THE CAT FRIENDLY CLINIC SCHEME
Marshall and Pringle have now become accredited as a Cat Friendly Clinic at Silver Level!
International Cat Care have recognised our clinic as Feline Friendly!
What is a Cat Friendly Clinic?
We understand that there are unique difficulties in bringing a cat to a veterinary clinic:
Cats often do not travel well and feel unsafe away from their home
They are highly sensitive to new sights, sounds and smells
Most cats prefer quiet and solitude and are highly susceptible to stress
Most cats are highly stressed by nearby dogs in the clinic
Cats need to be handled gently and with respect in the clinic
An accredited Cat Friendly Clinic has reached a higher standard of cat care in that the staff:
Understand the needs of cats and make visits to the vet clinic more cat friendly
Understand how to approach and handle cats gently and with care and respect
Have good knowledge and equipment to manage the care of cats
Will explain your cat’s treatment and recovery clearly and sensitively so that you have a full understanding of what is going on
Meet Our Cat Advocates
Cat Advocates agree to make sure that all Cat Friendly Clinic criteria relevant to the level of accreditation awarded are met and maintained at all times.
Cat Advocate Responsibilities
Staff
All staff meet the appropriate continued professional development requirements and suitable materials are easily accessible to enable this.
New staff are informed of the Cat Friendly Clinic criteria and there is ongoing staff education on these.
All staff adhere to International Cat Care’s Cat Friendly Principles at all times.
Cat interactions
All staff adhere to the AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Interaction and Veterinary Environment Guidelines at all times.
Staff avoid forceful restraint or ‘scruffing’ of cats, or inappropriate equipment such as gauntlets, cat bags, muzzles and cat nets.
Feline health & wellbeing
The clinic has a protocol for wellness checks for cats which all staff implement.
Pain is assessed in all cats and appropriate analgesic therapy administered where required.
Surgical operations for the purpose of modifying the appearance of a cat or for non-medical purposes are never carried out or recommend by the clinic.
The clinic always has access to information on the management of poisoning.
Clients and Caregivers
Clients always have access to emergency care and information on how to access it is easily available.
Caregivers are aware of who is caring for their cat(s) and who the Cat Advocate(s) are.
Information on topics such as how to transport a cat to the clinic, medicating cats and the Cat Friendly Clinic programme are easily available to caregivers.
Options for investigations/treatments and costs are always discussed with caregivers/owners and written estimates/itemised invoices provided on request.
Informed consent is sought for all procedures.
The clinic always records and acts on complaints.
Health, safety & hygiene
A good standard of cleanliness and hygiene is maintained in the clinic at all times.
All applicable health, safety and legal regulations that relate to veterinary clinics in your country are always adhered to.
Waiting room
Cat carriers are raised up off the floor and a cover placed over them.
Cats and dogs are separated by a visual barrier unless the clinic is a mobile clinic or cat-only appointment times are in place for all routine appointments.
Consultations
Appropriate equipment, including a portable blood pressure machine is available for all consultations.
All routine appointments are at least 10 minutes long (15 minutes for Gold accredited clinics).
A thorough patient history and clinical examination is performed at every routine examination.
Hospitalisation
Where hospitalisation facilities exist, these meet the relevant criteria for every cat (i.e. cage dimensions, provision of hiding etc.) according to the level of accreditation awarded.
Procedures
Where facilities for general anaesthesia, surgery, dentistry and/or diagnostic imaging exist, these meet the relevant criteria for every procedure, according to the level of accreditation awarded.
All laboratory procedures are carried out by trained staff.
Medicines
All medicinal products are handled, used and stored according to manufacturer’s recommendations and statutory requirements.
Adverse drug events are reported to the appropriate veterinary drug, and/or licensing authority/authoritiesBy providing these measures and educating clients to recognise and appreciate the effect of fear and anxiety in their pets, we hope to improve their experiences and long -term relationship with the vet clinic. This way we can keep them happy, healthy and safe to be treasured by their family for as long as possible.
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