Accredited Cat Friendly Practice

 

We understand it is stressful when you have to bring your cat to see us. This is why we are proud to hold Gold Level Cat Friendly accreditation at Pet Universe Broadview & Pet Universe Northgate (which has a separate cat entrance, reception area, consult room and mini-treatment area).To find out more, visit www.catfriendlyclinic.org

Cat Friendly Clinic is an internationally-recognised award. It means that we have met criteria to ensure all the needs of your cat are met.Pet Universe Broadview & Northgate both hold Advanced Gold-Level Certification. To find out more about what this means to your feline friend, visit www.catfriendlyclinic.org

 

 

Stress is a contributing factor to many illnesses in cats and this is why we are proud of our Cat Friendly Clinic status. We try hard to minimise as many causes of stress as possible for our feline friends when they visit the practice.

As all of our cat owners know, cats are not small dogs and they have very specific needs. This is why we have worked hard to achieve Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation to reassure our clients that our vets, nurses and reception team understand cats and their requirements.

A stay in a human hospital is not something that we humans particularly enjoy – we would rather be in our own homes. It is the same for our cats. So when they do need our help by coming to the clinic, we do as much as we can to make our patients comfortable and stress-free. Our cat patients are housed in a separate ward so they are not near the dogs. This ensures they get all the rest they need in a calm, quiet environment.

When you visit us, don’t be surprised if we ask you to sit in the quiet designated cat area of our waiting room. As a Cat Friendly Clinic we have separate dog and cat waiting areas to help reduce your cat’s stress.

 

All of our team love our feline friends and are happy to help you, but we also have a specially designated Cat Advocate who has made cat care his/her priority. At Pet Universe Broadview our veterinarian advocate is Dr. Michelle and our nurse advocate is Doris Martino. At Pet Universe Northgate our veterinarian advocate is Dr. Madeleine and our nurse advocate is Maddie Paley.

If you have to travel with your cat, we recommend the use of Feliway for your cat. Use Feliway to help reduce the stress this may cause by spraying it into your cat’s basket 30 minutes before travelling to help keep your cat calm. For more information, please contact the surgery and ask to speak to our Cat Advocate who will be happy to advise you.

Did you know cats feel less stressed when they are screened off from all the action. With this in mind we now provide hand-made Cat Carrier Covers which are available free of charge for in-clinic use and are also for sale.

Worried about bringing your cat into the clinic? We have some tips to help reduce stress. Want to know about preventive care for your cat – call to speak to our Cat Advocate to discuss your and your cat’s specific situation.

Catnip produces a temporary euphoric state in about two thirds of our feline friends. As a Cat Friendly Clinic we stock toys that contain this herb. If you haven’t tried it yet, we suggest you give it a go, as it’s great for stimulating a cat’s natural playfulness.

Cats are very clean, proud creatures and do not like sharing a toilet. If you have more than one feline friend, the general rule when it comes to litter trays is one per cat plus a spare.
As a Cat Friendly Clinic, we have “deluxe” size cat kennels for our feline patients who have to stay over with us. This ensures they are as comfortable as possible while they receive the treatment they need.

As a Cat Friendly Clinic, we want to give your cat time to get used to our environment. So when you go into the consulting room, don’t be alarmed if the vet lets your cat have a look around the room first before giving it a thorough examination. Investigating the environment first helps to reduce your cat’s stress levels.

As a Cat Friendly Clinic, all of our vets and nurses understand that cats need to be approached in a gentle, calm and empathetic way to minimise their anxiety during their visit to us.

How to Reduce Stress During The Journey to the Vets

How to reduce stress when transporting your cat to the vets

Medications for Cats to Reduce Anxiety and Nausea

Some cats may require medications that help decrease anxiety, such as Gabapentin . Gabapentin
is an anxiolytic, analgesic, and anti-epileptic medication that disinhibits aggression. In a capsule,
the powder is tasteless and can be mixed into the food. Please ask us and we will prescribe and dispense this medication in advance
as it has to be given as two doses prior to the veterinary visit for peak effect.

Motion sickness can also induce fear in cats. These cats should have no food or water for 3-6 hours prior to the visit, can be given
Gabapentin (as already stated above), and may need anti-nausea medications, such as maropitant. Again this is something we can prescribe in advance.

How to Tablet Your Cat

https://icatcare.org/advice/how-to-give-your-cat-a-tablet/