Cats need routine veterinary care every bit as much as dogs, but, so often we do not see our feline friends unless they are ill. Cats are unique and beautiful creatures, but they are notoriously difficult travelers and become easily stressed. Patton Veterinary Hospital is pleased to announce that we have achieved Gold Status as a Cat Friendly Practice, which we hope will help to make visits to the veterinarian with your cat a little easier.
What is a Cat Friendly Practice? Patton Veterinary Hospital has made it our mission to create a less stressful, fear free environment for cats with a special wing known as Patton’s Cat Hospital This separate area of our hospital is for cats ONLY ~ no dogs allowed! This reduces the sights, sounds and smells of a veterinary clinic that are stressful to many cats. The cat waiting room is a small, quiet, soothing area in which to wait with your cat before his or her appointment.
Use of calming feline pheromones and towels further helps to reduce stress. We also try to remove the lid of your cat’s carrier and may even let him sit in the bottom of the carrier during the exam to minimize handling. Cats do not like to be pulled through the front of the box. Removing the top of the cat carrier is much gentler way of preparing your kitty for her exam. Once she is out of the carrier, we can safely and gently perform our exam with the assistance of our specially trained nurses. If your cat is a little “spicy” we may wrap him in a towel or use other gentle handling techniques to complete our examination.
Cats are free to roam the exam room before or after their examination and many find our little hide-away drawers to be a nice temporary escape! We also have no shame about bribing your cat ~ treats, catnip and even spray cheese may be used to make your cat’s visit a positive experience!
Patton’s nurses and doctors also know that the more times your cat is moved from room to room, the more his stress level will increase, and it will take longer for your cat to adjust and calm down again. As a result, we aim to perform as many procedures in the exam room as possible-including drawing blood-allowing you to remain with your cat if you wish.
The Cat Friendly Practice brochure reads, “When you see the CFP designation at a practice, you can be confident your cat will be given exceptional care and attention through all phases of the visit including examinations, procedures, and/or hospitalization. The Cat Friendly Practice designation indicates the practice has demonstrated higher levels of commitment.”
Patton Veterinary Hospital is committed to bettering veterinary visits for cats. We want to see your cats regularly and to keep them happy and healthy for as long as possible. We know how special the human-animal bond is and we hope you will choose us as your primary care hospital for your cats, knowing they will receive the highest level of respect and care.