The recently extended and fully refurbished hospital in Dursley has received special accreditation based on the current criteria set out by the International Society of Feline Medicine, a veterinary division of the charity International Cat Care.

International Cat Care was established in 1958 by Joan Judd and they have been pioneering change for cats ever since. They now campaign tirelessly to protect cats by pushing for changes in the way cats are treated and cared for, raising issues such as declawing, Toxoplasmosis and microchipping. The Cat Friendly Clinic programme, created in 2012, aims to encourage the use of specialist facilities that reduce stress and anxiety in cats during veterinary visits. 

Led by Sian Blakey BVetMed CertAVP (SAM) MRCVS and her team of nurses, Vale Vets & Referrals worked through the required criteria to achieve Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status, based on the specialist facilities built in Dursley.

These facilities include separate cat waiting rooms, consult facilities and treatment areas all designed to minimise stress in felines and provide the best possible environment for cats that come into the practice. All facilities needed to be designed to a certain specification, which are double the size of most regular spaces found in practices, along with meeting incredibly specific guidelines.

The strict criteria set out by the ISFM states that in order to qualify for Gold Cat Friendly status there must be a cat-only hospitalisation ward, a darkened examination area for ophthalmic exams and an operating theatre available at all times, as well as appropriate dental and radiographic records kept on-site. 

In addition, the criteria put a particular emphasis on the safe handling of cats, meaning that veterinarians, veterinary technicians and nurses had to be specially trained to ensure they are actively reducing fear and anxiety in any cat entering the practice.

With these state-of-the-art rooms completed in late 2021, the team are now looking forward to increasing the number of feline referrals they receive.

SianBlakey commented: “We are thrilled that the ISFM have honoured Vale Vets & Referrals with Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status and we look forward to making use of our fantastic facilities in the future. Congratulations to the whole team for their incredible work and getting the recognition they deserve.”

This expert setup will enhance the current offering by Vale Vets & Referrals by a considerable margin, as well as encourage owners that their favourite felines will be in very safe hands. You can find out more about the accreditation via the Cat Friendly clinic website.

You can also find out more about Vale Vets using their website or Vale Referrals using their website.