AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Handling Guidelines

Abstract

Background The number of pet cats is increasing in most countries, often outnumbering pet dogs, yet cats receive less veterinary care than their canine counterparts.1 Clients state the difficulty of getting the cat into a carrier at home, driving to the clinic, and dealing with the fearful cat at the veterinary clinic as reasons for fewer visits.2 Educating and preparing the client and the veterinary team with regard to respectful feline handling is necessary in order to avoid stress and accomplish the goal of good health care. Without such preparation, feline stress may escalate into fear or fear-associated aggression. The resulting stress may alter results of the physical examination and laboratory tests, leading to incorrect diagnoses (eg, diabetes mellitus) and unnecessary treatments.

The influence of body region, handler familiarity and order of region handled on the domestic cat's response to being stroked

“…For each occurrence of an affiliative behaviour or posture, a score of +1 was assigned, and for each occurrence of an agonistic or avoidant behaviour or posture, a score of −1 was assigned. Whether a behaviour or body posture was considered affiliative, avoidant or agonistic was based on the ethogram utilised in the study of Soennichsen and Chamove (2002) and extended using the existing literature on feline body language (Bradshaw and Hall, 1999;Cameron-Beaumont, 1997;Crowell-Davis et al, 2004;Curtis et al, 2003;Karsh and Turner, 1988;Kendall and Ley, 2006;Leyhausen, 1979;Overall, 1997;Ragni and Possenti, 1990;Rodan, 2010;Rodan et al, 2011;Turner and Bateson, 2000). Each of the eight body areas handled was given two behavioural response scores for a single handling session; one for agonistic and avoidant responses and one for affiliative responses.…”

“…However, this may not have been the case for owners for whom the cats would have had much more varied experience of handling. For example, stroking for owner/cat pleasure may be perceived by the cat as positive, while husbandry related handling, which may involve restraint to aid procedures such as medicating, placing the cat in the cat carrier and health checks, are likely to induce agonistic behaviours due to fear (Beaver, 1992(Beaver, , 2004Heath, 2009;Rodan, 2010;Rodan et al, 2011). Thus, previous experience of inconsistent handling from the owner may have made the cats more wary of the standardised handling when received from their owner.…”

2015 AAHA/AAFP Pain Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats

“…Detailed information on handling feline patients has recently been published in the AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Handling Guidelines 127 and the AAFP and ISFM Feline-Friendly Nursing Care Guidelines. 128 The importance of gentle handling of patients with either acute or chronic pain cannot be overstated, especially when working with arthritic dogs and cats.…”

The Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ 2016 Veterinary Medical Care Guidelines for Spay-Neuter Programs

“…17 • Noise and other environmental stressors, such as barking, loud music, and unnecessary foot traffic, should be minimized.…”