Leanne Doherty and Emma Coogan cat advocates at Northwest Veterinary Specialists.
Runcorn Animal Hospital Achieves Gold Standard For Cat Care
11 months ago 
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A north-west animal hospital is purring with delight after being honoured with a prestigious award for its high quality of care for cats.
Linnaeus-owned Northwest Veterinary Specialists (NWVS) has been recognised as a gold level cat-friendly clinic (CFC) by the International Society of Feline Medicine.
Steps the hospital has taken to reduce stress in cats, both as in-patients and out-patients, include creating separate dog and cat waiting areas, a separate cat consulting room, feline-friendly hospitalisation cages, and using veterinary equipment specifically for treating cats, such as small scales and quiet clippers.
Most importantly, staff are encouraged to approach and handle cats sensitively and respectfully.
Emma Coogan, a veterinary nurse and cat advocate at NWVS who is dedicated to training new staff how to nurse cats with appreciation of their specific needs, said: “We are delighted to have gained a gold ISFM award, the highest possible.
“It is a clear recognition of the steps we have taken to ensure our feline patients always receive the highest standard of care.
“The team here at NWVS fully appreciates the needs of cats and always strive to make visits to us cat-friendly and stress free, including for owners.”
Other cat-friendly measures at NWVS include water fountains and scratching facilities available to cats, a separate cat ward to ensure a peaceful environment, plus allowing two owners to come into consultation.
Leanne Doherty, fellow cat advocate at NWVS, said: “We had to clearly demonstrate we understand the needs of cats, while the team are also expected to continually update our knowledge of feline medicine as-and-when new findings become available.”
The ISFM launched the cat-friendly clinic initiative to encourage veterinary clinics to make changes to improve the welfare of cats in their care.
The programme advises practices on how to make their environment as welcoming as possible for cats, as well as providing support in team training, handling techniques and cat-specific client care.
Meanwhile, NWVS is also urging cat owners to consider if their pet is suitable to become a blood donor.
Feline blood donors play a critical role in helping patients in need of blood and NWVS will arrange for a blood typing and general health check for potential donors.
Anyone who may be interested in registering their cat as a blood donor can email Leanne at [email protected] for more information.
For more information on Northwest Veterinary Specialists, visit www.nwspecialists.comor search for Northwest Veterinary Specialists on social media.
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