Riversbrook Veterinary Group has achieved accreditation as a Cat Friendly Clinic (CFC). The CFC programme has been developed by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), the veterinary division of the leading feline charity International Cat Care. It aims to promote well-being and high standards of care for all cats visiting or being hospitalised at the surgery. Under the programme, Riversbrook Vets had to prove rigorous adherence to a set of criteria which includes provision of facilities and demonstration of staff activities and attitudes aimed at reducing stress in cats, both as in patients and out patients.
The criteria includes having separate dog and cat waiting areas, feline friendly hospitalisation cages and veterinary equipment specifically for treating cats. Most importantly the staff are trained in approaching and handling cats sensitively and respectfully. To maintain a high standards of veterinary care, staff ensure they keep their knowledge in feline medicine up to date as new treatments and information become available.
Our Cat Advocate, Geraldine Bray MRCVS, was proud to receive accreditation, saying: “ We wanted to make sure that a trip to see our vets was as stress free an experience as possible for our cat patients and their owners. Cats can get very anxious when taken out of their usual environment, and this can make owners reluctant to seek veterinary attention. By undertaking Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation, we’ve committed to delivering high standards of cat care with compassion and expertise.”
Owners can find out more about International Cat Care and the Cat Friendly Clinic initiative at www.catfriendlyclinic.com.
