by Aisling O’Donoghue RVN
Working in a feline-friendly practice has been an ambition since I was in vet nursing school, and I’m so proud to work for Rockhall Veterinary where we implement the philosophy with great enthusiasm. After nursing school I studied for a certificate in this area so that I could bring these skills with me into employment.
So what does the feline-friendly approach mean for our practice? It is of enormous benefit to the cat, the owner and veterinary staff. At its most fundamental, we appreciate that cats have unique needs when they come to see us. We recognise them for the solitary, territorial, prey animals that they are and this influences our approach in the waiting room, the consult room and when they are hospitalised. Given their nature, many aspects of the veterinary visit are stressful to them. They don’t appreciate the presence of cats they don’t know. They are very attached to home so find it difficult when they are put in a new environment such as the vets. We normally think of them as predators but they’re prey animals too, so they get stressed in the presence of dogs, even if they are comfortable with the dogs at home.
“Our Cat Cubbies complete with Blankies”. ”Hiding spots in our ward area” “Gentle handling and lots of cuddles”
We do much to allieviate their stress from the moment they enter the clinic. (And don’t forget there is much you can do to alleviate their stress before you leave for the vet clinic, but thats for another blog). In the waiting room we provide “cat cubbies” which are up off the ground, so that their not at eye level with dogs waiting to be seen. Cats feel much safer when they can survey their environment from a height. We also provide blankets to cover cat carriers, because stressed cats are much happier when they are able to hide from view. In the consult room the vets use low-stress handling to examine cats. They take their time so the cat has time to adjust to a strange place. They keep their voices quiet, and interact with the cat with the utmost gentleness. We never scruff cats because this is highly unpleasant for the cat and if they are acting out aggressively through fear, it only serves to escalate it. In both our consult room and kennel area we use Feliway diffusers to help the cats feel more secure. It’s a natural product that mimics the calming pheremones that a mother cat produces when she is nursing her kittens.
There are multiple benefits to being cat-friendly. The cats are happier, we hope that you the owner will be happier, and it provides safety for the staff as the less stressed a cat becomes, the easier they are to treat and handle. It’s a win-win for everybody.
From all at Rockhall Veterinary, Clare Street Vet, Henry Street Vets, Limerick and Shannon Vets, CO. Clare, we just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate Aisling on battling hard whilst working away with us and completing her ISFM Certificate in Feline Veterinary Nursing.
If you would like to speak to Aisling about your anxious cat, then you can find her at our Clare Street Vets branch, Limerick, 061415104 or email her clarestreetvets@gmail.com