We understand it may be stressful when you have to bring your cat to see us. This is why we are proud to announce that we have not only been accredited as a Cat Friendly Clinic, but also at their highest level with a Gold Award.
As all of our cat owners know, cats are not just small dogs and they have very specific needs. This is why we have worked hard to achieve the Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation to reassure our clients that our vets, nurses and reception team understand cats and their requirements. All of our team love our feline friends and are happy to help you, but now we have specially selected 'Cat Advocates' who have made cat care their priority. Our Cat Advocates are:
Cat Friendly Clinic is an internationally-recognised award. It means that we have met criteria to ensure all the needs of your cat are met. Here are some of the features we have at the practice to help make your visit as stress-free as possible, for you and your cat.
Cat Waiting Room
When you arrive at the practice, don't be surprised if we ask you to sit in the quiet designated cat waiting room. We also have cage covers available so that your cat can relax out of sight of other animals.
Large Consultation Rooms
All complete with 'cat friendly' equipment, such as cat weighing scales. We allow cats to investigate the environment prior to examining them to help them feel at ease and can also offer double appointments where necessary.
Hospital Ward
As a Cat Friendly Clinic, our cat patients are hospitalised in a separate ward so they are not near the dogs. We have just installed new, deluxe size cat kennels for our feline patients who have to stay over with us. We use feline forts in our cages which allow cats to hide (if they're feeling worried) or perch on top. A selection of beds, cat litters, food, bowls and toys all help ensure our feline patients are as comfortable as possible, in a calm, quiet environment, while they receive the treatment they need.
Equipment
We have up-to-date facilities and equipment which help us when diagnosing and treating our smaller, feline patients. For example, we use super quiet clippers, flexible thermometers and have just invested in a cat specific Blood Pressure Monitoring kit.
Use of Pheromones
Stress is a contributing factor to many illnesses in cats. We try hard to minimise as many causes of stress as possible for our feline friends when they visit the practice. Pheromone plug-ins and sprays are in constant use in the practice; all our cages and examination areas are sprayed for each patient and plug-in diffusers are working constantly in our cat waiting room and cat hospital ward. These are also available to purchase from the practice and can be sprayed directly into your cat’s basket approximately 30 minutes before travelling to help keep your cat calm and reduce stress.
Staff Training
Cats often struggle to communicate with humans effectively; all of our staff are trained to a high standard, not only to be aware of these behaviours but also in appropriate cat friendly handling techniques. As a Cat Friendly Clinic, all of our vets and nurses understand that cats need to be approached in a gentle, calm and empathetic way to minimise their anxiety during their visit to us.
For more information or if you are worried about bringing your cat to us, please contact the surgery and ask to speak to one of our Cat Advocates who will be happy to advise you.
To find out more about the cat friendly clinic accreditation, visit Cat Friendly Clinic