A MALTON veterinary practice is the cat’s whiskers after receiving a top award for its care of feline patients.

Minster Vets has found the purr-fect way to soothe frightened felines by introducing cat-friendly initiatives and ways of working at the practice in Middlecave Road, Malton.

Owners bringing their pet to the practice will see a range of improvements, including a cat-only waiting area and towels covered in pheromone spray to help calm nervous cats before they go into the consult room for an examination of treatment.

Vets and nurses have also undergone training to ensure they are providing the best possible care for cats.

The improvements have resulted in Minster Vets’ Malton branch being accredited as a silver level Cat Friendly Clinic by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM), the veterinary division of International Cat Care, reflecting the team’s work and commitment to promoting cat wellbeing.

The practice is also planning to hold cat-only clinics when dogs will not be allowed in the practice during a certain time of day. The cat clinics will help those pets who become particularly distressed by barking and the smell of dogs.

Veterinary nurse Jane Owen said the team’s understanding of the unique nature and needs of cats would help to ensure the highest standards of healthcare and welfare are met.

Jane said: “A trip to the vets can be worrying for owners if they know their cat is going to be stressed so we’re trying to make everything as relaxed and comforting as possible to make visits to the practice easier.

“Helping cats to relax by creating a calm environment makes it easier for them to be examined thoroughly so nothing is missed, and it is also easier to check their blood pressure or take a blood sample if they’re not distressed.

“By making some small, but important, changes to the practice and the way we handle cat, it can make a big difference to cat wellbeing and welfare.”

The Minster Veterinary Practice’s main hospital is at Salisbury Road, York. It also has branches at Copmanthorpe, Haxby, Willow Grove and Crockey Hill.

The practice is part of veterinary group VetPartners.