Let’s be honest, bringing your cat to the vet is stressful for both you and your cat. The battle often begins the second the appointment is made, when the dread sets in of the looming fight ahead. Your cat pulls out all weaponry on hand, from hiding, to scratching any exposed skin with his dagger-like claws. The tension grows when you arrive at the vet to find a choir of other cats and dogs joining in with their battle cries. The war rages on when foreign intruders (veterinary staff) enter the field and capture your cat, take his blood and widdle down his daggers. After all is said and done, there is no winner in this battle.

For many, this is the veterinary experience cat owners and their felines share, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

Bringing your cat to a feline-only practice can tremendously help when it is time for their exam. What used to be a full-fledged war may now be an argument, simple disagreement, or no resistance at all between you, your cat, and the veterinary staff. How can something as easy as switching to a cat-only practice make such a difference you may ask? The answer is simple—it takes a special person to care only for cats.

It’s no surprise that cats are different from dogs, rodents, birds, and fish in temperament, behavior, diet, etc. The same is true of their care. Since felines can easily become stressed during travel and while at the vet, they require special handling during their exams to make the entire experience as stress-free as possible. Thanks to the love and attention of the veterinarians and technicians who choose to enter feline-only medicine, this universal goal of a stress-free exam is possible, even for the most anxious patient.

The doctors and technicians who are specifically trained in feline-only medicine can help you make a stress-free visit possible. They’re able to pick up on your cat’s body language and adjust how the exam is performed accordingly. Additionally, these medical professionals know how to use the “less is more” technique when doing treatments on even the most stubborn of cats. The use of gentle restraints, such as a towel wrap, during exams and treatments help to dramatically lower stress in cats.

Another benefit of bringing your cat to a feline-only practice means your veterinarian has more experience in feline diseases and treatments, since our focus is exclusively on cats. There’s no need for the staff to keep up with the latest veterinary news for all types of pets. Instead, they can focus solely on feline wellness and all the major components of your cat’s health. This leads to sharing our extensive knowledge with you.

At our practice, our veterinarians are members of exclusive feline veterinary groups and attend numerous conferences and lectures throughout the year to continuously improve their knowledge and remain current on the latest advancements in feline care. Our entire staff is also required to attend continuing education classes each year. All of this allows the feline-only staff to always be current on feline medicine. This, in return, means more information for you when things are going right during wellness exams, and when they, unfortunately sometimes, go wrong and require hospitalization.
By bringing your cat to a feline-only practice, not only is our focus to create a stress-free environment during examinations, but the entire practice is set up specifically with cats in mind. From quiet waiting rooms, particularly void of barking dogs, and odor-masking candles to eliminate your cat’s ability to smell other cats in the hospital is just a start to how our practice eliminates stress for your cat. In the exam rooms, window perches, Feliway, and relaxing cat therapy music help to keep your cat calm throughout the exam. For our boarders and sick kitties, we create safe sanctuaries to make them feel more at home.

The secret to a great vet visit for your cat isn’t buying the latest and greatest products marketed for even the most anxious of cats. It isn’t avoiding the vet altogether, and it isn’t learning an ancient cat ritual to persuade the Cat Gods for a pleasant visit (although, we haven’t tried this technique yet), it’s as simple as bringing him to a feline-only hospital. The seemingly subtle changes a feline-only practice focuses on adds up to many positive benefits for both you and your cat.

Let’s put an end to the meaningless battles that occur to keep your cat happy and healthy!