The West Midlands Cat Clinic

18/09/2024

KEEP UP WITH PARASITE PREVENTION!

This is 13 year old tortoiseshell Patty who came in to see us today for her topical flea treatment as she’s not very keen on letting mum do it at home. As you can see, Patty prefers to stay in her carrier on her visits as she can snuggle here and it helps her feel more secure. We weigh Patty in her carrier and treat her in situ to avoid causing her any additional stress. And we have Dreamies and Lick-e-lix on hand to reward her as a treat!

Even though we’re moving into Autumn, it’s really important to keep up your cat’s parasite prevention treatment. If your cat has carried fleas at any point, there may be eggs lying dormant in your carpets and soft furnishings that will love the central heating coming on!

Do ask us about the most effective flea and parasite treatments for your feline friend’s lifestyle. And if giving your cat flea and worming treatment is a problem, we can help with that too!

16/09/2024

OUT AND ABOUT

It was an exciting day on Saturday as local cat charity Kool Cat Rescue invited us to share their stand at The Cat Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham. Our vet Emma represented The West Midlands Cat Clinic and was on hand to talk about our feline-centric clinic and the care we’ve given to kittens and cats brought in to the practice by the charity. Huge thanks to Jules and Mitsy, who run the charity, for this fantastic opportunity.

Having said goodbye to the Kool Cat Rescue team on Saturday, we said hello to them again this morning as this bundle of loveliness arrived in need of their care and support. Thank you so much for taking them in to foster them. We are sure they will have no trouble finding loving forever homes.

11/09/2024

PHONES ARE WORKING

We’re pleased to let you know our phone system is now back up and running. Thank you for your patience while the network issue was being fixed.

11/09/2024

PHONE ISSUE

There has been a major outage of our phone network which means our phone system and internet access is currently down. Huge apologies for any inconvenience. Engineers are working to fix the issue as quickly as they can. In the meantime, if you need to contact us, please use our PetsApp messaging facility. If you have not yet downloaded the app you can chat with us directly using the chat box on our website. We will let you know when we are back up and running as normal. Thank you for bearing with us.

02/09/2024

RCVS ASSESSMENT THIS WEDENSDAY

It’s not often we feature a dog on our cat clinic website but we wanted to let you know that our 387 (and West Midlands Cat Clinic) team have an assessor in on Wednesday to see if we are eligible for additional governing body awards. We have already submitted a large bank of evidence for Client Service and Team and Professional Responsibility Awards with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Many thanks to those of you who have completed a customer satisfaction survey in support of this over the past month. On Wednesday, our assessor will be on site to chat to team and see our practices and protocols first hand.

Additional RCVS Awards allow any practice accredited through the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme to demonstrate how their practice excels in specialist areas. There are 9 additional awards. We are currently applying for Client Service and Team and Professional Responsibility.

The Practice Standards Scheme is a great initiative to help teams run veterinary practices to the highest standards of veterinary care. Choosing an RCVS-accredited practice for your pet gives you the reassurance that your furry friend is in great hands. RCVS practices are rigorously assessed every 4 years to ensure standards are maintained. 387 Veterinary Centre has been an RCVS accredited practice since 2009.

These two additional RCVS awards will enable us to show our governing body how much we’ve invested in our service provision, clinical excellence, team training and customer care over and above their standard framework recommendations and our interconnecting cat clinic feeds into all these areas.

We promise to keep you posted on how we get on!

30/08/2024

SNUGGLY SISTERS

This is Beauty and Biscuit who came in together for their neutering procedures to keep each other company. They were so snuggly and adorable together we just had to take a pic!

Did you know that kittens reach sexual maturity around the age of 4 months? This means that they are able to breed and produce kittens themselves. Neutering your kitten prevents unwanted pregnancies, keeps antisocial behaviour associated with sexual maturity in check and reduces the risk of your cat contracting certain diseases.

The charity International Cat Care have produced lots of information around reasons for neutering male and female felines if you are not planning to breed from your cat, as well as covering what neutering procedures involve and when the best age is to neuter your cat. Click on the lick below to find out more:

https://icatcare.org/advice/neutering-your-cat/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw28W2BhC7ARIsAPerrcItoDY9JO310UHQTfygUZ6N3pXazrgoC_nghjES9HkhBsO6wjeLBA4aAg6TEALw_wcB

24/08/2024

HAPPY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND!

We hope you and your pets have a happy, healthy long weekend wherever you may be and whatever you may be planning.

