What is the Cat Friendly Clinic programme from International Cat Care?

The Cat Friendly Clinic programme is one of International Cat Care's Cat Friendly Programmes, aimed at veterinary practices. Its purpose is to reduce stress for cats during veterinary visits and raise the standard of care they receive. It matters to two audiences: cat owners choosing where to take their cat, and veterinary professionals seeking accreditation. You can find or recognise a Cat Friendly Clinic through icatcare.org.

What the programme is

International Cat Care (iCatCare) describes itself as a global charity improving cat welfare through trusted advice, education, and programmes for caregivers and veterinary professionals. The Cat Friendly Clinic programme sits within that work, alongside the charity's other Cat Friendly Programmes.

The programme's focus is the veterinary practice. Rather than being a general advice resource for owners, it is a framework that practices can adopt so that a cat's visit is handled with the cat's needs in mind.

Why it exists

Veterinary visits are a common source of stress for cats, and stress affects both the cat's experience and the quality of care it can receive. The programme's stated purpose is to reduce that stress and improve care standards. In practice, that means a Cat Friendly Clinic is one that has committed to handling cats in ways designed to keep them calmer and safer during examination and treatment.

Who it is for

How to find or recognise a Cat Friendly Clinic

iCatCare's site lists Cat Friendly Clinic among its main navigation and quick links, so it is reachable directly from the homepage rather than buried in the advice section. Use that entry point to look up the programme and find participating practices.

To recognise one in person, look for the Cat Friendly Clinic identity associated with the programme. If you are unsure whether a specific practice is accredited, check through the programme's page on icatcare.org rather than assuming from the practice's own signage.

Where it fits in iCatCare's wider work

The charity's programmes and resources are organised by audience. Alongside Cat Friendly Clinic, the site groups material for owners and caregivers, for those working with unowned cats, and for veterinary professionals through the iCatCare Veterinary Society, JFMS, and the Academy of Feline Practitioners. If your interest is general cat care rather than the clinic programme, the A–Z advice articles and cat health sections are the relevant starting points.

Practical next steps

• If you are choosing a clinic: start from the Cat Friendly Clinic page on icatcare.org and check whether practices near you participate.
• If you are a veterinary professional: review the programme requirements through the same page before deciding whether to pursue accreditation.
• If you want general cat care information instead: use the site's advice and health sections, which are separate from the clinic programme.

Note that the site's cart and login links indicate some areas involve accounts or transactions, but the programme page itself is the place to confirm what applies to you.