Successful kitten consults

Successful kitten visits to the clinic will set the feline patient up for a lifetime of veterinary care, as Liz O’Brien explains.
 

Introduction

According to Leonardo Da Vinci “The smallest feline is a masterpiece”, so it should perhaps not be surprising that kittens are incredibly popular with animal lovers, and therefore make up a significant proportion of the veterinary patient population in both first opinion small animal and feline specialty practices. Providing a positive experience for every owner and kitten at both their initial and consecutive clinic visits is critical, with the start of life stage being the veterinary team’s opportunity to educate the client and develop a long-term and trusted relationship, which will lay the foundation for a lifetime of preventive healthcare for their pet.

Understanding the feline patient

It is vital to understand the feline patient, not just in their needs, but also how they – and their owners – perceive the veterinary visit. More than any other species, cats need good preventive healthcare and early disease detection, which is only possible with regular veterinary visits. Cats are masters at hiding illness, and their signs of sickness are subtle. Yet despite the requirement for regular preventive healthcare, cat owners visit veterinary practices far less than dog owners, although a 2006 US survey indicates that 78% of cat families considered their pets to actually be family members [1]. Part of the reason that cats are less likely to be taken to the veterinary clinic is the “stress” of the veterinary visit, for both cat and the client. A recent study revealed that 58.2% of clients hate bringing their cat to the veterinarian and 38% feel stressed just thinking about it [2], and in reality, such visits are often extremely challenging for cats, clients and the veterinary team as well. A further factor to consider is owner perception; in North America, the majority of cats are kept as exclusively indoor pets, and their owners often falsely believe that they are free from disease risk. This “Myth of the Indoor Cat” can make it difficult for veterinary teams to convince clients to bring their cats in for an annual or biannual appointment. However, the multiple visits required to complete the necessary preventive healthcare steps for a kitten offer the opportunity to create a wonderful “cat centric” experience, one that is both enjoyed by the client and does not result in undue stress for the patient. In addition, the appointments and communications provide an ideal time to educate the client and plant the seeds for a future of regular veterinary care.