Both 387 Vets and The West Midlands Cat Clinic will be closed on Bank Holiday Monday. If you need to see a vet urgently when we’re closed, please continue to phone the practice and follow the answer machine instructions.

If you have a non urgent query, check out the advice pages on our websites for lots of guidance and support. All our registered clients also have access to our complimentary VidiVet facility - a 24/7 vet-led triaging service. You should have a PetsApp message or e-mail from us detailing how to set this up if you haven’t already. Great for checking if your pet needs to see a vet and how urgently.

We’re open as normal on Tuesday morning. Have a great weekend and fingers crossed the sun shines!

08/08/2024

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY!

It’s here! International Cat Day is recognised every year on 8th August and this year the theme is ‘Celebrating Cats’ – no better reason to take some time out today to lavish extra attention on your favourite feline! It’s also the perfect day to spend a few moments considering how our cats make life that little bit better, whether it be through companionship, how they make us smile, the joy of hearing them purr or simply how cute they look when they are all curled up sleeping!

The charity International Cat Care, custodians of the event, are championing the day to bring cat advocates together to share their love of cats. We’d love to hear what you most love about your feline friend!

05/08/2024

SAVE THE DATE!

Cancel all plans for Thursday! If you don’t, your cat might cancel them for you! International Cat Day is held on 8th August and for 2024 the theme is ‘Celebrating Cats’. The charity International Cat Care, custodians of the annual event, are asking anyone with an appreciation for cats to take some time out this Thursday to celebrate the feline species and the unique bond we have with them.

Click on the link below to find out more about International Cat Day and to see how International Cat Care celebrate and champion cats worldwide all year round with great advice and support.

https://icatcare.org/international-cat-day/

29/07/2024

GOOD LUCK AMY!

We very sadly said goodbye to our student nurse Amy Mothershaw on Friday. Amy has been with 387 Vets and The West Midlands Cat Clinic since 2021. We remember carrying out her interview on zoom, back in the days when we weren’t allowed to admit clients into practice. Amy has spent the last three years working on her Level 3 Veterinary Nursing Diploma, spending one day a week at college whilst working at the practice. We have loved watching her skills develop and she has excelled in all her qualification exams to date. Just the final practical exam results to come but we have no doubt that Amy will have aced them! Thank you very much for all your hard work during your apprenticeship with us, Amy. We wish you happiness and success in your new job, and look forward to hearing all about your first position as a Registered Veterinary Nurse!

22/07/2024

CONGRATULATIONS!

Huge congratulations to our RVN Sharon’s husband Mark who completed a 150 mile circular cycle ride at the weekend in aid of Kats Cradle. Mark cycled from Willenhall to The Horseshoe Pass in Denbighshire with colleagues from The Walsall Roads Cycling Club to help raise money for the Coven based charity. Kats Cradle bring feline strays and re-homes to our practice for general health care and emergency treatment.

Thank you so much Mark for all the training and preparation that went into your fundraising cycle and not least for the event itself. We’re glad the sun shone for you and that the conditions were kind. You can see photos from the day on our website! (https://wmcatclinic.co.uk/congratulations-3/)

If you would like to donate, it’s not too late! Click on the link below to access Mark’s just Giving Page to help support local cats in shelter waiting for their new forever homes.

Weʼre raising money to help the kats cradle cat rescue. Support this JustGiving Crowdfunding Page.

17/07/2024

EPIC FUNDRAISER

Most of you will know our RVN Sharon, either through her nursing activity or her role managing pet insurance claims for the practice. This weekend, Sharon’s husband Mark will be taking to his bike to complete a gruelling 150 mile cycle ride to raise money for Kats Cradle rescue. The Coven-based charity is a regular visitor to the practice, bringing in feline strays and re-homes from across Staffordshire and the West Midlands for routine health care and emergency treatment.

A member of the Walsall Roads Cycling Club, Mark will be completing a circular route from Willenhall to The Horseshoe Pass in Denbighshire. We are keeping our fingers crossed for good cycling conditions and a safe journey.

If you would like to support Mark, we’d be incredibly grateful. Click on the link below to access Mark’s Just Giving page, or scan the QR code. Huge thanks in advance. Updates on Mark’s event to follow!

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mark-carter-777

16/07/2024

PHONES ISSUE

Apologies if you are trying to get hold of us by phone. There has been a major service outage with our provider and technicians are currently working to fix the problem. We hope the issue will be resolved soon.

