How Many Vets Actually Like/care About Cats?

[Azazel]

I had an interesting conversation the other day with someone who used to be a veterinarian. I asked her why she stopped practicing and she said she didn’t really care about animals that much, she was mostly interested in medicine. She then told me that she actually didn’t like cats at all and that actually many of the vets she went to school with didn’t like cats either.

This got me thinking... I wonder how many vets actually like cats. I know I’ve come across many in my experiences who clearly appeared to not enjoy being around my cats. This is a bit distressing to me. I feel like it’s unethical to practice medicine on any living creature that you don’t care about. I certainly wouldn’t want a doctor who didn’t care about me looking after me.

What do others think? How important is it that a vet likes or cares about your cat?

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

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A Azazel - If my vet didn't like animals far more than he liked people, I'd look for another vet in one heck of an hurry. Without a Love for animals, there can be no compassion, no sympathy, and certainly no empathy. My vet genuinely Loves my kitties (except for Moo Shu Snowshoe, of course, who frightens his English Mastiff when he comes over).

Mine also treats his clients extremely well - not because of their relationship with him, but because he truly Loves animals, and will do everything in his power to help them.

It would be a long ride for you, however - I'm 380 miles west of you.


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[Wile]

It's a bit extreme to claim that it is an ethical issue to practice medicine on a species/individual you don't enjoy. I'm sure not all human doctors like every patient they have. That doesn't mean that they can't be a good doctor.

That being said, would I take my cat to a vet that I knew didn't like cats? No, definitely not. There are too many good vets out there for me to waste my time on someone who can't approach my pet with compassion and understanding, and can't understand my own priorities for vet care. Rather than approach the question as a matter of like/dislike, it might be better to ask how we can tell if a vet will do their utmost to care properly for our pets. So often I find that a great vet will design their practice around the patient. Two obvious things I look for are spacious waiting rooms, and quiet and low-stress cat ward isolated from dog cages.

 

[Azazel]

It's a bit extreme to claim that it is an ethical issue to practice medicine on a species/individual you don't enjoy. I'm sure not all human doctors like every patient they have. That doesn't mean that they can't be a good doctor.

That being said, would I take my cat to a vet that I knew didn't like cats? No, definitely not. There are too many good vets out there for me to waste my time on someone who can't approach my pet with compassion and understanding, and can't understand my own priorities for vet care. Rather than approach the question as a matter of like/dislike, it might be better to ask how we can tell if a vet will do their utmost to care properly for our pets. So often I find that a great vet will design their practice around the patient. Two obvious things I look for are spacious waiting rooms, and quiet and low-stress cat ward isolated from dog cages.

I wasn’t saying that the vet has to like every animal, but I do hope that they care about their wellbeing. Every doctor doesn’t have to like me, but if they don’t care about my health then they can potentially make decisions that aren’t in my best interest.

I’m also talking in general terms when I say the word “like.” I wouldn’t want a vet who doesn’t like cats generally same way I wouldn’t want a doctor who doesn’t like humans generally.

 

[mightyboosh]

I certainly wouldn’t want a doctor who didn’t care about me looking after me.

Funny you should say that as one of my daughters doctors said that although he has all the time in the world for children, he doesn't like adults. It does seem to be reflected in his treatment or at least how he communicates.
My vets seem fine about the cats and say how lovely they are.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Most vet practices that I know have online bios for each vet on staff -- I never go to a vet whose bio doesn't already show that they own one or more cats of their own.

 

[duckpond]

I have a husband and wife team for vets They both seem to enjoy both cats and dogs. I know they have both cats and dogs at home. I think the wife enjoys working with dogs a bit more, and the husband with cats a bit more, just my opinion from watching them for years. But they both pet, talk to, and snuggle my cats when i take them in. So i have to say i think my vets LIKE their patients.

I might not stop using a great vet, just because he didnt like cats. But if i had another option with another great vet that did like cats, i would pick that one. I think it makes them better vets if they like the animals they are working with.

 

[Azazel]

Most vet practices that I know have online bios for each vet on staff -- I never go to a vet whose bio doesn't already show that they own one or more cats of their own.

