Cat Friendly Accreditation

Many people will know our Senior Vet Jill Crawford, she has been the driving force behind us achieving Bronze Level Cat Friendly Accreditation at our Bellingham and Stocksfield Branches. She is our Cat Advocate, if you have any feline related questions she is your lady!

All of our staff have received extra training about making a cats visit to the vets as stress free as possible, we have created separate waiting areas and the cats lead the way in the consultation room…

Below is some information from the ISFM who award the accreditation:

What is special about 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

What is a Cat Friendly 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 understand of what is going on

Would you like more information? Call Jill for a chat or visit the ISFM website here…
https://catfriendlyclinic.org/