If you need to get in touch with us while our phones are down, we are contactable via our PetApp messaging facility. If you have not yet downloaded the App, you can message us using the chat box on our website and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

Many thanks for your patience.

14/07/2024

WINNERS!

It’s a big day of competition results today, not least who won the ‘How many dog biscuits in the jar?’ competition from our stand at yesterday’s Chez Fest! For all of you desperate to know just how many biscuits we did actually squeeze into a medium sized glass jar, the answer was an impressive 517!

A huge thank you to everyone who took part. Congratulations go to Dave Bradley who wins an interactive slow feeder, a Licki Mat boredom buster and packet of treats for dogs with a brilliant guess of 513, just 4 biscuits away from being spot on. And congratulations too to Sue Mead who wins our equivalent cat package. We hope your pets like their goodies. Please pop in to the practice to collect!

10/07/2024

SEE US AT CHEZ FEST THIS SATURDAY!

We're super excited to be part of Chez Fest this Saturday in Cheslyn Hay Park. The event is being organised by Cheslyn Hay & Great Wyrley Running Club to help promote health and wellbeing locally. Come along between 11am and 5pm for a variety of fun activities and entertainment and to have the opportunity to chat to exhibitors and stall holders at the Rosemary Road site. We'll be there championing pet health and wellbeing and will be sharing top tips on how to minimise feline and canine stress on visits to the vets. Please do come and say hello as we'd love to see you!

09/07/2024

CUDDLES!

This is adorable ragdoll Loki who was staying with us yesterday for his castrate. He was really chatty and enjoyed popping his arm out from his cat kennel to try and get attention! Here he is purring and having a cuddle with our SVN Charlotte. Both Loki and Charlotte seem equally delighted!

05/07/2024

RACHAEL TEACHES AT ISFM CONGRESS

We were super excited when our Registered Veterinary Nurse Rachael was asked by the International Society of Feline Medicine to take part in their recent European Congress in Malta. Working alongside two ISFM nurses , Rachael helped run the ISFM practical masterclass, talking about and demonstrating cat friendly interactions for positive outcomes to help train attending delegates in minimising feline stress in vet practice We are so proud of you Rachael. What an amazing honour and testament to your great knowledge and huge passion for cats.

02/07/2024

BEWARE SNIFFLES AND SNEEZES!

Poor Rodney was rushed down to see us at the end of surgery last week as an emergency. The two year old had been constantly sneezing for 30 minutes and then started to bleed from his nose. On examination, the reason turned out to be a blade of grass which we subsequently removed. Here is Rodney all snuggled in his cat carrier with the offending article removed!

Rodney isn’t the first cat we’ve seen with a blade of grass lodged in the nasal cavity or throat so do look out for sneezing or repeated retching. Beware of spiky grass seeds too which can get stuck in paws, ears, noses and eyes. If you suspect your cat is suffering with a foreign body, please give us a call!

28/06/2024

HELLO FROM CAT CONGRESS IN MALTA!

Our vets Emma and Hamish and Registered Veterinary Nurse Rachael are currently at the International Society of Feline Medicine’s European Congress in Malta to get the latest information on all things cat in the veterinary world. World renowned feline experts are hosting lectures, seminars and masterclasses over a 4 day period on a broad range of topics including infectious diseases, anaesthesia, pain relief, internal medicine, cat friendly veterinary interactions, ophthalmology and more. Rachael was especially excited when some ISFM filming at The West Midlands Cat Clinic from back in April was integrated into one of the presentations! We can’t wait to hear how the team got on when they arrive back in practice next week!

25/06/2024

SUMMER'S HERE!

It’s finally looking like summer has arrived! Check out our latest newsletter for tips on how to keep pets safe this season. You’ll also find lots of team and practice news updates and photos. Happy reading!

https://wmcatclinic.co.uk/summers-here/

24/06/2024

LIFESAVING TREATMENT FOR BILLY

This is beautiful one year old Billy who came to see us back in November as he was very lethargic, wasn't keen to be handled, was thin and wasn't putting on weight. We were concerned that Billy was suffering from feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) which tests subsequently confirmed.

Without treatment, FIP is very sadly fatal. It's not common, but is caused by feline coronavirus (no link to C-19 and not contractable by humans) which many cats do have. Most remain healthy despite having feline coronavirus or may have mild tummy issues such as diarrhoea. In a small number of cases, however, feline coronavirus will develop into FIP. Cats of any age or breed can be affected, but the condition is more likely to occur in cats under 2 years old, in felines that have recently experienced a stressful event, in cats that have been kept with lots of other cats, and in pedigree breeds.

