The Cat's Out of the Bag!

PVH achieves feline friendly status and adds new wing

                You may have noticed a lot of noise and a new section of our building materializing over the past few weeks.  Patton Veterinary Hospital has broken ground to create a new “Feline Friendly” wing expected to be completed in by December.   This is not to say we don’t love dogs and all the other furry, feathered and scaly critters that grace our doorways, but, let’s face it, cats are unique creatures and they are not always the easiest pets to bring to the veterinary office.  This may be why only 37% of cat owners visit the vet with their furry companions for wellness visits each year.  We have made it our mission to try to keep all our feline patients happy and healthy and to make their yearly visit to our hospital more pleasant or at least not something to be feared by both man and beast. 

                The new addition to our building will have several exam rooms removed from the main part of the hospital where it will be quieter with fewer barking dogs.  There will also be a small treatment room and a conference room for our staff.  Patton Veterinary Hospital has been making gradual changes over the past year to reduce stress for our cats.  Although the waiting room is still one large room, we created a separate area for cats so they do not have large drooling dogs staring at them.  We try to place cats in exam rooms as soon as possible so they have a chance to acclimate to the strange surroundings and we have special hours from 1-3PM on Wednesday afternoons for cats only (other than emergencies for any species).  We have been using a calming feline pheromone spray and we try to let them come out of their carriers on their own or remove the carrier tops instead of dumping them out or reaching in to grab them.  Bribing them with a pinch of catnip or a few treats doesn’t hurt either! 

We also use a special Purevax rabies vaccine for cats that reduces the chance of an injection site tumor from occurring.  We are proud to announce that these and other behind-the-scenes changes such as staff members taking additional feline-oriented continuing education have led to Patton Veterinary Hospital being recognized by the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) as a Silver Status Feline Friendly Practice!

We know bringing a cat to our hospital is not most people’s (or cat’s!) idea of a good time; however, it is important not to forget to bring your cat for yearly visits to keep your kitty as healthy as possible.  Cats are masters at hiding pain and disease, and their independent nature often masks the fact that even seemingly healthy cats can have serious problems.  Talk to our staff about how to make a visit to Patton Veterinary Hospital less stressful for you and your feline friend.  We love your cats!