Cat Friendly Clinic
We understand that many cats don’t like coming to the vet and seeing your pet distressed is often enough to put off a visit to see us but there are things you can do to help them.
Annual vaccinations are important, and because cats often hide illness, yearly or twice-yearly check-ups can catch disease early. This makes treatment easier and more affordable than managing advanced symptoms like vomiting or lethargy, which often require hospitalisation.
How to prepare for a stress-free visit
Step 1
Get them used to their cat carrier at home. You can do this by leaving it out all the time so they see it as a safe place to go and have a snuggle & sleep. If you have one with a removable top you can just use the bottom of the carrier as a bed for them if you prefer. You can try placing their food in the carrier so they have to go in to get their food for positive association.
Step 2
The easiest carriers for us to access your cat is one that has a removable top, this allows your cat to stay in their safe space while we examine them or give medication.
Step 3
You can use Feliway spray in their carrier before using it. You simply spray their blanket and carrier with a few sprays & wait 10minutes before putting your cat in. Feliway is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone. This is the pheromone that cats leave naturally when they feel safe and secure in their environment.
Step 4
When arriving at the hospital be mindful where you are placing your cat carrier, there maybe a dog sitting right next to them that doesn’t look scary to us but might do to them. If you can place the carrier on your lap or the chair next to you as cats like to be up high.
Step 5
Bring a towel or thin blanket that will cover all 4 sides of your cat carrier to place over the cage, this will help your cat feel more secure and invisible. If you forget a towel you can ask us for one.
How we help your cat feel more comfortable at the hospital
Quiet Waiting Area
If your cat is particularly scared we can offer a quiet waiting room away from the reception area – just ask on check in.
Calming Pheromones
We use feliway spray on a clean towel for every cat consultation. Feliway is a synthetic copy of the feline facial pheromone. This is the pheromone that cats leave naturally when they feel safe and secure in their environment.
Separate Cat Ward
Our cat patients have their own ward away from the dogs and we use Feliway diffusers in our hospital to help them feel calmer.
Specially Trained Team
Our staff are trained in low stress handling techniques to help your pet feel less stressed when in our care.
How often should my cat have a check up?
We recommend bringing in a urine sample for your cat at least once a year—or twice a year for cats over 7. Urine tests can help detect early signs of issues like diabetes, kidney disease, and hyperthyroidism. There’s a small fee depending on the tests required, but we run them in-house for fast results.
We’ve prepared home collection kits with plastic litter, a sample pot, and a syringe—just ask our team. If you bring a sample in, please use a clean container labeled with your name, phone number, and your cat’s name.
Note: Home samples provide only basic information and don’t replace a vet consultation. If we find anything abnormal, your cat will need to see a vet for diagnosis and treatment.
Tip: Use cut-up plastic straws in a clean litter tray—they’re safe to scratch in and won’t contaminate the sample.
We recommend this website for all things cat:
https://icatcare.org/advice
