A MALTON veterinary practice is segregating its canine and feline waiting rooms to make surgery visits less stressful for cats.

Mount Veterinary Group has created a cat-friendly waiting room at its surgery in Middlecave Road to try to eliminate anxiety for the animals and their owners.

A screen separates the new quiet area from the rest of the waiting room to keep them away from dogs, and there are elevated bays where owners can place carrier boxes as cats feel safer off the ground.

Mount Vets hopes the practice revamp will lead to them receiving accreditation from the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) as a “cat-friendly clinic”.

The improvements have been overseen by veterinary nurse Stella Ellis, who has cats herself, and is working towards an ISFM certificate in advanced feline behaviour.

Stella said: “We are trying to make things easier and less stressful for feline patients and their owners with the new cat-friendly waiting room.

“Clients are using the area and we have had a positive response from clients and cats, who seem to like it. It is definitely making a difference to their experience of being in the practice.

“Cats are unique creatures that like to be in control and, if they feel they are out of their comfort zone, that is when they feel distressed.

“We are trying to reduce that stress as much as possible to make them feel happier when they’re in the surgery.”

ISFM works with the veterinary profession across the world to provide information for the veterinary care of cats.

The charity encourages veterinary nurses to take a key role in helping practices become more cat friendly to enhance the care of feline patients and their owners.