Until recently, there was no treatment for FIP. However, a new anti-viral medication now enables cats, in most cases, to make a full recovery.

We started Billy on anti-viral treatment and within days his owner reported he seemed brighter and was eating. Within a week he was much more comfortable and had a great appetite, and within a month his owner reported he was back to normal behaviour. It's not a quick fix as medication has to be given over a significantly sustained period, but the meds were literally a lifesaver for Billy. We are delighted that he is back in great health and is living his best life again!

19/06/2024

WELCOME TO JEN JEN!

With our building extension work speeding ahead and our second sterile operating theatre and separate dental operating suite taking shape, we’re delighted that vet Jennifer Yu has joined the practice as our team continues to grow too! Jen Jen graduated from Glasgow University in 2022 with honours in her veterinary degree and has since been working in a mixed animal practice in Newcastle-Upon Tyne. Whilst around 15% of activity was farm and equine-based, most was companion animal-focused, and with Jen Jen being an active part of the practice’s out of hours rota, she gained much emergency experience in addition to undertaking a wide range of routine and non-emergency consults and surgeries. With much academic accolade from her first degree in the USA, and being included on the University of Glasgow’s Head of College Scholars’ list at vet school, Jen Jen is excited to keep exploring new learning opportunities here with us. We’re equally excited to support her and to welcome her to the 387 team!

14/06/2024

BEST UK VETS AWARD WINNER!

On Tuesday, three of us excitedly attended Vet Help Direct’s Best UK Vet Awards which were held this year at The Paintworks in Bristol. The event gathered together shortlisted vet practice finalists for a celebratory lunch before award winners were announced. We were delighted to come home as very proud winners of Best Vets in Staffordshire 2024! Here are our RVN Lauren and Acting Lead Receptionist Angie being presented with our certificate which is already up on our waiting room wall!

Vet Help Direct winners are those who have received the most 4 and 5 star reviews for their region on the Vet Help Direct platform over a set 12 month period. Huge thanks to everyone who has taken the time to submit feedback about us. This award has been voted by you!

If you haven’t reviewed your latest experience at The West Midlands Cat Clinic we’d love to hear from you. Simply click on the link below. We love reading your comments and learning from constructive criticism, and are keeping our fingers crossed for next year’s awards too!

https://wmcatclinic.co.uk/wmcc-testimonials/

07/06/2024

INVESTORS IN PEOPLE CELEBRATION

It’s been a busy week in practice! Our directors Hamish and Rachel were in Leicester on Wednesday to attend a networking and lunch event to celebrate the achievements of recently accredited organisations in the central England area. As well as listening to inspiring case study presentations from businesses with We Invest in People, We Invest in Wellbeing and We Invest in Apprentices accreditations, attendees were able to meet the team behind the Investors in People standard. Here are Hamish and Rachel receiving their ‘We Invest in People’ platinum award from the company’s CEO Paul Devoy.

‘Investors in People’ is all about helping businesses to make work better. We look forward to continuing to invest in team culture and workplace to keep on making work better for everyone at 387 Vets and The West Midlands Cat Clinic.

06/06/2024

HELLO FROM BVA LIVE!

A big shout out to our 3 vets and 3 vet nurses attending British Veterinary Association's ‘BVA Live’ at the NEC in Birmingham today and tomorrow. The vet congress gives attendees the opportunity to hear world class speakers sharing their knowledge and expertise, engage in thought-provoking discussion around trending topics, network with other veterinary professionals and find out what’s new and improved in the veterinary world. And it’s right on our doorstep! We can’t wait to hear what golden nuggets of learning the team have picked up to help us keep improving what we do!

04/06/2024

DON'T FORGET!

A big thank you to beautiful Maine C**n Arlo for helping us to flag up a reminder about the deadline for cats in England to be microchipped. By 10th June – next week – cats over 20 weeks old must be microchipped and their details registered on a database or their owners could face a hefty fine.

If you cat isn’t already chipped like Arlo, give us a ring on 01922 411755 to book your feline friend in for a microchipping appointment. If your cat is already chipped, it’s worth checking that your registered details are up to date.

31/05/2024

NURSING TEAM GROWS!

We’re delighted to welcome Registered Veterinary Nurses Mia Williams and Katie Feeney to 387 Vets & The West Midlands Cat Clinic, taking our qualified nursing team to a new grand total of nine.

