When the Bayer Veterinary Care Usage Study III was published in 2014, the findings were startling. It revealed that more than half (52%) of U.S. cats weren\u2019t receiving regular veterinary care. In addition, 83% of new cats went to a veterinary hospital within the first year of ownership, but too often, they didn\u2019t return. Sadly, I suspect only minimal improvements in those statistics going into 2023, which is something we can\u2019t accept. Instead, let\u2019s consider five key areas to focus on in our practices to create a continuum of care over a cat\u2019s lifetime.<\/p>\n
While pet owners used to find us in the Yellow Pages and through mailers, nearly every new client today searches online and reads reviews. That means pet owners will learn about your hospital and its feline care from your website and social media channels, not your incredibly friendly and helpful customer service team.<\/p>\n
What grabs cat owners and keeps them loyal? They want community, recognition and feline-specific resources. So, audit your website with an objective friend or family member. Do you post photos of dogs only? Do you have a section all about feline diseases and prevention? Does your online pharmacy advertise feline products? What exam room technology can you showcase that\u2019s essential in feline medicine, such as digital dental radiographs, ultrasound and Doppler blood pressure measurements? Do you provide feline-only hours and dedicated exam rooms? Does your hospital have Cat Friendly certification<\/a>? And, of course, is every Saturday \u201cCaturday\u201d?<\/p>\n Kitten owners want to feel welcome, important and unique. We can shape that feeling digitally.<\/p>\n Once cat owners decide your hospital should be their hospital, they need to logistically come and go with the least amount of stress possible. While the first trip might be seamless, one of the major reasons cats don\u2019t return to see us is the stress of the travel carrier on the kitten and owner. Instead of waiting for that unfortunate moment, we should proactively teach about cat carriers at every first\u00a0kitten exam.<\/p>\n Encourage the use of the cat carrier as home furniture. It\u2019s all about the positive association and visual desensitization. Instead of being a trigger for kittens, the carrier becomes the space where they eat yummy food, enjoy relaxing pheromones and nap because it\u2019s comfy inside. It\u2019s a safe space. I like carriers that you can disassemble and open at the front and top.<\/p>\n At one time, I assumed every cat owner knew this stuff, so I did nothing to lessen the reason cats and their owners stress out over veterinary appointments.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t want to reinvent the welcome-kit wheel? Download and share this amazing resource from the American Association of Feline Practitioners: bit.ly\/3TgzQIN<\/a>.<\/p>\n Experts agree on four main reasons that kittens and older cats scratch:<\/p>\n Inappropriate scratching can become a big problem for cat owners if a kitten isn\u2019t trained from the beginning. A 2017 study published in The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery<\/em> showed that 83% of cats presented to a small animal practice had scratched inappropriate items.<\/p>\n We should share these three critical points with frustrated clients, especially first-timers who think adopting a kitten is as easy as placing food in a bowl a few times a week and putting a litterbox inside a closet:<\/p>\nCarrier Training<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Scratch Schooling<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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