• Hero Banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Buying or Selling a Practice
Hospital Design
Leadership & Personal Growth
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Technology
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Live Conferences
Conference News
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

5 feline-friendly dos and don'ts for a successful exam

August 24, 2013

Ensure cats get the veterinary care they deserve by alleviating fear and stress in your practice.

You might have the best equipment or the most successful practice in your area, but if you’re not treating your feline patients with the care and respect they deserve, your clients might not return.

“Clients judge how we interact with their cats,” says Dr. Ilona Rodan, DABVP, founder of the Cat Care Clinic in Madison, Wis. “They don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care—for their cat and them.”

So to make sure you’re appealing to your clients and performing the best patient care possible, here are a few dos and don’ts to consider when a cat arrives in your practice:

Do: Take the cat and the owner directly to the exam room instead of having them wait in the reception area. Cats are easily frightened by the increased activity and noise in this area.

Don’t: Shake the cat out of the carrier or reach in and pull the animal out once you’ve got it in the exam room. Instead, if the cat is calm and not hissing or lunging in the carrier, open the carrier door and allow it to explore the room while you talk to the owner and collect the patient history.

Advertisement

Do: Allow the cat to be examined where she wants. Try conducting your exam on the floor, on a bench or shelf, or even on a lap if that’s where the cat is most comfortable. Cats may also enjoy being examined on a familiar blanket or towel from their carrier, which already has their scent on it, so don’t hesitate to use those.

Don’t: Use tight restraint, such as stretching or scruffing, when examining or collecting lab samples from a cat. Instead, utilize towel techniques to reduce reactivity and fear and foster a calming environment. Also, follow a “less is more” mentality and try to use just one handler per cat.

Do: Use treats, toys, catnip and calm praise to make the experience a positive one for your patient. The cat—and the client—will appreciate the effort.

By adopting a more feline-friendly handling approach in your practice, you can increase client compliance and satisfaction and improve patient care—a win-win situation for everyone.

Related Content:

Client Relations & Marketing
Overcoming language barriers with diverse veterinary staff
Overcoming language barriers with diverse veterinary staff
Industry leaders launch Positive Pet Care Guide
Industry leaders launch Positive Pet Care Guide
Navigating emotionally charged conversations
Navigating emotionally charged conversations

Advertisement

Latest News

Temple Grandin receives honorary degree from Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Drug for acute onset of canine pancreatitis is launched on the US market

New Automatic 2-in-1 Pet Feeder and Water Dispenser launched

PetHub launches AI tools for pet owners

View More Latest News
Advertisement