I agree that I prefer a vet who has a cat or who has had cats. This is because even if you love cats... if you’ve never taken care of one you may not be familiar with their behavior which is an important part of health assessment.

I once told a vet that I was having trouble finding a harness that fit my cat. She told me to take my cat to the store and try on the harnesses there. When I told her that this would stress my cat out to no end she was surprised and confused....

She clearly had never had a cat before.

 

[Azazel]

I have a husband and wife team for vets They both seem to enjoy both cats and dogs. I know they have both cats and dogs at home. I think the wife enjoys working with dogs a bit more, and the husband with cats a bit more, just my opinion from watching them for years. But they both pet, talk to, and snuggle my cats when i take them in. So i have to say i think my vets LIKE their patients.

I might not stop using a great vet, just because he didnt like cats. But if i had another option with another great vet that did like cats, i would pick that one. I think it makes them better vets if they like the animals they are working with.

I feel like I can definitely tell whether a vet likes cats by their behaviors around my cats. Like you said, some will pet and snuggle with them, while others are very distant and hesitant. Actually I think the true test happens when you have a cat who gets stressed out at the vet. I’ve had vets who can’t handle hissing cats and have to send a “cat friendly” vet tech in. I’ve also had vets who are completely comfortable with uncomfortable cats and are very patient with them.

My current vet definitely likes cats, she is always drawing on stories of her own cats when she sees my cats. And I would say that she’s actually really fascinated by cats too. Sometimes she just sits with us and observes my cats’ behaviors.

 

[Jem]

I had an unfortunate experience with a vet, who seemed to be CLUELESS and completely aloof about caring for a cat. Test after test upwards of $5000, when I finally said enough was enough. Word around town is she is great with dogs, but anyone who I know who has seen her with a cat will never go back. Me included. (Wish I had known this before going to her in the first place) I now have an awesome vet, who is part of a team of vets who will communicate with each other to ensure that their patients get the best care, no matter who is available at the time for an appointment, or the type of animal. They even treat reptiles, birds, etc... Of course I always try to make the appointment with MY vet, but the others are still fantastic and don't rush you out or treat you different if you're (your pet) is not "their" patient.
I firmly believe (and yes I'm biased because of my experience but...) that if you can't treat all animals with the same effort and understanding, then don't offer your services to all animals just to get a paycheck. If you don't "like" cats, then have a dog only practice.
I'm in healthcare (physical therapy), and although I don't always "like" the patient that comes my way, they still the the best care I can give them, and I certainly try to make sure they feel welcome, even if our personalities clash. That is part of being a professional.

 

[mschauer]

I feel like I can definitely tell whether a vet likes cats by their behaviors around my cats.

That is precisely how I've come to the conclusion that most vets are dog people. That and how the vast majority of the time their pictures on their web site show them with a dog. Rarely do I see a picture of a general practice vet with a cat.

Cats have to be handled differently than dogs and vets, and their techs, need to know that. I think it is very easy to see the difference between a vet who is comfortable with cats and a vet who isn't.

My current vet is part of a cat only practice with 2 other vets. They are all board certified feline specialists which means they have extensive additional education in feline medicine beyond their DVM. My vet has been a feline specialist her entire career and she isn't young. I can so clearly see every time I visit that she knows cats inside and out.

There is good reason why there are so many cat only practices but few (no?) dog only practices.

 

[Furballsmom]

The scarcity of cat only practices might be a little on us as owners as well, though. There are too many cats which don't see a vet.
They are challenging little creatures to handle, for a vet clinic, and often too good at hiding troubles. I think/hope, even so, that things are improving for them as a species.

 

[Lari]

I go to a cat only practice. If they didn't like cats it would kind of be an issue....

Fortunately I can tell just by their demeanor and how they interact that everyone there truly loves and gets cats, which is why I plan to stay with them, even if other practices might be a bit cheaper.

 

[molly92]

This is an interesting topic. Sometimes I think it's amazing that people who like animals can be vets at all, considering all of the awful things they have to see animals go through (especially when people decide to let their animals suffer because it's not worth a vet bill!). There are definitely some vets I've had that seem emotionally detached from their patients. Then you have some vets like my aunt, who is emotionally conflicted about the most humane way to kill a flea. (Actually she may be the only one quite like that.) Anyway, there's a range.

