STAFF are purring at a Worcester vets after it was recognised as being exceptionally kinds to cats.

Brentknoll Veterinary Centre in Whittington Road has gained silver accreditation as a Cat Friendly Clinic. The CFC programme has been developed by the International Society of Feline Medicine, the veterinary division of the leading feline charity International Cat Care, and accreditation has been made available in partnership with Purina pet food. It aims to promote well-being and high standards of care for all cats visiting or being hospitalised in a veterinary clinic.

Vet Isobel McBurney, who together with nurses Hayley Oates and Kelly Wilkes makes up the clinic’s Cat Advocates team, said: “We wanted to make sure that a trip to see our vets was as stress-free an experience as possible for our cat patients and their owners. Cats can get very anxious when taken out of their usual environment, and this can make it owners reluctant to seek veterinary attention when their cat needs it. By undertaking Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation, we’ve committed to delivering high standards of cat care, with compassion and expertise.”

Under the CFC programme, a clinic has to prove rigorous adherence to a set of criteria which includes provision of facilities and demonstration of staff activities and attitudes aimed at reducing stress in cats, both as in-patients and out-patients. The criteria includes having separate dog and cat waiting areas, feline-friendly hospitalisation cages, and veterinary equipment specifically for treating cats. Most importantly, staff are trained in approaching and handling cats sensitively and respectfully, and in maintaining high standards of veterinary care, including continuing to update their knowledge of feline medicine as new treatments and information become available.

The International Society of Feline Medicine launched the Cat Friendly Clinic initiative four years ago, to encourage veterinary practices everywhere to make best efforts to improve the welfare of cats in their care. The programme advises practices on how to make their environment as welcoming to cats as possible, as well as providing support in staff training, handling techniques and cat-specific client care.