Cats are challenging patients in the veterinary field, easily stressed with very specific needs; they are a complex species to treat in a hospital environment. This is partly because they are prey animals and hide signs of pain as best they can. They also dislike leaving their home environment and travelling which means that visiting the vets has the potential to cause high levels of stress to them. But many of the traditional ways of handling cats have now been shown to be counter-productive and even more stressful!

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What is scruffing?

In the past, before wider research was done into cat friendly handling techniques, a common way to restrain a cat was by “scruffing”. This is to hold the loose skin on the back of a cat’s neck firmly, while simultaneously restraining the rest of the body or lifting. This was used to mimic the restraint a mother cat uses when holding her kittens, often used to move their kittens out of danger. 

Why is scruffing not appropriate?

Because scruffing was mimicking a natural restraint it used to be considered an acceptable handling method for cats. However, since this time research has shown that aggressive handling techniques such as scruffing and full body restraint causes increased stress to the cat, shown in an increase in stress behaviours such as lip licking and vocalisations. We now know that scruffing is not an acceptable method of restraint both at home and within a veterinary clinic. 

Better techniques which are less stressful to cats are mainly based on the “less is more” principle; cats respond better with minimal contact; allowing basic clinical exams and even blood sampling and blood pressure monitoring with minimal handling needed. Additional changes to the environment can be made to aid this; a quiet room with no other cats is ideal to minimise stress and by adding in classical music played quietly and pheromone therapy such as Feliway products.

Why do cats need additional considerations?

To understand the needs of cats and how best to meet them both at home and within the veterinary clinic, we must first consider them as a species. Cats are highly sensitive to their environment; they are also very independent and usually solitary. This predisposes them to high levels of stress if there are small changes at home; such as building work (new, loud sounds), a new cat in the neighbourhood (new competition for territory, leading to confrontation) and even a new air freshener of perfume being used by their owner (cats are highly sensitive to new smells). 

They are also prey animals. So they become very stressed if they have nowhere to hide; such as in an exposed cat carrier at the vets. Additional steps that can be taken before getting to the vets is by introducing the cat carrier at home a while before needing to use it for a vet visit; treating it as a safe place or a bed helps to create a sense of security. Using soft blankets in the basket and by using a blanket to cover the basket while waiting for the vet reduces scary visual stimuli; such as dogs and people walking past.

How can I make sure my vets is cat friendly?

The international society of feline medicine (ISFM) has done a huge amount of work into educating veterinary professionals and owners alike in the needs of cats and how best to meet them. The cat friendly clinic scheme by the ISFM awards veterinary practices a bronze, silver or gold cat friendly clinic status based on what standards are achieved. It considers several areas including methods of cat restraint, waiting room experience, hospitalisation facilities and availability of diagnostic equipment. 

As a cat owner, seeking a veterinary clinic with any level of this additional accreditation is a sign of an effort being made to give your cat the best care possible. This is also an international accreditation, and a directory of clinics that have achieved this is available here. Equally if you would like more information in good ways to handle your cat at home, information including video demonstrations are available here. 

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