Vet Happiness is now an internationally accredited Cat Friendly Clinic…but what does that mean?
The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) is the veterinary division of International Cat Care, a charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of cats, worldwide.
Our ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic scheme accreditation means that we have reached a higher standard in cat care, in that we:
- Understand the needs of cats and have made vet visits 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.
We understand that there are unique difficulties in bringing cats to the veterinary clinic, including:
- Cats often don’t travel well and feel unsafe away from their home.
- Cats are highly sensitive to new sights, sounds and smells.
- Cats need to be handled gently and with respect in the clinic.
- Most cats prefer quiet and solitude and are highly susceptible to stress.
- Most cats are highly stressed by nearby dogs in a vet clinic.
The specific cat friendly features of Veterinary Happiness:
- Separate waiting area space for cats, with custom shelving that keeps cats off the ground and sheltered from other cats and dogs.
- Separate cat only hospital ward.
- Extended 20 minute consultation times.
- Full surgical suite and additional equipment including x-ray, ultrasound and dental facilities.
- In-house laboratory.
The fact that our clinic has become an ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic gives you peace of mind and reassurance, letting you know that we have achieved the high accreditation standards that the clinic and staff recognise specific needs of cats.
Our staff have promised to handle and treat cats with understanding, gentleness and respect, and will make every effort to ensure that your visit to the clinic is as stress-free as possible for you and your cat.
If you would like any further information feel free to speak to our Cat Advocate, Dr Rebecca.