If your cat has been referred to the Oxford Cat Clinic by your family vet we appreciate that this can be a worrying time for you. Please rest assured that the Cat Clinic team are here to help and support you throughout your cat’s referral journey.

What to expect on the day

Reception Team: Our reception team will be on hand to welcome you to the clinic and to guide you through the administrative side of your visit.

The Referral Team: The Referral Team for the day consists of your specialist vet and the attending referral nurse. You will be introduced by reception to your referral team who will look after your cat for the duration of that days visit.

Your appointment: Your first visit will consist of an extended appointment with one of our referral vets.  You should allow up to 60 minutes for this appointment as the vet will want to take a thorough history from you and examine your cat. By committing to this appointment you are not committing to any further treatment. During the appointment your referral vet will work with you to determine a plan of action for your cat. Some clients opt to actually take no further action. Throughout the process please remember that you have a voice as your cats advocate. There is rarely a single path of diagnosis and treatment, many factors go into determining which plan is right for you and your cat. These factors may include:

  • Your personal circumstances: You may work full time; you have a busy family life; you may have physical limitations which may affect your ability to administer medication to your cat; or attend follow up visits to the vet; on the other hand your cat may be the focus of your day.
  • Your cat’s demeanour: We know how important the cat/human relationship is. We don’t want to damage that relationship by recommending a plan of action that may unduly distress you or your cat. Not all cats are easy to medicate. Some cats get extremely stressed when travelling.
  • The level of Intervention you think is reasonable for your cat: Some owners will want to explore all diagnostic and treatment avenues, some will want a more hands off approach and some will take a path somewhere in the middle. We understand this and are happy to follow your guidance.
  • Financial limitations: We will work with the budget you have available for your cat’s diagnosis and treatment. Please don’t be concerned or offended when your vet discusses this with you. Cost is an important aspect of your cat’s referral journey and cannot be ignored. Diagnosis and treatment pathways will be tailored to your personal financial position. A large number at the bottom of an invoice is not the ultimate sign of a good treatment plan.

Do I need to withhold food before the visit?

Treatment may need to be performed under sedation or general anaesthetic.  For this reason we ask that your cat is not fed from 11pm the previous evening. Please ensure that they remain indoors overnight so that they cannot find anything to eat for themselves.  Your cat is allowed water right up until their appointment. As soon as their treatment is complete and they have woken up they will be fed.

History

Please remember to bring details of any medication that your cat is currently taking.  We have comfy bedding, toys and a range of food but if you wish to bring any of your cat’s own things along to make them feel at home you are welcome to do so.

Overnight Stays

It is sometimes necessary to keep your cat in the hospital overnight for further treatment. If we anticipate this being necessary, we will let you know as soon as possible.

History Cat
Update Cat

Regular Updates

Our referral team will keep you informed about your cat’s treatment while they are staying with us.  For cats that are staying overnight our normal routine is for a member of the veterinary team to call you in the morning usually around 10am to 11am to report how they have been overnight, report any tests results and to make or revise your cat’s treatment plan with you. Please feel free to ring the nurses during the day for more regular updates. If no-one is immediately available we will do our best to call you back as soon as someone is free.  At the end of the day our inpatient nurse will call you to let you know their progress through the day.

We are happy for you to come and visit your cat for a short time if they are staying for a number of days, however, we do ask that you speak to a member of the clinical team to arrange a suitable time for the visit, this way we can ensure a member of the team is free to answer any questions you may have. Please bear in mind we are a working veterinary practice and we do need to be mindful of our other inpatients needs.

Insured Clients

If your cat is insured please bring a completed claim form with you as well as your policy documents if you have them to hand, this will give us details of any exclusions on your policy, your insurance limits as well as details of any policy excesses. We are happy to assess your documents ahead of your appointment to check for any obvious issues that may arise with a claim, but please do remember that ultimately the responsibility lies with you to check with your insurance company with regard to policy.

The majority of our clients pay bills in full at the time of discharge, we then make an indirect claim on their behalf. Payment is then made directly from the insurance company less any excess payments and uninsured items directly back to you. We do not charge for this service.

Alternatively we can arrange for your insurance company to pay us directly, there is a £20 charge for this service and we must receive a signed and completed claim form prior to discharge.  In these circumstances we will ask you to pay only your excess payments plus any treatment not covered by your insurance policy on the day.

For those who are uninsured payment is expected at the time of discharge from our hospital.

Cancellation Cat

Cancellations

Should you need to cancel or rearrange your appointment please let us know as soon as possible.  If a cancellation is made within 24 hours of your appointment you may be liable for a cancellation fee of £60.

Other Information

Please be aware that we work closely with referring vets and wish to maintain these crucial professional relationships.  For this reason, we can only see your cat for the condition for which it has been referred to us.  Any other conditions should be raised with your own vet, as should ongoing treatment for the referral condition wherever possible.  Also for this reason we cannot register you as a first opinion client, with any cats, for a period of 6 months from your first referral visit to us.

We look forward to meeting you and your cat soon.

What our clients say about us

Cat Check-Ups. Oxford Cat Clinic, Botley & Marston. The Cat's Whiskers Health Plan.
Cat Check-Ups: “She kindly explains the risk, benefit, and likely outcomes every time we visit; she makes decisions in the best interest of the cats.”

A great cat clinic. For 3 years, we’ve been visiting Dr. Lauren Demos for annual check ups, including blood tests. We also went to the…
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Cats Passing On. Oxford Cat Clinic, Botley & Marston.
Cats Passing On: “I have never before been treated with such genuine loving kindness when faced with such a situation.”

“Their love for, and knowledge of, cats is quite extraordinary but so is their sensitivity towards the owners. Last week was a nightmare for me as…
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Cat Friendly. Oxford Cat Clinic, Botley & Marston.
Cat Friendly: “My cat is so much happier here than at veterinary practices that have dogs in the waiting room!”

“My cat is so much happier here than at veterinary practices that have dogs in the waiting room! And at other places I’ve been in…
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Senior Cats. Oxford Cat Clinic, Botley & Marston.
Senior Cats: “My cat needs a lot of care as she is very elderly but my vet gives her the ultimate attention for all her problems.”

“I cannot fault The Cat Clinic they are absolutely wonderful and since I found them many years ago I wouldn’t dream of going anywhere else.…
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Meet Our Veterinary Team in Oxford

Need to see a vet in Oxford?

If your cat is ill, or you are concerned that they are just not quite right, or it is simply time for their annual vaccination review then book to see one of our cat-specialist vets. If you’re not registered with us, then you can register here or give us a ring on 01865 243000 (Botley) or 01865 950700 (Marston).

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