Our hospital is staffed 24 hours by our registered veterinary nurse and veterinary surgeon so you can be assured that your cat will get the right level of attention and care.
When a cat is ill the last thing they want is a stressful hospital experience. This is why we have gone above and beyond at The London Cat Clinic to ensure that your cat has the most relaxing stay possible.
Our accommodation is of International Cat Care Gold Standard with lots of room for our patients to stretch out and relax.
Our cages are custom-designed for our practice, offering maximum comfort and stress reduction. They are made of a warm fibreglass material to prevent noise transmission or heat loss.
We have tried to improve our patient’s privacy by providing tinted glass doors. We use Feline Forts® to enable our shyer patients to hide away and feel more secure. We also encourage owners to bring their cat’s favourite toys and blankets to give extra reassurance.
We constantly diffuse Feliway, a calming pheromone, and we even soothe further with relaxing music.
Alongside our top-flight accommodation comes the highest standard of patient care. Our nursing staff observe all our patients continuously throughout the day and night, paying particular attention to their catheter comfort, nutritional requirements and toileting habits and special needs.
You can be assured that your cat will get the right level of monitoring and we have the following 4-tier system to ensure this is the case:
Tier 1 patients
These patients have been assessed and are considered stable and low risk. Our highly trained registered nurses will supervise their care with veterinarian support as required.
Tier 2 patients
These patients are non-routine cases but semi-stable. Our highly trained registered nurses will supervise their care with veterinarian support.
Tier 3 patients
These patients are unstable and will require frequent vet and nurse assessment and monitoring.
Tier 4 patients
These patients are critical and require continuous vet and nurse assessment and monitoring.
How can I find out how my cat is doing?
If your cat is hospitalised with us, you will receive an email from the night team twice a day and a telephone call with the veterinary surgeon will be scheduled for during the day. Emails will typically happen in the early morning (before 8:30) and late evening (after 10:00).
Depending on your cat's reason for admission, a telephone call with the veterinary surgeon will be scheduled for the late morning to discuss progress and procedures and/or in the afternoon to discuss changes and diagnostic results if applicable. We will always contact you if there is a change to your cat's treatment plan or the expected costs.
Will I be able to visit my cat in hospital?
In normal circumstances this is encouraged but with COVID-19 restrictions this isn't possible for the safety of you and our team. We would be very happy to arrange a short video-chat so you can see you cat 'in-person' in addition to the regular email and phone updates you will get from our veterinary team.
We know that scent is incredibly important to cats so we encourage you to bring some familiar bedding and/or a favourite toy from home to help your cat feel more at home while staying with us.
My cat needs an intravenous fluid drip, what does this mean?
This is a way to provide essential fluids to your cat. We start by placing a catheter into a vein on their leg. Catheters are very small un-reactive tubes that we place into our patient’s neck or leg vein. Catheters are essential to deliver vital rehydration fluids and medication directly into your cat’s body when they are not eating or drinking or their illness won’t allow it.
In order to place the catheter we will need to clip some fur away from the foreleg or neck as this allows us to place the catheter in a sterile manner and to monitor the site appropriately.
A bag of fluids will then be connected to the catheter and the fluids delivered through the use of an electronic pump.
Are catheters dangerous?
In the vast majority of cases, our patients aren’t even aware the catheter is there. If a patient is very determined, it is possible to pull out the whole unit or chew through the line. Usually the worst impact of this is minor blood loss or some bruising. In extreme cases, part of a catheter can shear off and enter the venous system, causing an infection or even clot. Rest assured, these extreme cases are very rare. We also do our best to minimise risk by ensuring that catheter checks are a key part of our monitoring and ward rounds.
Will my cat receive too much fluid by accident?
No, all of our patients receiving intravenous fluid therapy or intravenous medications will be attached to electronic pumps that will deliver only the precise amount required and no more.
There can be a risk of a cat not getting enough fluid if they twist the intravenous line or, in an exceptional case, remove the catheter which this will prevent the flow of fluids. Again, to reduce this risk, line checks are an important part of our monitoring care.
Can I take my cat home overnight?
Occasionally we get asked if people can take their cats home overnight with the pump and intravenous line. We understand why you would want this but advise against it. Cats at home are more likely to wander about, potentially causing damage or infection to the catheter site and injure themselves. Also, other animals at home can cause them anxiety at a time when they are often feeling a bit fragile.
We are not able to let the specialist fluid pumps leave the practice. Fluid therapy in cats must be delivered very carefully and a qualified professional must monitor pump use. In addition, the warranty of the pump is voided if they are damaged. We do not want our customers to have to worry about this significant expense.