The International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) has launched a new guide on feline stress and health to help veterinary professionals better understand, prevent and manage stress and distress in cats.

Feline Stress and Health: Managing Negative Emotions to Improve Feline Health and Wellbeing is the result of a collaboration between a number of leading authors in feline behaviour, veterinary medicine and welfare, and has been supported by Ceva.

Aimed at veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and veterinary students, the purpose of the guide is to help understand why cats can become stressed and distressed in the many environments where veterinary care is provided, including the veterinary surgery and the welfare environment.

The 160-page guide has been broken down into twelve chapters, covering what stress and distress are, why cats become stressed and/or distressed and how stress impacts on the behaviour and health of the cat.

The guide looks at the causes of stress and distress in different environments, including the veterinary clinic, homing centres, at home and in multi-cat households, and how it can be prevented and managed. The guide also offers some basic ideas, principles and tips which can be implemented by all veterinary professionals, which the ISFM says will make a huge difference to the cats in their care.

Sarah Ellis, co-editor of the guide and Feline Behaviour Specialist at International Cat Care said: "Most of us are well aware that cats can be negatively affected by the veterinary clinic and other confined environments. But how can we really tell what a cat is experiencing and what can we do to improve the situation? This guide offers a great deal of insight into negative emotions underlying the causes of stress and distress in cats and offers practical solutions on how to prevent and manage them."

The guide is available from International Cat Care’s shop (http://icatcare.org/shop), priced at £20.00.  

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.