During the American Veterinary Medical Association’s 2024 convention, I attended a session on the CATalyst Council’s State of the Cat report. Listening to the insightful, highly relevant findings — based on data collected from more than 400 U.S. veterinarians and 1,900 cat owners — I was reminded of the incredible need to serve our feline patients better. And I was inspired to write this article to spread the word about the tremendous opportunity to grow our practices.
What’s at Stake
Back in 2011, the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study cited two primary reasons for the decline in veterinary visits — the stress on a cat and owner when bringing the animal to a clinic and clients not understanding the value of annual preventive care. Unfortunately, we haven’t moved the needle much in helping get feline patients to us. According to the 2024 CATalyst Council report, cat owners said their veterinarian instructed them how to make transport less stressful only 30% of the time. Surprisingly, veterinarians said they did it 65% of the time.
However, there is good news. The CATalyst report found that:
- 35% of cat owners had little or no previous experience with felines. In other words, we’re seeing more first-time cat owners.
- Trends in veterinary visits indicate an upward shift in the percentage of feline patients compared with dogs.
- One reason for the shift is the higher cost of dog ownership, particularly for pet food and veterinary care.
- Feline veterinary care is expected to make up an increasingly larger percentage of practice revenue.
Let’s look at how your clinic can use the opportunity to increase feline visits and help more cats get regular veterinary care.
Emphasize Teamwork
You must involve the entire veterinary team to attain your client compliance goals. Meet with everyone to review national statistics showing that cats are an underserved pet population. Then, engage your staff in brainstorming ways to serve cat owners better and how to communicate the value of your services. As for attracting more cat owners, the keys are to reduce feline stress during visits, better convey the benefits of medical care, and keep in touch with clients after they leave. Remember to encourage creativity and avoid judging what will or won’t work.
Schedule a second meeting to decide which initiatives are best for your practice. Focus on a few actions to maximize your success.
Examples of team activities include:
- Asking all clients whether they have a cat or other cats at home.
- Sending an email or text with advice on transporting a cat to the hospital.
- Having a cat exam room and adding a pheromone diffuser, perches and catnip toys.
- Using cat-friendly and anxiety-reducing handling techniques.
- Always conveying the value of the next appointment and forward-booking it.
Communicate for Better Outcomes
Since many cats live indoors and tend to mask signs of illness, their owners often underestimate the need for regular checkups. Be sure to take advantage of every client interaction to discuss the benefits of preventive care visits. However, don’t make the mistake of talking “at” cat owners since doing it might come across as a lecture. Instead, talk “with” them and demonstrate a genuine interest in the human-feline bond.
Here are questions you can ask to build client trust and create a conversation:
- “I see you’re a new cat owner. How did you decide to adopt a shelter kitty?”
- “How is Oliver getting along with your dog, Heidi?”
- “Tell me about a typical day in Pippi’s life?”
- “What fun antics is Lucy up to these days?”
Next, tailor client education to meet the needs of the cat and the owner. When discussing preventive care, focus on how regular exams and diagnostics help feline patients live longer, happier lives, which is what everyone wants. Clients with young, healthy cats might not know their pets could develop chronic conditions such as renal or endocrine diseases, osteoarthritis, and obesity-related complications.
If you simply say, “It’s a good idea to do some bloodwork today,” clients might not recognize the expenditure’s benefits. A better approach is to engage cat owners to uncover their knowledge and thoughts. You might ask:
- “Tell me a little about what’s most important to you about Felix’s health care?”
- “Are you familiar with urinary tract disease and its possible connection to a cat’s diet?”
- “What experiences have you had with feline kidney disease?”
Lastly, communicate the specific benefits of your services. For example, tell clients that lab tests will determine any underlying disease, help detect abnormalities early and allow the veterinarian to assess health trends.
Get the Word Out
Undoubtedly, some pet owners won’t take a cat to a veterinarian unless it is sick. To build awareness about the benefits of preventive care and reach potential clients, consider setting up a booth at a community event, such as a farmers market. You might also provide a hospital brochure to local animal shelters or rescue groups and ask them to hand it to people who adopt a cat.
Social media is another excellent way to stay connected with cat owners. Many pet images on Facebook and Instagram show dogs, so schedule one to two weekly posts featuring cats. Take photos of your team in action and highlight why cat owners should choose your practice. With permission, share pictures of your feline patients. For example, you might tell success stories about how cats receiving osteoarthritis medication improved their mobility.
Now is the time to respond to trends in cat ownership and ensure your practice is positioned to help more cats get the care they deserve.
LEARN MORE
- “Make a Beeline for Felines,” go.navc.com/felines-TVB
- “State of the Cat: Wellness and Nutrition 2024,” bit.ly/482ZiJO
- FelineVMA clinic resources and client education tools, catvets.com