Why you and your cat deserve a Cat Friendly Practice

Discover the benefits of a Cat Friendly Practice

Domestic cats need regular veterinary visits to promote longer, happier and healthier lives. Your cat’s veterinary practice can provide many important and beneficial services beyond just treating your cat when they are sick or for emergency visits.

We are a designated Cat Friendly Practice with four locations in Tampa. The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) developed the Cat Friendly Practice (CFP) program to help you support your cat’s ongoing health care needs.

This was achieved by helping practices to reduce the stress associated with the visit, increasing the quality of care provided, and supporting the veterinary team with information about cats’ distinct needs, behavior and body language.

When designated as “cat friendly,” selected veterinary practices have proven they have taken specific extra steps to assure they understand a cat’s unique needs and have implemented feline friendly standards.

What Does the CFP Status Mean to You?

For some cats and owners, a trip to the veterinarian may be a cause for stress, so one of the goals of the CFP program is to create a more calming environment.

Staff members have been trained in how to approach and handle cats in a gentle, empathetic and caring manner. Some clinics have even implemented physical adjustments to make the visit friendlier for you and your cat.

The Cat Friendly Practice certificate on a veterinarian’s wall has to be earned. The practice must meet a comprehensive checklist of performance criteria to verify that staff members are especially qualified and dedicated to making every visit as pleasant as possible and beneficial for you and your cat.

All of those various steps combine to help assure you that each visit is a positive experience. So when you see the CFP designation at a practice, you can be confident your cat will be given exceptional care and attention through all phases of the visit including examinations, procedures and hospitalization.

Furthermore, the Cat Friendly Practice distinction shows that a practice has demonstrated higher levels of commitment and excellence in feline medicine.

What to Expect from a Cat Friendly Practice

Each Cat Friendly Practice has at least one designated ‘Cat Advocate’ on staff — a knowledgeable professional who ensures that your cat’s care is guided by feline-focused standards. Cat Advocates are chosen for their experience, understanding, empathetic manner and willingness to help answer any of your questions.

The staff of a Cat Friendly Practice also will help to provide you with various ways to enhance your cat’s health and well-being. By carefully advising you on unique feline needs in areas such as nutrition, routine checkups, environmental enrichment, behavior and other essential issues, your skilled CFP team can help your cat to be healthy and happy.