How to Choose a Good Veterinarian For Your CatThe first thing you should do is ask a trusted friend for their recommendation. You can go even further by asking them why they recommend that vet or what in particular they like about their vet. Visit the veterinary office. How busy is it? If it is extremely packed, that may not be a good sign. The vet won't be able to devote much time to your and your pet or sit down with you personally to discuss their health. How clean is it? This doesn't just apply to how clean they keep the waiting area. Ask the staff for a tour of the facility. If they refuse or ask you to come back later, that's a bad sign. When you are touring the rooms and the back area, take a good look at the kennels. Are they clean? If there are animals inside – do they have water? The animals should have water provided at all times. Make sure the area is clean and organized. Once the vet has met these preliminary conditions, schedule a check up for your cat. How friendly is the staff when you arrive and check in? Do they seem to care about your pet or are they standoffish and rude? The same goes for the vet. Once the vet comes in and begins the checkup, take notice of how he/she treats you and your pet. Does the vet seem to care – or is he/she simply performing routine procedures and sending you on your way? Your vet should make sure you don't have any questions before leaving. Ask the veterinarian questions and pay attention to the response you get. Is the answer just a quick, one-word answer or does the vet really spend time with you and show interest in making sure you are well-informed? Do you feel comfortable with your veterinarian? If you don't 'click' with your vet or you don't feel comfortable asking questions then don't go back. You need to be able to have an open and trusting relationship with your cat's veterinarian, just as you would with your own doctor or your child's doctor. What are the hours of operation? They preferably should have a 24 hr emergency service. Emergencies can and do happen – if this particular vet does not have a 24hr emergency service but you still want to use them, you'll need to find an emergency vet that you trust. Your emergency vet will be the one dealing with your pet in life and death situations – make sure you choose a proper veterinarian ahead of time so you aren't just calling up every vet in the phone book when there is an emergency. Do they have a customer satisfaction form/survey? Just because the vet doesn't have one doesn't necessarily mean they aren't good – and just because they do have one doesn't mean they are good – but it does at least show they are interested and concerned about customer satisfaction. Does your vet refer you to other specialized vets when they feel they aren't the best one to do the job? The last thing you want is a 'know it all' vet who claims they are the best at everything. A good, trustworthy vet will be open about their specialties and their weak areas – and will refer you to someone else when they aren't confident in their abilities in a certain area. Here's a test you can use to see if your veterinarian really cares about you and your cat or whether s/he just wants to make money off of you. Tell your vet you're considering having your cat declawed, and wait for a response. A good vet, whether or not they are for or against declawing should ask you:
The vet should never blindly agree to the surgery, and a trustworthy vet will definitely never try to convince you to get the surgery. Even a vet who doesn't believe that declawing is harmful or inhumane will not try to convince any owner to have their cat declawed without trying alternatives first – and a vet who does this just wants to take your money and 'run' -- and has absolutely no interest whatsoever in the welfare of your cat. Run – don't walk out of this vet's office! Last but not least - check with the Board of Veterinary Examiners to see if any complaints have been made against your chosen vet. You may be surprised how many vets who appear to be 'top notch' have multiple complaints and charges made against them.
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