Feline-focused Certificate Program Named “Best in Business”

The American Association of Feline Practitioners, trusted leaders in feline health and welfare, receives industry award for educational program.

[BRIDGEWATER, NJ; August 3, 2021] The American Association of Feline Practitioners’ (AAFP) Cat Friendly Certificate Program continues to earn recognition and praise from industry associations, receiving the 2021 Best In Business Award from Veterinary Medical Association Executives (VMAE). The award is an indication of how the Cat Friendly Certificate Program truly shined and was a stand-out during the awards ceremony, which took place July 20. The VMAE Awards Committee presented the award to the AAFP’s Cat Friendly Certificate Program for exhibiting originality in content, creativity, and usefulness to veterinary professionals.

The AAFP is honored and thrilled by the ongoing recognition of the Cat Friendly Certificate Program. The impact of this feline-specific training and education program enables all veterinary professionals to advance the standards of feline care. In May 2021, the Cat Friendly Certificate Program received the 2021 Gold Circle Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Both awards recognized the importance of this feline-specific educational program and the exemplary work being done in the field.

“We know that it is stressful to bring cats to the veterinary practice and not enough cats come in for regular routine care. This Program ensures the veterinary team will receive specialized training solely focused on cats to reduce stress associated with the visit and to create a much better experience,” said Heather O’Steen, CAE, AAFP Chief Executive Officer. “We are proud these awards showcase our ability to provide valuable educational opportunities to everyone in the veterinary community who seeks to expand their feline expertise.”

With its debut in late 2020, the AAFP Cat Friendly Certificate Program continues to grow and gain the support of veterinary practices, communities, organizational partners, and industry partners. The AAFP is working with numerous sponsors and partners who recognize the value of the Cat Friendly Certificate, and are developing large-scale initiatives to raise awareness and access to the Program. These initiatives bring new opportunities to those eager to improve the veterinary experience for cats in an accessible, easy-to-digest program.

Learn more about the AAFP Cat Friendly Certificate Program’s proven impact.

About the AAFP and the Cat Friendly Certificate Program

As leaders in feline health and welfare, the AAFP supports veterinary professionals by offering science-based educational programs and resources to further their feline-specific knowledge. “The AAFP identified that some veterinary practices were not ready to become an AAFP Cat Friendly Practice®, which is a designation earned by embracing and fulfilling cat friendly standards. However, individual veterinary team members had a strong desire to learn more cat friendly ways in which to practice,” stated Kelly St. Denis, MSc, DVM, DABVP (Feline), AAFP President.

“The AAFP created the Cat Friendly Certificate Program in order to offer this education to veterinary professionals so they could enhance the experience and care provided during feline appointments.” The Cat Friendly Certificate Program offers a concise AAVSB RACE-approved educational package focusing on the special needs of felines. It provides much need training about cat friendly techniques to elevate the environment and experience for the cat, caregiver, and veterinary team.

The Cat Friendly Certificate Program consists of three uniquely designed certificates for each person in the practice – Cat Friendly Veterinarian (CFV), Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional (CFVP), and Cat Friendly Advocate (CFVA). Each program contains a series of modules exploring aspects in feline behavior, the veterinary experience, and healthcare. The benefits of the program allow veterinary professionals to enhance their ability to fulfill client and patient needs, build confidence in working with cats, demonstrate a personal commitment to feline health, help develop talent, and offer transferable tools and knowledge.

The response and feedback from the veterinary community has been overwhelmingly positive. “The Cat Friendly Certificate Program is fantastic! Every veterinary professional can benefit from this program. It helps improve understanding of feline behavior, feline handling and the common but complex feline diseases. I would recommend this program to everyone!” Comments on the program go on to say, “AAFP educational programs continue to inspire and motivate our entire team, and support our continued dedication to excellence with respect to feline patient care.” Veterinary students also find the Cat Friendly Certificate Program valuable. “As a veterinary student, I found this program to be very beneficial. It prepares you well to enter clinics, whether as a new grad or for senior clinical rotations. It also brings a fresh perspective to managing and handling feline patients, which can be lacking in some veterinary curriculums.”

“We have received amazing feedback from so many veterinary professionals noting how the content within the modules has been invaluable in helping provide for more positive feline appointments, and gives team members a deeper understanding of the complex cat, as well as more confidence in working with cats,” noted Heather O’Steen, CAE, AAFP Chief Executive Officer.

The Cat Friendly Certificate Program is sponsored by Zoetis Petcare, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva Animal Health, Elanco, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Merck Animal Health, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, Royal Canin, and is supported by Wedgewood Pharmacy.

Veterinary professionals interested in learning more about the AAFP’s Cat Friendly Certificate Program including module descriptions, enrollment fees, discounts for multi-individuals in a practice, and students and faculty discounts, visit www.catvets.com/certificate.

About the American Association of Feline Practitioners
The American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) improves the health and welfare of cats by supporting high standards of practice, continuing education, and evidence-based medicine (catvets.com). As a trusted leader in the veterinary community, the AAFP has a long-standing reputation and track record for facilitating high standards, including guidelines for practice excellence and educational resources. Over the years, the AAFP has encouraged veterinary professionals to continuously re-evaluate preconceived notions of practice strategies in an effort to advance the quality of feline medicine practiced. Launched in 2012, the Cat Friendly Practice® (CFP) Program (catvets.com/cfp) was created to improve the treatment, handling, and overall healthcare provided to cats. Its purpose is to equip veterinary practices, teams, and individuals with the tools and resources to reduce stress associated with the visit and elevate the standard of care provided to cats. Launched in 2020, the Cat Friendly Certificate Program (catvets.com/certificate) now provides this education to individual veterinary professionals. Catfriendly.com, or Cat Friendly Homes, is the AAFP’s cat caregiver educational resource which is powered by feline veterinarians and includes a monthly newsletter, The Cat Column.