The Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate® (CFVA) Certificate includes core principles behind the Cat Friendly Practice® Program, including understanding cats and feline behavior, reducing distress during the veterinary visit, Cat Friendly interactions and hospitalization, and how to make the routine wellness visit a positive experience for the cat and caregiver.
The CFVA Certificate is designed for front office staff, assistants, managers, groomers, breeders, volunteers, industry representatives, non-profit staff, and others in the veterinary industry.
This Certificate Program provides a solid background for understanding why Cat Friendly strategies and principles are integral for better feline care and provide a more positive experience for the cat, caregiver, and entire veterinary team. This certificate encompasses four modules.
Enrollment Fees
- Members: $39
- Non-Members $69
- Students/Faculty: $19.50
- Discount code required. Please reference FAQs
- Multi-individual Discounts Available
- Please reference FAQs.
- Free to Student Chapter Members and Faculty Members at schools with an official Student Chapter of the AAFP.
Multi-individual Discounts Available
- Please see FAQs.
Program Details
- 4 Modules
- 2 CE hours
- All modules must be completed within 90 days of enrollment.
- Available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Modules
Understanding what sets cats apart from other domesticated animals is key to their care. This module explores unique feline traits, emotional and behavioral responses, cat caregiver perceptions, and common misconceptions about feline veterinary visits. Learn tips and strategies to decrease stress and provide a better veterinary experience for the veterinary team, caregivers, and especially cats.
This module focuses on understanding how the experience of visiting the veterinary practice impacts the stress level of cats and clients, and the effectiveness of the visit. By re-imagining the veterinary experience from the cat’s point of view you will identify opportunities to soothe rather than stress. This includes an understanding about how the visit starts at home, reducing stress during the waiting room experience, and creating a safe haven for cats in the practice environment, and enhancing the bond between the caregiver and practice. We also explore teaching opportunities that empower cat caregivers to make informed and positive decisions that extend beyond their visit.
In this module, you will dive into the important considerations for cats in the examination room to decrease patient distress and minimize fear-anxiety, frustration, and pain for future visits. From aesthetics to practical tools, we walk you through the components to develop a Cat Friendly environment. We delve into Cat Friendly Interactions and Handling including how to minimize protective emotions and high levels of arousal, and promote engaging emotions to improve the cat’s overall experience. Finally, we explore the physical examination and learn useful tips to make it more successful.
In this module, we explore Cat Friendly strategies to incorporate into our standard hospitalization practices in order to improve the overall experience for cats. We consider the challenges facing a hospitalized cat and discover how to optimize the cage and ward setting. Handling cats in a hospital setting comes with its own unique set of best practices and you will gain a better understanding of feeding and interacting with cats so you can tailor your approach to create a more Cat Friendly experience.
Benefits of the Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate® Certificate
Completing this Certificate Program will allow you to:
- Enhance your ability to fulfill caregiver and patient needs.
- Build your confidence in working with cats.
- Demonstrate your commitment to feline health.
- Increase your ability to showcase your feline expertise.
- Contribute to your professional development.
- Earn a Certificate which will travel with you throughout your career.
Veterinary practices that include the Cat Friendly Certificate Program in their staff training benefit from:
- Developing talent and understanding of cats.
- Reinforcing the important role feline knowledge and understanding play in the practice.
- Increasing professional development amongst the staff team, and demonstrating to clients the value and commitment you place on providing care for their cats.
Upon Completion of the Certificate
You will be listed on the Find a Veterinary Professional or Practice search on catfriendly.com, plus have access to an online Resource Center which provides:
- Supplemental professional and cat caregiver resources for each module.
- Marketing resources to help you highlight your new certificate, such as logos, ready-to-print display certificates, email signature templates, social media content, sample text for your website and newsletter, and more.
- Access to new modules as they are developed.
Next Steps
Why stop here? Consider getting the rest of your team enrolled in the Cat Friendly Certificate Program too, so you can integrate Cat Friendly principles and strategies consistently to each patient visit. Also, you can become the champion to obtaining practice-based recognition with the Cat Friendly Practice® Program.
Those who obtain a Certificate will be listed in the Find a Veterinary Professional or Practice search on catfriendly.com, the AAFP’s information resource center for all cat caregivers.