We are really pleased to say that we have been accredited by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) as a Cat Friendly Clinic at SILVER status!
We’re going to walk you through what the accreditation involves, why it matters, and how it helps us provide the highest level of care for your cats.
Vet trips can be a pretty stressful experience for cats (and for you!). There are strange smells, loud noises, and that’s all after being put in a carrier they’d rather avoid! It can become overwhelming quite quickly. The Cat Friendly Clinic program was created with cat welfare as the main priority to help reduce stress during vet visits.
There are three levels of accreditation: bronze, silver and gold. Achieving silver status means we have a dedicated cat-only waiting area, a cat-only hospital ward, staff trained in gentle and stress-free handling techniques, feline specific protocols (including pain management and anaesthesia), access to essential feline equipment (diagnostic tools and housing) and designated cat advocates on our team.
To achieve gold status, practices must provide 24-hour in-house hospitalisation. We work closely with our trusted out of hours service MiNight, so that any cat needing overnight care is continuously monitored and supported by a dedicated team, rather than being left unattended.
You might be wondering how this achievement benefits you and your cats. The process to become cat friendly is quite extensive, so you can be assured we have gone to all lengths to create a soothing environment to help reduce anxiety and fear. Our team uses low stress handling techniques, have a high understanding of feline body language and behaviour, and can adapt their approach to each individual cat. We follow specific guidelines and protocols to ensure medical care is tailored. All so you can trust your cat is in good hands.
Being cat friendly is a team effort, and you are an essential part of our team. We’re here to support you if you need advice on transporting your cat safely and comfortably, recognising signs of illness and pain, understanding behaviours and creating a cat friendly environment at home.
Whilst we are proud of our silver status, more importantly, we are proud to offer a space where cats feel safe, respected and understood. Thank you for trusting us with your felines and we promise we’re always striving to provide the very best care possible.
If you want to learn more about the ISFM Cat Friendly Clinic program, please visit their website: https://icatcare.org/cat-friendly-clinic/for-owners-and-caregivers
The Nova Vets Team
