Cat Friendly Practice

Despite the popularity of cats, small animal practices have historically had many fewer cat visits than dogs. Disturbing trends in cat ownership and care have been shown in past pet population and demographic studies. There are millions more owned cats than dogs in the US, for example, according to recent data . However, almost twice as many cats than dogs never visit the veterinarian. Of the cats that visit the veterinarian, they averaged 26 percent fewer visits and dogs. There are 2 major concerns that have been suggested reasons for this fact.

First is a lack of appreciation for the value and need for veterinary care for cats. Second is the concern over the stress resulting from a visit to the veterinarian. In many small animal practices, more effort goes into educating clients about the value and services that can be given to canine patients than their feline patients. Clients are often unaware how many veterinary services can improve the quality of life and life expectancy of their cat. Clients are also reluctant to put themselves and their cats through the struggle of going to the veterinarian, especially if they do not understand why going to the veterinarian is such an important part of a healthy life.

Most clients demonstrate willingness to pursue good veterinary care if the veterinary team overcome these 2 giant hurdles. Many clients who have both dogs and cats choose a different practice for their cat because they experience a difference in the level of care delivered.

You can help clients ensure a longer better quality of life for their beloved cat by improving Wellness care, education, and being proactive about diagnosing diseases early. This builds a strong and more productive practice relationship with the clients and improves care for the cat. There are so many ways for veterinarians to improve client visits, especially with our aging cat population. Learning strategies to lessen the stress of the veterinary visit can encourage more frequent usage of the services a veterinarian offers. As we improve our understanding of feline patients’ needs our clients will see our greater interest and knowledge. On client relationships build loyalty and trust and open the door for client referrals recommending your practice to their friends and family as being catfriendly.

Cats evolved have physical and behavioral characteristics that make them specialized hunters of rodents and other small prey. They are developed to be solitary hunters, and are motivated to hunt by The sight and sound of prey. In order to be a successful hunter the cat will search its hunting range during times when its main prey are active and vulnerable which is usually at dawn and dusk. The cat is an obligate carnivore or hyper carnivore unable to survive or thrive without nutrients found in meat such as taurine.

Cats are a mesopredator they are also prey as both predator and prey they have unique reactions to unfamiliar environments and stimulation. They have evolved ability to hide disease a strength when worried about potential predators. This can make healthcare and observation challenging.

As cats are solitary hunters they are naturally Neo-phobic that is fearful in unfamiliar environments and highly efficient at defending themselves against perceived threats. Any change can be frightening. Cats are highly motivated to flee as well as attack any sudden movement. Team members should move slowly and develop distraction techniques that can diffuse escalating stress in the cat. The risk of potential infection from bites and scratches can be high. Learning strategies that help avoid stress will help keep people and animals safer. Recent data has demonstrated that workers’ injury are lower in cat friendly practices. Finding ways to minimize fear and defensive aggression are important. Understanding that many cats will be compelled to fight if not given an opportunity to hide can keep staff and clients safer.

We often use the term territory quite loosely, but in behavioral terms it is the area that a cat is prepared to defend. In the wild, the cat’s survival and hunting success depends on the Integrity of its individual home range and territory and resting area. Consequently cats are usually cautious and concerned about any intrusions into their territory, especially at certain times such as dawn and dusk. As household pets, cats are fed by their owners and they don’t need to hunt to survive, however they still have a strong drive to hunt and establish territories and ranges.

Cats use scent as a means of social communication usually to keep other cats at a distance except when looking for mates or scent-marking members of their feline group. Cats have scent glands on their lips and chin, the top of the head, along the top of the tail, in between the digits of their paws, and around their anal region. When a cat rubs around its owners it is these areas that leave its unique scent. Similarly cats mark in the same way on Twigs branches and other objects in their territory. They will also climb trees and fences leaving both a visual and scent mark from glands between their paw pads. All cats regardless of sex or reproductive status scent mark in some way. Scent is the first sense used for feeding. Food doesn’t smell palatable the cat won’t even attempt to taste. Diseases such as upper respiratory infection compromise the sense of smell and cats may not wish to eat . Releasing odors by warming up food may make it more tempting.

