Low-stress feline visits move further into the veterinary mainstream: full analysis

A new dvm360 podcast and article published April 28, 2026, puts a familiar clinical issue back in the spotlight: cats still arrive at veterinary clinics stressed, but low-stress handling strategies are increasingly being treated as standard care rather than a niche add-on. In the episode, Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, speaks with Kathryn Primm, DVM, CVPM, FCCP (Elite), about how feline visits have changed over the last decade, with a stronger focus on fear-free handling, calmer workflows, and better preparation before the cat ever enters the building. (dvm360.com)

That message builds on more than a decade of published feline-care guidance. The original AAFP/ISFM feline-friendly handling guidelines, published in 2011, framed carrier struggles, car travel, and fearful behavior in clinic as major reasons cats receive less veterinary care than dogs. The updated 2022 AAFP/ISFM Cat Friendly Veterinary Interaction Guidelines expanded that framework, emphasizing not only physical restraint, but also the effect of visual, auditory, and olfactory stressors on a cat’s emotional state during the visit. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

In the new dvm360 discussion, Primm’s advice is notably practical. She says clinics should start by asking pet parents how the ride in went, then use that conversation to coach them away from the familiar pattern of forcing a cat into a carrier only when it’s time for an appointment. Instead, she recommends making the carrier part of normal life at home, including feeding in it and using attractants such as catnip or silvervine so it stops signaling a negative event. She also argues that low-stress feline care doesn’t have to slow down practice flow if teams are trained consistently and “everybody has to be singing the same song,” a point that aligns with broader cat-friendly guidance stressing team-wide implementation rather than isolated individual effort. (dvm360.com)

The evidence base behind that approach is well established. The 2022 AAFP/ISFM guidelines state that cat-friendly interactions can improve examination efficiency, enhance feline welfare, and support more reliable diagnostic testing. They also cite survey data showing that travel to the practice, the waiting room, and the examination itself are among the most stressful parts of the visit, and that one-third of caregivers said watching their cat’s stress discouraged them from returning. A separate study on Cat Friendly Practice programs reported that cats at participating practices had increased laboratory testing and increased diagnosis of some common feline conditions, suggesting that better handling may translate into better clinical access and case detection, although that’s best understood as an association rather than proof of causation. (journals.sagepub.com)

Industry commentary around feline handling has been moving in the same direction. In a 2025 dvm360 video, feline technician specialist Ellen Carozza, LVT, VTS (CP-Feline), described “stressor stacking” as a core reason many cats arrive already overwhelmed, and urged clinics to read fear responses as fear, not aggression. In a separate dvm360 feature, veterinary behaviorist Lisa Radosta, DVM, DACVB, said nearly every part of the transport-and-clinic sequence can become a learned predictor of discomfort for cats, and advised teams to stop pulling cats from carriers, keep pet parents with their cats when possible, use towels and gentle handling, and consider dedicated cat rooms with lower noise and fewer aversive stimuli. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary teams, the operational case may now be as important as the welfare case. The Feline Veterinary Medical Association’s 2024 Cat Friendly Practice survey found respondents continued to rank reduced feline stress as the top benefit of cat-friendly programs, while also reporting better client satisfaction, stronger retention, and, in many cases, some revenue lift tied to the designation. Survey comments also pointed to fewer restraint-related injuries, better onboarding for new staff, and stronger team confidence handling cats. That matters in a workforce environment where efficiency, safety, and client trust all affect whether feline patients actually make it through the door and complete needed diagnostics. (catvets.com)

There’s also a communication shift embedded in this story. Low-stress feline medicine increasingly starts before scheduling, with clinics coaching pet parents on carrier conditioning, pre-visit pharmaceuticals or supplements when appropriate, arrival logistics, and what to expect once they enter the building. The literature suggests those steps can reduce barriers to care at a population level, because many of the most significant stressors happen before the exam begins. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

What to watch: The next phase is likely to center on broader adoption of team-wide feline protocols, more cat-specific environmental design in mixed-species practices, and stronger use of pre-visit planning to prevent failed or incomplete appointments. The main obstacle may be cultural rather than clinical: even Cat Friendly Practice respondents said one of the biggest challenges is getting every doctor and staff member on the same page. (catvets.com)