Thinking of changing my vets

[babycakes]

A 'Cats Only' vets has opened by us and although I am very happy with the vets I am with it is far too stressful taking Denis with all the dogs that go. :smt009
I waited in my car last time and they forgot about us and we were there over an hour and Denis was throughly miserable.:smt018

So I feel that Denis would benefit from being in a waiting room with just cats, I also feel he will be looked after better as that is the only area the vet will be concentrating on.:-D

Does anyone else take their cat to a just cat vet?

[Elaine]

I never knew there was such a thing. I'd definately go to one of those, especially with Eva the way she is.
Please keep us updated on how it goes.

[Moli]

I did not know there were such things either....But I like my vet, and my lot know her so no problem there..

[dinahsmum]

You'd think vets would get themselves organised and have a quiet room for the smaller animals (bit like Ladies waiting rooms at rail stations :) - anyone remember them?) Seems obvious.
Our vets has a nice big waiting room and pretty quick service, so I've never found it a problem. And of course my cats are used to dogs so know just what to do if a cold wet nose pokes through the grille of their carrier! Ouch! :shock:

[Fran]

I've never heard of a cat only vet, although it does sound like a good idea for nervous cats. I use two different vet practices now, one my main vet whom knows me and my animals and I get a good discount as I have so many pets registered with them! and another vet who actually I prefer, he's much 'older school', sit and wait surgeries, no computers, your record on index cards but I like his attitude, he is great with breeders which a lot of vets are not! and he offers a full course of kitten vaccinations to breeders at a massively reduced amount. Great guy and I would swap over to him permanently if I could but the practice is so far away that if you had an emergency, like what happened with Mil, the distance would be a problem. My cats and kittens are so used to dogs that it wouldn't be necessary for me to use a cat only vet but I can see the advantages for some people.

[Mags]

I may be wrong but I thought Yola mentioned they had a separate area for cats and dogs at her vets......:?

Amber also, I believe..:)

[Kazz]

Hope it works for them.

I when I take the dogs keep them quiet and away from smaller animals the surgery waiting room is a L shape. But the service is very quick so you hardly wait.
If I take the dogs I keep them away from smaller animals well away from everything really. Same when I took the cats, I would put the carrier on a cair nex to a wall - dead end row then sit on the next seat keeping other animals away. But the cats weren't really bothered at all Cleo just kept purring - stupid cat!!!! and Oz couldn't have been bothered as long as like Cleo I was there.

[Kazz]

Meant to say though its my one "most annoying habit" people who allow there pets to almost "run riot" in vets.

[babycakes]

That does sound a good vets Fran, shame it's such a distance.

And thanks for all your comments. I cover Denis' carrier box with his favourite balnket so he can't see out but can smell me and him all around him. The vets has two seperate seating areas but they are not partioned off and everyone sits anywhere, if it is busy then Denis freaks, he cowers and cries and then may soil and wet or be sick and it just isn't fair. If it's cats then he is curious at least and I will let him have a peak at them.

Here's the link for the vets www.justcats.co.uk

Apparently it's the first in the Northwest and one of eight nationwide to recieve a FAB cat friendly practice award.:-D

[Kazz]

Sounds ideal for you. It must be horrible and stressful for you with him stressing so much. Poor lad. Oscar was not a people happy cat but no where near that bad.

[John]

Meant to say though its my one "most annoying habit" people who allow there pets to almost "run riot" in vets.
My vets have applied for planning permision to build a cats/small animal waiting room away from the dogs they have plenty of room but the council keep saying no..

[babycakes]

Kazz, It is horrible, poor baby has come a long way but these things can set him back, although he is getting better, I go because it's necessary but I could see some people not going which also isn't fair.
Mad John for the council to reject isn't it????

[Grete]

My vets is actually an animal hospital and they have a couple of branches one of which is cat only. If that branch was closer, I would take the girls there but since the one they do go to is literally 2 minutes in the car, it seems silly to subject them to a 30 minute drive. The vets are great there as well and always make a fuss of the girls.

The waiting room is spacious and I've never had a problem with overcrowding and they are very keen on making sure dogs aren't allowed to run riot - I've seen them ask an owner with a rambunctious dog to wait in a side room before.

Usually I get seen quite quickly, the odd times it has taken longer is because an emergency has come in and I am more than happy to wait while the poor animal has been seen to.

All in all I am really happy with them.

[angieh]

My vet has a notice on the door saying that all animals have to be either in a pet carrier or on a lead. It is a tiny waiting room and I've been there with Merlin and there have been other cats and dogs waiting (waiting times can be long as there is usually only 1 vet there at a time). Some people keep their animals outside in their cars. There has never been any trouble while I have been there.

P'raps need to say it is a very rural practice.

[yola]

Yes, Mags is right. Our vet effectively rebuilt their practice and in doing so created separate waiting areas (and also consulting rooms and operating theatres) for cats and dogs. It works really well, as I am quite allergic to dogs and it was always a bit of a trial going into a joint waiting area. Apart from that, yes, the vets we see now are specialist in cat care and the whole experience is far more relaxed for all concerned.

If you have the opportunity to try it I would do so, especially as you were kept waiting so long out in the car which is a bit out of order!

[Erin]

our vets have a seperate waiting area.
it used to be an old pub,there is a large waiting area for the dogs and a slightly smaller area for cats and caged animals behind what was the old bar.

[Fran]

That looks a fabby place BC!! You must let us know what you think of it if you decide to change vets :D

[yola]

I must've missed that link; their offering is brilliant! You just have to read it to know that they really do care. And it's excellent that they've been winning awards after not long being open. If it were me, I really would be considering moving to them.

[Amber]

That sounds like a great idea :)

We do have seperate waiting areas for dogs and cats, and also have signs up all around the waiting areas asking that dogs be kept on leads, and cats in carriers. If any dog is "running riot", the owner is asked politely if they would mind waiting outside or in the lobby until they are called for their consultation. We also have a side entrance for nervous or aggressive dogs.

Our hospitalisation wards are also seperated into dogs and cats, will other small animals often being placed into the cat ward for peace and quiet.

We also received the FAB award last year, and our head nurse received a "cynthia award" for great 'cattitude'.

A vets purely dedicated to cats has to be good, as like you say, this shall be the area that they specialise in - good luck if you decide to change!