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Newly Updated and Landmark Cat Friendly Guidelines Published in the Journal of Feline Medicine
November 11, 2022
The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) assigned task force members have been working diligently together over the last year and a half to develop the most up to date document with regards to understanding and respecting feline emotions and applying this understanding to veterinary care. They started by moving away from the terms ‘restraint’ and ‘handling’ towards ‘interactions’ with the guidance of eminent feline behaviourists Dr. Sarah Heath and Dr. Sarah Ellis, and with an understanding that time with cats in the veterinary clinic should very much be an interaction rather than a forceful, imposed handling experience.
The original 2011 document has been completely rewritten and expanded to include two main sections: Cat Friendly Interactions and Cat Friendly Veterinary Environment.