Background
In the United States there are millions more owned cats than owned dogs, yet cats receive needed medical care far less frequently than dogs. A major reason is that many cat owners feel it is stressful for them, and their cat, to visit the veterinarian, and often owners believe their cat doesn’t need routine check-ups for wellness and preventive care. The Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) program provides a solution to this trend and provides an opportunity for veterinary practices reduce stress during the visit, thereby improving the opportunity for cats to receive the care their need and deserve.
Cats need regular veterinary exams to establish healthcare plans for longer, happier, and healthier lives. During routine check-ups, we can often detect conditions or disease that may affect your cat’s health before they become painful or harder to treat.
The Gold Certificate is presented to a practice that “has taken the optimum steps to become a Cat-Friendly Practice by creating a practice that values the feline patient’s distinct needs in both the physical environment of the practice and the way in which medical care is delivered.”
The Cat Friendly Practice Program
The American Association of Feline Practitioners has established the Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) program to reduce the stress associated with veterinary visits and to increase the quality of care provided.
Hospitals that are designated a Cat Friendly Practice through this program have proven they have taken specific steps and met the criteria to insure that they understand a cat’s unique needs, have implemented feline-friendly standards, and have made changes to decrease stress and provide a more calming environment, such as feline-only waiting areas or exam rooms.
Veterinary staff has also been trained in feline-friendly handling and understanding cat behavior to increase the quality of care for your cat.
Our Commitment To Our Feline Patients
The Cardiff Animal Hospital & Wellness Center is a Gold Certified Cat Friendly Practice by the American Association of Feline Practitioners. This means that we have taken the extra steps to ensure your feline family member will have the best experience possible when visiting our hospital.
- We provide a calming environment
- We have a feline-only waiting area that reduces stress associated with noise, other pets, or unfamiliar smells
- We have a feline-only exam room to provide a safe, non-threatening area where cats can be examined in a calm and effective manner
- We use synthetic feline pheromones in our exam room and treatment area for a calming effect
- Our staff are trained to understand the individualized needs of cats including specific facial and behavior cues
- We use a slow approach to achieve positive results
- We develop individual treatment plans based on your cat’s specific needs, preferences, and behaviors
For more information, please visit http://www.catvets.com/cfp/cat-owners.
