The ‘Cat Friendly Clinic’ certification is a worldwide programme from the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM).
Here at The Stocks Vets we recognise that bringing a cat to a veterinary clinic can be stressful, for both cats and their owners.
Cats are highly sensitive and can feel unsafe away from their home. Most cats are highly susceptible to stress and this can impact their overall experience at the vets.
Cat Friendly Clinics address these issues and try hard to minimise as many causes of stress as possible for our feline friends when they visit the practice.
An accredited Cat Friendly Clinic has reached higher standards of care when dealing with cats, this includes;
- Understanding the needs of cats and how to make visits to the vets less stressful
- Knowing how to handle cats gently and correctly
- Having good knowledge of the most appropriate equipment and facilities available for cats during their stay
There are three levels for a Cat Friendly Accreditation- Bronze, Silver and Gold.
All clinics must meet the minimum criteria (Bronze level) but additional criteria are needed to achieve Silver or Gold level accreditation.
Details of the requirements for each level can be found on www.catfriendlyclinic.org
Here at The Stocks Vets, we have proudly achieved Silver accreditation.
What does it mean for me and my cat?
Knowing your veterinary practice is an accredited Cat Friendly Clinic gives you reassurance that they have thought about the welfare of your cat and their needs.
It means staff are trained in approaching and handling cats sensitively and respectfully, and in maintaining high standards of veterinary care.
When you visit us, don’t be surprised if we ask you to sit in the quiet designated cat area of our waiting room. As an ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic we have separate dog and cat waiting areas at our Upton surgery to help reduce your cat’s stress.
Worried about bringing your cat into the clinic? We have some tips to help reduce stress. Call to speak to our Cat Advocate (Kimberley James) to discuss your and your cat’s specific situation.