conscious living, health and happiness for cats and their humans
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), the leading advocate for improving education and standards of feline care, announced the launch of the Cat Friendly Certificate Program for veterinary professionals. The program offers veterinarians and their staff an opportunity to earn a certificate demonstrating their feline knowledge, skills, and best in-clinic practices in caring for cats.Continue Reading
Guest post by Ellen Carozza, LVT
Thanks to the internet, cats are the most popular pet, yet they receive less medical care than their canine counterparts. Join me and the Conscious Cat in this two part series on what actually happens when your cat is handled in the veterinary clinic, and how you and your cat can have that positive experience you’ve always wanted.Continue Reading
As a former veterinary practice manager, the American Association of Feline Practitioners‘ Cat Friendly Practice® program is near and dear to my heart. In my years in working in veterinary practices, I’ve seen far too many cats who didn’t get the care they deserved because veterinary staff didn’t have the resources, training and tools to truly understand that cats are not small dogs, and that they need to be treated differently.Continue Reading
Fear and anxiety are common for cats when they have to visit the veterinarian, and for far too long, this has been accepted as “that’s just the way cats are” by both cat guardians and veterinarians. Thankfully, this is changing. Two initiatives, The American Association of Feline Practitioners’ Cat Friendly Practice Initiative and Dr. Marty Becker’s Fear-Free™ initiative both take a multi-pronged approach to reducing the stress of veterinary visits for cats.Continue Reading
America’s cats are not receiving the health care they deserve. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. The actual number is probably much higher, since this study only captured data from cat guardians who do seek some veterinary care, not those who never take their cat to the vet. The study also showed that cat guardians are not willing to spend as much money on healthcare for their feline charges as dog guardians. Ironically, while spending on veterinary care is declining, spending on pet products is increasing steadily each year.Continue Reading
Next to you, your vet is probably the second-most important person in your cat’s life. Finding a vet who truly understands cats and the special challenges they present at the veterinary clinic can be a daunting process for cat parents.
I’m excited to offer you a free webinar to help you understand what goes into finding a great vet for your cats.Continue Reading
I am honored to announce that I have been asked to serve as a member of the American Association of Feline Practitioners‘ Cat Friendly Practice Advisory Council.
The Cat Friendly Practice program provides an opportunity for veterinary practices to elevate care for cats and reduce the stress associated with the visit. Continue Reading
Cats don’t get the veterinary care they need. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. Even more shocking, the study found that 80% of adopted cats are seen by a veterinarian right after they are adopted, and then not again for several years.Continue Reading
“Fear is the worst thing a social species can experience.” This is how Dr. Marty Becker opened a presentation on his Fear-Free™ Initiative which I attended at the Central Veterinary Conference in Washington DC last month. Dr. Becker’s initiative is part of a growing and long overdue trend in the veterinary profession to minimize the fear and anxiety associated with veterinary visits for both pets and their guardians.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) was the first major veterinary organization to recognize the need for this movementContinue Reading
America’s cats are facing a healthcare crisis. The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care found that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. 83% of cats are seen by a vet during the first year after they’re adopted, but less than half of them ever return. These statistics are alarming, especially in light of the fact that cats are masters at masking any signs of illness. By the time a cat shows symptoms, a disease may already be in the advanced stages, which often makes treatment less effective and more costly.
Two of my favorite cat people are joining forces to help raise awareness about this growing concern. Continue Reading
The findings of a feline health study conducted by Bayer Health Care revealed that 52% of America’s 74 million cats are not receiving regular veterinary care. I would bet that the actual number is probably much higher, since this study only captured data from cat guardians who do seek some veterinary care, not those who never take their cat to the vet. And while some of this may be due to cat guardians not understanding how vitally important regular veterinary care is for your cat’s health, it may also be due to the fact that most cats hate going to the veterinary clinic.
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) has been educating veterinarians and veterinary staff on how to make practices more cat-friendlyContinue Reading