I've gone through several vets I didn't like, and I think their understanding of cats was probably lacking a bit, primarily in how stress has such a huge effect on cats. But if I had a dog I don't think I would take them to these vets either, because stress affects all animals, even if it's usually worse for cats.

Delilah's constipation woes led me on a search for a better vet. She had to have several enemas at a few different places, and when I finally found "my" vet, there was a huge difference in how they treated her for such a stressful experience! They used lots of Feliway everywhere and were very congnisant that we didn't want to have to do this yet again, and did a thorough and careful job, kept her clean, and communicated with me about everything. And then the vet herself has a focus on nutrition and doesn't like dry food for cats...I was sold!

So I go to them for both my cats now. They see dogs but they all obviously love both. Feliway diffusers in all the exam rooms, and they have a special cat exam room with windows and birdfeeders. The vet techs fawn over my kitties every time I bring them in, which makes me feel great about how they handle them. I leave the room when the vet needs to do something that requires focus like drawing blood instead of them taking the cat elsewhere, but I can hear them through the door talking gently and praising my cat. I could go on and on-I'm so lucky my vet is so great!

 

[kittyluv387]

My first vet seemed to be more into dogs. He had a dog too. With my cats he seemed more annoyed by them and disinterested. He was also the old school kind and wanted to feed my diarrhea kitty iams dry food. So i changed to a practice that is part of a chain that is ran by 2 women. They both have a friendly demeanor about them when they handle my cats so i'm happy now.

 

[Tobermory]

I had such a wonderful vet for three of the four years I lived in Colorado. I made the mistake of going to the vet in the shiny brand new building that looked somewhat like a ski lodge. She and her husband were co-owners, but neither she nor the other vets in the practice seemed to have much of an interest in cats. The day she said, “I don’t know much about cats” when I was discussing an issue regarding one of my cats was the day I started looking for a new vet.

I fell in love with the new vet (who practiced in a spotless but old building) when Lily, who is...um...difficult to exam scrambled into the sink in the exam room and glared and hissed at Dr. Stephanie. “That’s okay,” she said. “I’ll just exam you here since you feel safer.” Then she gave Lily’s head a gentle rub. Awwww.

I went to four vets here before I settled on my current vet. He’s the one who helped Max cross the Bridge last summer, and I will never forget his gentleness, love and compassion for my boy. And when The Spouse and I finally stumbled out of the room, complete and total wrecks, and I went to the counter to pay, they waved me away and told me we could do it later. That’s the kind of caring we all want.

 

[Megsnan]

One of my vets is an orthopedic surgeon and he took care of my cat because he “wanted the challenge.” He always worked on dogs but he had never worked on a cat because he said cats don’t take well to the treatment. My cat was comfortable around strangers and didn’t fight when they had to clean, pack, and bandage his wounds. The surgeon looked at my cat more as an opportunity to hone his skills but he was kind to my cat. I think some doctors get into medicine not necessarily for the patients but because they like the challenge, they want to solve the puzzle.

 

[Azazel]

One of my vets is an orthopedic surgeon and he took care of my cat because he “wanted the challenge.” He always worked on dogs but he had never worked on a cat because he said cats don’t take well to the treatment. My cat was comfortable around strangers and didn’t fight when they had to clean, pack, and bandage his wounds. The surgeon looked at my cat more as an opportunity to hone his skills but he was kind to my cat. I think some doctors get into medicine not necessarily for the patients but because they like the challenge, they want to solve the puzzle.

That’s interesting. That’s probably fantastic for them intellectually but I would prefer that they stay away from my cats.

 

[chris gadbois]

My vet is a 'cat person'. She splits her time between 2 different animal hospitals. I am a client of both hospitals because 'she' is my cat's vet. Where she goes, we go.

 

[Megsnan]

That’s interesting. That’s probably fantastic for them intellectually but I would prefer that they stay away from my cats.

Ha. Yeah but if they can save my cats life then that’s all that matters.