Cat Friendly Certificate Program FAQ

The Cat Friendly Certificate is for anyone in the veterinary profession who sees cats in practice or has an interest in feline behavior, medicine, and wellbeing. The Certificate Program is offered as an individual certificate to AAFP Members and non-members. The Certificate Program helps you gain a thorough understanding about how to integrate a Cat Friendly approach when working with cats, shows your feline expertise, and improves your interactions with cats.

The Cat Friendly Veterinarian^® Certificate takes approximately five to six hours in total to complete. The other two Certificate Programs will take less time. All Certificate Programs must be completed within 90 days of enrollment.

No, you do not have to be a Cat Friendly Practice^® to enroll. Obtaining the Cat Friendly Certificate will help you learn more about being Cat Friendly and how to start implementing these strategies right away. For current Cat Friendly Practices^®, the Certificate Program will contribute to your continued learning and offer a new way to onboard staff, offer enhanced training, and provide well-rounded Cat Friendly information.

Yes! Discounts are available starting at three individuals from the same practice, and they may enroll in any one of the three Certificate Program levels. The discount tiers are as follows:

• 3–4 individuals: 10% off each
• 5–7 individuals: 15% off each
• 8–12 individuals: 20% off each
• 13–19 individuals: 25% off each
• 20–34 individuals: 30% off each
• 35–49 individuals: 35% off each
• 50 or more individuals: email us for special pricing

If you would like to take advantage of a discount, please have only ONE person at your practice complete the Cat Friendly Certificate Program Multi-Individual Discount form. Your form will be reviewed, and once approved, the discount code will be emailed to the individual designated on the form. Please share the discount code with the individuals who will take part in the Certificate Program using the discount. They will apply the code upon check out of their Certificate Program. Only one discount may apply.

Yes, there are academic discounts! See below for more details.

Does Your School Have an Official Student Chapter of the AAFP?

If your school has an official Student Chapter of the AAFP, the Faculty Advisor and all Student Chapter Members are entitled to take the Cat Friendly Certificate Program for free. Check the list of official Student Chapters of the AAFP to see if your school has a Chapter. If your school is not on the list, please contact us to learn more about how to start a Chapter. The Student Chapter of the AAFP Program is available for veterinary colleges/universities and veterinary technology schools.

Throughout 2024, the AAFP is celebrating its 50th Anniversary by extending free Cat Friendly Certificate Program registrations to all personnel at teaching hospitals at schools with an official Student Chapter of the AAFP. Veterinarians at these teaching hospitals are eligible to take the Cat Friendly Veterinarian^® Program, veterinary technicians/nurses are eligible to take the Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional^® Program, and all other hospital personnel are eligible to take the Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate^® Program. If your school has an official Student Chapter of the AAFP, contact us for more information about how to register.

For Schools without an Official Student Chapter of the AAFP

If your school does not have an official Student Chapter of the AAFP and will not launch one, veterinary students may sign up as a Student Chapter Member and list their school as “Independent Chapter.” Signing up for Student Chapter Membership will allow you to take the Cat Friendly Certificate Program for free, as well as access the AAFP’s growing library of webinars, podcasts, and other AAFP Member benefits.

Which Certificate Program Should You Take?

We recommend veterinary students who will be working with cats in a practice setting take the Cat Friendly Veterinarian^® Certificate level, veterinary technician students take the Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional^® Certificate level, and all others take the Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate^® Certificate.

You will have 90 days to complete the Certificate Program, which includes watching each module, taking a quiz, and earning a passing score of 80% or greater, in order to earn your Certificate.

All three Certificate Programs use the same content in modules 1–4. The Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional® Certificate includes three additional modules covering Cat Care at Home, Life Care for the Cat, and Feline Medicine Fundamentals. The Cat Friendly Veterinarian^® Certificate adds two additional modules that address advanced disease-specific topics.

Since these Certificate Programs were built modularly, there is no need to register for more than one Certificate — choose the one that best suits your role!

The Certificate Program consists of up to nine modules that explore a variety of feline-specific topics. 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 Cat Friendly Certificate which will stay with you throughout your career.

Veterinary practices that include the Cat Friendly Certificate Program in their staff training benefit from:

• Developing staff talent and understanding of cats.
• Reinforcing the important role feline knowledge and understanding plays in the practice.
• Increasing professional development amongst the staff team, and demonstrates to clients the value and commitment you place on providing care for their cats.

The Cat Friendly Certificate Program can make an immediate impact on how you interact with cats and caregivers! Front office staff will be able to use their CFVA Certificate and take a fresh look at the administrative, waiting room, and caregiver/patient experience. Technicians/nurses can use the tools gained in their CFVP Certificate to refine their skills in handling and interacting with cats and caregivers. Veterinarians will be able to showcase their in-depth feline knowledge and ability to provide a better overall experience for cats and caregivers.

Whether your practice has been awarded Cat Friendly Practice^® designation, is working to become a Cat Friendly Practice®, or are not ready to apply for the Cat Friendly Practice® Program, the Certificate Program helps you learn more about how to be Cat Friendly and start implementing strategies right away.

This Certificate Program is ALL about cats and goes into depth with feline-specific care and considerations. Many feline experts have contributed to the Certificate Program, which encompasses a comprehensive collection of the Cat Friendly tools, resources, and education which the AAFP has built over the years. The Cat Friendly Certificate Program was created with professional education and flexibility in mind. The Certificate Program does not expire and will remain with you throughout your career to help you stand out, showcase your interest in feline care, and contribute to your success in working with cats. More educational content is added over time, which is shared with Certificate holders.

The program has been approved for 5 credits for CFV, 3.5 credits for CFVP, and 2 for CFVA.

The American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB) RACE committee has approved the Cat Friendly Certificate Program as meeting the Standards adopted by the AAVSB. This Certificate Program is included on the AAVSB’s Website as program number 249-44194. Please contact the AAVSB RACE program if you have any questions regarding this Certificate Program’s validity or relevancy to the veterinary profession or contact the AAFP Headquarters for further information.

The Cat Friendly Certificate Program consists of nine core modules. Participants take the number of modules based on their role in the veterinary practice:

• Cat Friendly Veterinarian^® (CFV) – Modules 1–9
• Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional^® (CFVP) – Modules 1–7
• Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate^® (CFVA) – Modules 1–4

Each module includes a video presentation followed by a quiz. Supplemental resources are available for reference. With a passing score of 80% or higher you will complete the module and move on to the next one. You may take the quiz as often as needed. Once all modules are completed, you will earn your Cat Friendly Certificate, which will be available along with your badge and additional resources by logging in at catvets.com/certificate.

No. The Cat Friendly Certificate Program is a one-time enrollment fee and does not need to be renewed. All Certificate courses must be completed within 90 days of enrollment.

The Cat Friendly Practice^® (CFP) Program is earned by the entire veterinary practice based on specific criteria that the practice follows. Cat Friendly Practices^® elevate the standard of care provided to cats, and more specifically, reduce the stress of veterinary visits for cats, their caregivers, and the veterinary team. CFPs assess the practice environment, procedures, policies, and interactions with clients and cats to deliver a better veterinary experience for everyone. Once approved, the Cat Friendly Practice^® receives feline-focused education and other benefits, such as continuing education and marketing support. The CFP Program is more in-depth than the Certificate Program because it encompasses the entire veterinary practice and needs to be renewed every three years. The Cat Friendly Practice® Program is only available to AAFP Members.

The Cat Friendly Certificate Program is designed to educate individual veterinary professionals in order to integrate Cat Friendly principles. The following table outlines the differences between the Cat Friendly Practice^® Program and the Cat Friendly Certificate Program.