There are no familiar scents in the veterinary practice so anxiety maybe high. Bringing familiar items from home to veterinary visits can help alleviate some of the stress . Similarly, stay in the hospital may be less stressful If an item from home with a familiar scent can be left with the cat. Washing hands and surface wiping is essential for hygiene, but also to remove the scent of other animals. Strong disinfectants can be overwhelming. Rinse and let dry before introducing a cat to a cage. Avoid alcohol due to the strong smell. Use an appropriately dilute chlorhexidine solution or another safe agent instead of alcohol for cleaning skin prior to sample collection or intravenous injection. Use of synthetic pheromones can help comfort cats and be useful in the practice.

Cats are excellent at hiding signs of illness and pain so as not to attract attention. As solitary hunters, this is an important mechanism to prevent predators from recognizing their weakness. Owners may not be aware that the cat is suffering because the signs are so subtle.

The cat that survives on its own outside does not need feline company. He can hunt by himself find his own den, and defend territory. He can keep himself clean, claws sharp, and protect himdself by being highly aware of using his agility, speed, and strength to get out of trouble . Hiding or fleeing is preferred over fighting if a cat faces danger. Where they do live together, cats do not form structure packs like dogs and there is no dominance hierarchy among a group of cats. The assumption that cats need the company of their own species is based on human perceptions of sociability. Cats may react quickly if disturbed or frightened in the veterinary practice. Since they are not allowed a means by which to hide or flea to lessen their anxiety in the practice environment they may result in defense of aggression. Hiding is an important feline coping strategy in an unfamiliar environment. A cat can feel more safe hidden in the bottom half of a carrier, under a towel, or in a cat bed and it can also be safer to work with for the veterinary team. Slow quiet approach and avoiding eye contact will minimize threat. Avoid sharp or loud noises when working with cats as they can be very alarming to an already hyper-vigilant animal. Scruffing or intrusive handling can cause fear and panic. Bring all necessary equipment into the examination room and avoid going in and out of the room. You can also be beneficial to conduct many procedures in the examination room to avoid increased stress to the cat by bringing them into a different room. A single unpleasant event at the practice can affect future visits for this patient. Cats are excellent at hiding signs of pain or vulnerability. Owners may have noticed behavior changes but are not aware of their significance.

Becoming a practice that is genuinely cat-friendly involves our attention to 3 distinct acts aspects of the day:

• It is important the practice has a proactive approach to client communication and education. The entire practice culture should reflect a passion for ensuring the best possible experience for feline patients and increasing the quality of care provided
• Measure should also be in place to ensure practice outcomes are being monitored, new staff are trained and feline friendly tactics and improvements are being made where necessary
• Practices need to ensure that they have appropriate equipment facilities and instruments to ensure feline patients are cared for in the best and safest possible way

Effective communication between the practice and the client is vitally important in delivering comprehensive care to the feline patient. It is important that communications are done in an empathetic and understanding way, and that clients are given the opportunity to contribute to any discussions and voice any concerns. The central goal is for clients to be involved in all treatment plan decisions and that those decisions are individualized for each patient and the owner as well. Effective communication not only applies to clinical investigations and treatments, but to all aspects of client communication and education. For example, client should be informed about procedures, how best to transport the cat to the practice, what to expect when they arrive, what will happen during the exam as it is narrated to them, and respectfully asked about their cat’s past behaviors in the veterinary practice when booking an appointment.

Patience, gentleness, and empathy are important in the exam room. Even with the best environment and approach, some cats will remain very anxious and a full physical examination may be challenging. Remember that each cat deserves a comprehensive physical exam. Be prepared to take additional time, schedule another appointment if needed, or hospitalize the cat if necessary. Again, remember that attitude and approach taken by staff in the exam room may determine whether or not the client will ever bring the cat back to the practice. As with history taking a standardized form for physical examination will make sure that all the activities that need to be done are completed.

There is a checklist in manual that completely describes all of the techniques and discipline needed to create a cat-friendly practice . There is a checklist that can be used to summarize the larger manual to make sure that everything is complete . The techniques and strategies are easy to implement and well described in the manual. More help is available by contacting the cat-friendly practice team . The most important step is to recognize that there is a need to make the adaptations in the first place. By incorporating these recommendations into your practice you will provide better care for cats and develop more lasting and productive bonds with your client.

Resources

• Catvets.com
• Catfriendly.com
• American Association of Feline Practitioners