Cat Friendly Clinic
What is a Cat-Friendly Clinic?
We understand that there are unique difficulties in bringing a cat to a veterinary clinic:
- Cats often do not travel well and feel unsafe away from their home
- They are highly sensitive to new sights, sounds and smells
- Most cats prefer quiet and solitude and are highly susceptible to stress
- Most cats are highly stressed by nearby dogs in the clinic
- Cats need to be handled gently and with respect in the clinic
An accredited Cat-Friendly Clinic has reached a higher standard of cat care in that the staff:
- Understand the needs of cats and have made visits to the vet clinic more cat-friendly
- Understand how to approach and handle cats gently and with care
- Have good knowledge and equipment to manage the care of cats
Achieving Cat-Friendly Clinic accreditation involves all staff, from receptionists, nurses and technicians, through to vets. Each accredited clinic also has at least one ‘Cat Advocate’ – someone who ensures the cat-friendly standards are adhered to, and who would be happy to talk to you.
What does it mean for my cat and me?
A Cat-Friendly Clinic gives you peace of mind and reassurance, letting you know that:
- The clinic has achieved certain minimum accreditation standards
- The clinic and clinic staff have thought about the specific needs of cats
- The staff will be happy to talk with you, show you what they do, and show you around the clinic
- The staff will explain your cat’s treatment and recovery clearly and sensitively so that you have a full understanding of what is going on
What are the different levels of Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation?
Cat-Friendly Clinic (CFC) accreditation is at three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. These recognise that vet clinics vary widely in their size, location, structure, staffing and equipment.
Staff at every accredited clinic have promised to handle and treat cats with understanding, gentleness and respect, and to make every effort to make the visit to the clinic as stress-free for you and your cat as possible. Staff are required to maintain and update their knowledge on clinical matters and continuing professional development (CPD) is a Cat-Friendly Clinic criteria.
Gold Standard clinics have the additional advantages of -
- 15-minute consultations as standard. This gives your cat plenty of time to explore the room and settle during a consultation.
- A separate cat only consulting room where dogs are not allowed. This prevents the stress of dog smells. We also use Pet Remedy and Feliway diffusers and sprays in our rooms and on our blankets.
- Recognising that cats like being higher up and provide benches and counters that you can place your cat boxes on whilst waiting in the waiting room and paying at the reception.
- Clean blankets sprayed with Pet Remedy to cover your carrier whilst you are waiting. This promotes a relaxed feeling and provides your cat with a safe place to hide.
- Cat only wards for hospitalised patients.
- A range of diagnostic equipment specifically designed for use with cats in mind.
Our cat advocate is Lisa Phillips CertVR Cert GP(FelP) BVetMed MRCVS.
For more information about the cat-friendly scheme visit -
