Feline Behaviour - Do you really know cats and why they do what they do?

This talk with Dr Isabelle Resch is ideal for veterinary nurses looking to reduce burnout, increase patient compliance, and foster a more humane, effective clinical culture—one calm patient at a time.

While most cats come into our practices when they are first adopted, many don’t return until they become sick. Why is this? Cats don’t like coming in to the clinic, clients don’t like bringing them in to the clinic and, sometimes, we don’t like seeing them. How can we change this? Understanding why cats get stressed - What is the essence of being a cat? Why do they react the way they do? We will look at the basic inherent need for self-defense in this small predator and how that translates into how they behave. Small changes to make in the practice to make it more friendly for cats - What things in the clinic stimulate the fear response and how can we reduce those triggers? These inputs include smells, sounds, sights, sensations and tastes. Learn how to identify and reduce these stimuli and how to approach and handle these frightened, reactive individuals through empathic caring, rather than through “processing” our patients. Communicating why (and when) they should bring them back: Many clients do not recognize the subtle signs of sickness. Many don’t understand the benefits of preventive care. Often they are concerned about being able to perform the treatments we recommend. We will talk about these critical points of communication and education.

This webinar will present the most commonly used handling techniques to reduce fear, anxiety and stress in general practice. Dr Foote, a general practitioner with a behavior practice, will demonstrate and outline the most commonly used techniques for all feline patients. These techniques are based on the teachings from the text book "Low Stress Handling, Restraint, et al" by the late Dr Sophia Yin. Emphasis will be placed on staff safety as well as patient anxiety reduction. Using these techniques, you will be able to reduce stress and aggression in the majority of your patients and have a solid foundation for a low stress practice.