Mia joined us in March, and will be a familiar face to many of you already. Graduating from Myerscough College near Preston with a veterinary nursing degree last year, Mia came to the West Midlands to take up an RVN position at a companion animal practice and we’re delighted she’s decided to stay in the area to join our team. As well as being involved in a full range of nursing responsibilities in previous practice, Mia was shortlisted for a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Knowledge Award in their Quality Improvement Category for a significant event audit and root cause analysis submission. She’s excitingly been deemed ‘one to watch’ by the RCVS. Mia particularly loves consulting, has a real passion for small furries and is motivated by new learning. We look forward to Mia helping us continue to improve our services to clients and pets.

Katie has been at 387 Vets for just shy of a month, but it already feels as though she’s a long standing member of our nursing team. A fellow 2023 veterinary nursing degree graduate, though from Harper Adams University in Shropshire, Katie has 7 years’ experience in a range of animal care roles, including farm as well as small animal work. Katie covered all areas of nursing responsibility on a daily basis in her first graduate post, and being passionate about patient care and wellbeing, was the force behind her practice becoming an ISFM silver-accredited Cat Friendly Clinic. Needless to say, she is particularly excited to be able to run feline nurse clinics in our cat-dedicated site. Our qualified nurse Paige was Katie’s Clinical Coach before Paige moved practices, and highly recommended Katie for her nursing skills, her hard work and professional dedication. We’re delighted that Katie and Paige are now back working together, but this time as fellow Registered Veterinary Nurses!

24/05/2024

SENIOR CAT SERVICE!

This is beautiful 10 year old Singapura Jo Jo who came in to see Emma for a lumps and bumps check yesterday morning. As our feline friends get older, they are more likely to suffer from age-related illnesses such as heart disease, dental disease, kidney issues, joint pain and lumps which could be representative of something sinister.

To help catch conditions early for most effective management and quality of life and wellbeing support, we recommend more mature felines visit us every 6 months for a feline MOT! If your cat is over 8 and hasn’t been in to the vets for a while, please do consider booking your feline friend in for a senior cat appointment to help ensure they are living their best life!

15/05/2024

NEW SOLUTION FOR DIABETIC CATS

A big shout out to Fred who is our first cat to try a new treatment for diabetes that removes the need to inject. Seven year old Fred is our Registered Veterinary Nurse Paige’s cat, and was diagnosed with diabetes in January. He had been drinking and peeing more, the quality of his coat had changed and he just didn’t seem himself.

Traditionally, diabetic cats usually need a twice-daily injection of insulin to keep blood glucose at an acceptable level, with daily glucose checks carried out and monitored by the owner. However, totally coincidentally, the day after Fred’s diagnosis, our team received training on a new diabetic oral liquid medication designed to eliminate the need to inject. Given that Fred isn’t a very tolerant patient, Paige decided to test him out on the new treatment.

Being in liquid form, it’s a once a day treatment that can be added to food, although, as you can see from the photo, Fred is very happy to take direct his meds direct from the syringe! Progress is monitored via in-house urine testing, clinical observation and external blood testing. Fred had a blood test at one month and three months after starting treatment and is doing so well, he’ll revert to 6 monthly blood tests unless his condition changes. So as well as no injecting, there’s no daily glucose checking required.

Paige noticed positive improvement within 10 days of Fred starting this new medication. He’s now back to normal eating, drinking and weeing patterns, his coat is lovely and luxurious again and he is just like his old self!

Do get in touch with us on 01922 411755 if you’d like more information, or if you think your cat may be diabetic. Fred has proven that treatment doesn’t have to be an issue for either of you!

09/05/2024

KITTEN CARE ADVICE

We are loving looking after this gorgeous little hand rear kitten in practice. As soon as anyone approaches her kennel she runs over to chat and is incredibly cute! Little baby is still being bottle fed but it won’t be long before she’s weaning and gaining increasing experience of the wider world. We’re slowly introducing her to a range of toys and textures as well as play and climbing opportunities, new scents from cat-friendly plants, handling experiences with different people and even carefully monitored interaction with a team member’s dogs, all in a positive, controlled way. This will help kitten to see similar encounters in future as normal and non-scary. She’s super confident just now and we want to help her grow up into a super confident cat!

Are you a new kitten parent? Or are you thinking of introducing a new baby feline friend into your family life? Check out International Cat Care’s brilliant guide to kitten care below for great advice on how you can help your little one feel safe and happy and meet their diverse range of needs.

https://catcare4life.org/app/uploads/2021/07/Kitten-booklet.pdf