The anatomy of dogs and cats are different, not unlike their temperament and behavior. Since the focus of feline-only practices is cats, the environment is quieter and calmer, which often adds up to a bonus for cats.

The premise is simple or is it.

"I am not convinced that cats do better in an all-cat environment," said Richard Lerner, DVM, Malden Animal Hospital (a general animal practice) in Malden, MA. "I don't know if cats are any less scared by not having dogs around. When I saw cats at a cat-only clinic they were still scared."

Dr. Lerner added that he thought taking the dog to a general veterinarian and the cat to a cats-only veterinarian could have a less than positive effect. "The cats-only veterinarian doesn't get to see the total pet picture in a mixed household. There are some advantages to seeing and treating all the animals that live under the same roof."

"There are a lot of people who don't like cats…including some veterinarians," stated Matthew J. Ehrenberg, DVM, of Cats Only Veterinarian House Calls in Woodland Hills, California. "Since dogs were of greater economic value in the early days of small animal practice, most veterinary hospitals were designed for dogs. I think there is a tendency to also treat cats like a breed of dogs." According to Ehrenberg, when general veterinarians treat cats it is an accommodation to their dog owner clients.

"Most of the people who work at a cats-only clinic love cats. We are equipped to handle even the most difficult cats. We use the correct restraint equipment," stated Williams.

According to Jan, who lives in Las Vegas and owns five cats, "My cats-only veterinarian is more informed about the issues I am concerned about in regard to my cats. She is gentle and explains all of the options I need to know to make informed decisions about my cats' healthcare."

The perfect situation, for Jan and her cats, is the mobile clinic. "My cats feel more at ease without going through the trauma of the car ride to the clinic. All of my cats respond very well. They seem comfortable since they are the only ones in the clinic at the time," said Jan.

The cat caretaker

"Cat owners are generally easier to deal with than dog owners. Cat owners are aware of how dangerous their animals can be and how easily stressed they can become," said Ehrenberg. "If the owners don't suggest anesthesia themselves they generally think it is a good idea since it spares the animals the pain, anxiety, and stress of many procedures or treatments."

In contrast, Ehrenberg stated it is the rare occasion when a dog owner admits their dog is aggressive or dangerous. "I don't remember a dog owner ever warning me about their dog. I frequently have cat owners tell me their cat is aggressive because they didn't want me to get hurt. Refreshing," said Ehrenberg.

"Cats are family members. When you lose a cat some owners go into grief counseling. Cats have a longer life span than dogs, and can live into their teens and 20s now," said Williams. Interestingly, Williams noted that due to our highly mobile population, cat ownership is becoming more popular with men living alone, which probably reflects that cats are easier to care for and can tolerate longer owner absences than can dogs.

"Beyond everything else I just like cats. Beautiful dogs are occasional finds. Beautiful cats are quite common. Neurotic dogs are very common, neurotic cats are rare. I don't dislike dogs but they are much more effort to treat, especially in a mobile practice, so the choice was obvious for me," said Ehrenberg.

Ranking the cats only facilities

"We have a four-year accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), who accredits veterinarian hospitals. Only 10 percent of animal hospitals are granted this standard. Our practice is a serious practice, as some cat-only veterinarians can be more a hobby and staffed only part-time," said Williams.

One size does not fit all in the animal world. "Some of the specialized equipment is scaled down to fit our clients, to fit into the cat's body, like fracture plates. We do laser surgery here. We still have the same medical principles and the same monitoring equipment [as a general practice clinic]," commented Williams.

According to Lerner, there are no cat specialties in veterinarian medicine. "No specialty boards, no way to document that any veterinarian is more qualified to practice as a cat doctor. It is not like being a surgeon. Any doctor can hang out a shingle and tell you he's a cats-only veterinarian. If it is not a good cat clinic then you are better off at a mixed animal clinic. The advantages of a cats-only verses a general practices, it isn't all black and white."

The benefits of specialty

It is quite reasonable to assume that if you do something over and over you will get really good at that procedure and, in fact, learn to detect certain nuances that others without experience might miss.

"You need to be able to recognize that cats in pain look different than dogs in pain and frequently require much higher doses of narcotics due to their relative insensitivity to narcotics," said Ehrenberg.

The benefit of cats-only practice cuts three ways. It's good for the cat, the owner and the veterinarian. "We can do different things to get cats to eat. You can give them different bedding. The noise level is lower, waste disposal is a minor problem. Cats are easier to keep clean," cited Ehrenberg.

Some important questions to consider

Before you make that all-important decision about where to take your cat, you need to consider the following questions.

§ Find out exactly what services the clinic provides.

§ Be sure the hours of operation are compatible with your work schedule or other obligations.

§ Is the clinic located within easy driving distance so that Mr. Kitty isn't confined longer than necessary? Of course, if you choose a mobile clinic, then you have ruled out travel time.

§ Ask about the hours that the clinic is open. If it isn't 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, what provisions are there for coverage on weekends, holidays, vacations and emergencies. Emergencies often happen at the most inopportune times.

§ Find out how much experience and training the veterinarian has.

§ And, finally, the most important consideration, make sure your cat is comfortable with the veterinarian and that you are able to talk honestly and feel comfortable with the veterinarian?

"I charge more per visit because I see fewer animals per day. Plus I travel to treat the animals that a regular hospital can't or don't want to treat," said Ehrenberg, who has a mobile clinic.

Originally published in Tufts University Catnip Newsletter