Note: Kudos to the Vet Candy team who summarized the recently published Cat Friendly Guidelines and to the almost 3,700 clinics and practices across 57 countries who have achieved official ‘Cat Friendly’ status.
The cat’s veterinary experience includes their journey to the clinic, their interactions with team members, the social environment, as well as the physical environment of the clinic.
These aspects are all addressed in two ‘Cat Friendly Guidelines’ published jointly by the International Society of Feline Medicine and the American Association of Feline Practitioners. They appear in a Cat Friendly Special Issue of the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and are available, together with a suite of supporting information and resources, at <Link>.
Source: Vet Candy, November 3, 2022. Link. The Cat Friendly Guidelines offer myriad practical tips for both minimizing negative experiences and promoting positive experiences.
The concept of cooperative care is described as being the future for cat friendly. This will require new skills to be developed and practiced, both at home and in the veterinary practice, to help cats feel more relaxed and in control in medical situations where they may naturally feel fearful and/or frustrated.”