experience a well-tolerated, or at best, an enjoyable experience.  And finally, your veterinary team is able to interact with your cat in such a way that they can provide the best treatment that your feline friend deserves.

It is worth mentioning, that there will always be a few skeptical cats out there, and we certainly don’t discriminate. Some cats, through past experience, genetics or some other unknown factor, will simply not buy into our cat friendly tactics. That’s perfectly ok.  We simply see these patients as those requiring a little extra thought and consideration in approaching their care.  Sometimes they need a sedative so that they don’t have to experience any of the mental stress associated with us intruding upon their personal space. Sometimes cats prefer an at-home visit. Regardless of your cat’s preferences, our mission is to find out what they are so that we can cater to them and ensure a positive experience for everyone.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, Gold Level Certification means that we are in fact pretty awesome.