Plus-Hex CLINICAL
Introduction
As veterinary nurses( VNs), we have a professional and compulsory responsibility to ensure our knowledge, training and skills are kept up to date through continuing professional development( CPD) [ 1 ]. In addition to these skills, each of us brings our own strengths, uncertainties and passions to our work.
One of my passions is feline welfare and advocacy. I have observed that cats can be overlooked or even feared in the clinical environment, as they often need a little more understanding than other species. This is why it is important for every practice to have at least one nominated feline advocate, also known as a‘ cat nurse’ – and, in my opinion, a superhero.
Background
As with every superhero origin story, becoming the‘ crazy cat nurse’ I am now did not happen overnight. I began by training as a veterinary care assistant before enrolling as a student veterinary nurse( SVN). Despite growing up with cats and liking them, I was terrified of handling them. In the practice, I would avoid handling them or would hand them to a more experienced VN at the earliest opportunity.
I used to feel that cats were unpredictable, fast, sometimes cantankerous and quick to bite; there was nothing scarier than trying to get an angry cat out of a carrier or a kennel! I was in awe of VNs who were not only able to handle cats but seemed keen to do so. These‘ cat nurses’ really advocated for their feline patients and I held them in high esteem. Working with these VNs, as an SVN, helped me become more comfortable with handling cats and to see the practice from a cat ' s perspective.
One of my colleagues undertook the International Society of Feline Medicine( ISFM) Certificate in Feline Nursing. The subject matter, and her passion for it, made me want to follow in her footsteps to develop my confidence with cats and expand my knowledge.
I decided that two of my goals as a qualified VN would be to achieve the ISFM Certificate in Feline Nursing and to make positive changes in practice to enhance cat care. I achieved my first goal in 2023, when I completed the ISFM Certificate in Feline Nursing with distinction, and now I am on a mission to achieve the second.
Cats are not domesticated to the same extent as dogs; domestication of cats is relatively new compared with that of dogs. In addition, while other animals such as dogs were selected and bred for specific tasks, the domestic cat chose to settle among humans [ 2 ].
Surveys indicate that 29 % of UK households with pets have one or more cats [ 3 ], but research suggests that only 62 % of owned cats are routinely brought into veterinary practices for treatment [ 4 ]. The reasons for this include the cost and the stress caused to both the cats and their owners [ 4 ].
Although VNs may not be able to influence the cost of veterinary care, we are best placed to educate and inform owners about the importance of routine healthcare. Among other things, we could help ensure that monthly payment plans for routine treatment, such as vaccines and preventive flea and worming treatments, are promoted in practice and on social media( Figure 1).
This article focuses on the practical ways we can directly help to ease the stress of veterinary visits for our feline friends and improve owner compliance through education.
Figure 1. VNs can help ensure that pet owners are educated and aware of the need for – and availability of – routine veterinary care, through posters in the practice ' s reception area and via social media.
Volume 40( 3) • June 2025
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