Willows are cream of the crop for cat care

The renowned Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, in Shirley, has once again been awarded a coveted gold award by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM).

It is the ultimate recognition for excellence in feline treatment and Willows’ cat advocate Maria Mannion said this 14th consecutive award was a fabulous achievement and testament to the care the hospital provides for cats and their owners.

Maria said: “To receive a 14th gold award from the ISFM demonstrates Willows’ ongoing commitment to ensuring the very best care for our feline patients.

“It is the ultimate recognition of our excellent care for cats, and their owners, and we’re very proud to once again been accredited as a Cat Friendly Clinic at Gold Level.

“At Willows, we understand that bringing a cat to the vet can be stressful for both the owner and for the cat and do all we can to minimise this.

“We have the very latest state-of-the-art facilities and our expert team is trained to be aware of the needs of cats and their owners.

“We have also invested to put in place feline friendly facilities as well as ways of working, to make visits as stress-free as possible.”

Willows provides a separate cat-only waiting area, out of sight of other animals, to help relax patients, and there are 14 consulting rooms for individual private assessments.

A fully appointed cat ward is also equipped with extra-large kennels, complete with comfortable, cosy bedding, which is specifically laid out to prevent eye contact with other cats.

There are even ‘igloos’ for extra privacy and to provide a higher view point, cat friendly toys, privacy screens for kennel doors (if needed) and even a variety of cat litters.

Maria added: “We also have an isolation ward for the hospitalisation of cats with infectious case and a superbly equipped intensive care unit for critically ill patients.

“There are also state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical facilities catering for the smaller anatomy and physiology of cats.”

The ISFM set up the Cat Friendly Clinic programme to help and encourage veterinary hospitals and practices to make cats’ visits much less stressful and to cater for cats specifically within the clinic.

The aim is to ensure the delivery of a much better experience for cats and their owners with accredited clinics earning bronze, silver or, most prestigiously, an ultimate gold award.

For more information on Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service, visit: willows.uk.net.