Low-Stress Cat Care in Charleston
Cats benefit from compassionate handling before and during a veterinary visit. Cats can enjoy their own:
- Waiting room
- Exam room
- Treatment area
- Hospital area
Our cat examination rooms have cat-friendly beds and Feliway™ pheromone diffusers for a calming effect. Our technicians perform low stress holds for blood draws and treatments, and we encourage the use of comfort packs for anxious feline patients. These medications are very safe for almost all cats.
Our Cat Care Techniques
Here at West Ashley Veterinary Clinic, our team members employ a variety of techniques to help calm cats during their appointments. These include:
- Using treats as positive reinforcement
- Keeping cat cages covered
- Having Feliway™ pheromone diffusers in every exam room
- Allowing cats to roam around in the exam room so they can become acclimated to their environment
- Implementing gentle and minimal handling/restraint
- The use of box houses for hospitalization
Please join us in making your cat’s visit to our animal hospital better and see our educational literature about things you can do, because a better feline veterinary visit starts at home.
Our Position Regarding Declawing
In 2016, our practice (following our sister practice) collectively came to the decision to eliminate feline declaw surgery from our practice unless it is deemed medically necessary. This elective, painful amputation procedure has, in recent years, been scrutinized by many veterinary and animal health organizations. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and Humane Society have all taken the stance that elective declawing should not be performed. The veterinarians and staff at West Ashley Veterinary Clinic feel a moral and ethical imperative to embrace this movement. If you would like more information about alternatives to declawing, please visit the following sites.
