FAQs

The West Midlands Cat Clinic is open during the clinic’s advertised opening hours for routine appointments as well as to see poorly cats and feline emergencies. When the West Midlands Cat Clinic is closed, please continue to contact us on 01922 411755 as the same multi-award winning team will be available at 387 Veterinary Centre.

The West Midlands Cat Clinic shares the amazing diagnostic, operating and cat ward facilities at our same-site sister practice which has been awarded ISFM Gold Cat Friendly Clinic status so also offers a full portfolio of feline surgeries.

For any emergencies outside 387 Veterinary Centre’s opening hours, you’ll be directed to our out of hours provider.

Coronavirus (Covid-19): what measures remain in practice to minimise risk?

Please continue to make enquiries and appointment bookings by phone or through our PetsApp facility.

If visiting The West Midlands Cat Clinic, please make use of the hand sanitiser in our porch on entry and exit.

Appointments

When attending appointments, please remain seated in the waiting room until you are called through by the consulting clinician. If possible, we ask that a maximum of two owners accompany the patient to help limit visitors numbers in practice.

Repeat prescriptions and pre-ordered food collection

To help us streamline this service, please give 48 hours notice to ensure your prescription is ready for you when you come to collect. If you can ring us on your intended collection day and pre-pay, this will help to reduce any waiting time.

Home delivery

For on-going prescription fulfilment, please do ask us about the option of posting medications to your home. A parasite treatment free home-delivery service is available to clients who subscribe to our Your Pet Our Family Pet Wellness Plan.

Additional measures

We continue to be rigorous with our cleaning and disinfecting regimes to look after everyone’s welfare and minimise virus risk, not just from C-19 but from seasonal coughs and colds too. Our team remain incredibly vigilant about hand washing and hand sanitising, and we wear appropriate PPE as required.

Coronavirus (Covid-19): what measures should I be taking as a client?

We have in place telephone consultations with vets as an alternative option to bringing your cat into practice should you prefer.

If you are coming to The West Midlands Cat Clinic for an appointment, but on the day of your appointment you have coronavirus symptoms (a new dry, continuous cough, a high temperature or loss or change in sense of taste or smell), we kindly request that you do not attend and phone us to rearrange. If it is critical that your cat is seen, we will discuss how we can best support your feline friend.

Can I catch Covid-19 from my cat, or can my cat catch it from me?

The virus is generally passed from person by person by coughing and sneezing, and there is no current evidence that companion animals can spread the virus from person to person.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) states that there is a possibility for some animals to become infected with Covid-19 through close contact with infected humans. Several dogs and domestic cats have tested positive for Covid-19 following close contact with infected humans.

If your cat is exposed to the virus, it’s possible that the virus may remain on their fur for a short period of time, just as the virus can remain on other surfaces such as tables and doorknobs.

The British Veterinary Association recommends practising good hand hygiene by washing your hands thoroughly (for 20 seconds with soap and water) after stroking, touching or cuddling your pet.

Terms of Business

What are your opening times?

We are currently open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 12 noon and 4pm to 6.30pm and will be running 15-minute appointments during these hours.

Outside these hours, please continue to call 01922 411755 as our same-site sister practice 387 Vets is open from 8am – 6.30pm on weekdays and 8.30am – 2pm on Saturdays, and our team will be delighted to welcome you when The West Midlands Cat Clinic is closed.

Cats being admitted for surgery: Unless otherwise advised by our team, any cats coming in for pre-booked surgery need to be taken to our 387 Veterinary Centre reception for admission, with surgery taking place at our interconnecting 387 Vets sister site.

Repeat prescriptions and pre-ordered food: to enable us to streamline this service, please always collect from our 387 Vets reception. We ask that you ring us on your intended collection day so that we can ensure we have your request ready to take away.

Do you do home visits?

In most cases, pets will be better served being seen in practice where we have a full range of facilities, team and equipment on hand. However, we do appreciate that in certain circumstances home visits may be more appropriate.

Home visits are at the consulting vet’s discretion. Where appointments accommodate, we will always try to arrange a home visit, on request, between 8.30am and 6.30pm.

What are your fees?

Our consultations are 15 minutes long. Our consultation fee is £58.

Should your pet require medication, tests, further procedures or surgery, a cost estimate will be given on a case-by-case basis. Estimates are provided verbally either at the time of booking or during a consultation. Written estimates are available on request.

Please bear in mind that all estimates are approximate and that a pet’s illness may not follow a conventional course. Complications or unforeseen circumstances can result in additional costs. In cases where fees are significantly different to an initial estimate, we will endeavour to contact you prior to proceeding further.

Please note, fees may be subject to change without prior notice.

What are your settlement terms?

All fees are due for payment at the time of consultation or, if your pet is in for a procedure, at their discharge appointment.

All services and products are subject to VAT at the current rate and all prices quoted include VAT. A full cost breakdown will appear on your invoice which can be emailed to you or printed on request.

Should your balance not be paid at the time of treatment, any outstanding amounts will be invoiced to you. After due notice, overdue accounts will go through our debt reclamation process and further charges may be levied in respect of costs incurred in collection of any debt.

If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, we ask that you discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of our team.

What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept cash and card payments (except American Express). We regret we no longer accept personal cheques.

We accept Cats Protection neutering vouchers.

What if our pet is insured?

If you are making a claim for insured pets, we ask that you settle your account with us on the day and claim the cost of treatment back from your insurance company.

Direct claims are occasionally offered, but this is on a case-by-case basis with a pre-agreed insurance provider and on receipt of your original policy documents showing proof of cover. Please speak to a member of our team for more information. There is an insurance claim processing fee for this service.

Please be aware that you remain liable for all fees not covered by your insurance policy.

We aim to process insurance claims within 10 working days of receipt.

We strongly recommend that pet owners consider pet insurance to remove the worry of veterinary expenses for unexpected pet illness or injury. Our team are happy to discuss what pet owners need to look out for in policy small print to ensure your pet has the cover you expect. Equally, if you are considering cancelling or changing your pet insurance provider, please do speak with a team member for advice.

Do you see second opinions and referrals?

We are very happy to see cats for a second opinion. Four of our vets are additional postgraduate certificate holders having undertaken considerable study, research and examination in various fields of interest: Emma Goncalves in Feline Practice, Carlos Boix Boente in Small Animal Surgery, Selenia Davolio in Small Animal Dentistry and Hamish Duncan in Small Animal Medicine.

In second opinion cases we will need to contact your existing vets for a clinical history so that we can familiarise ourselves with your cat’s condition and any treatment or tests to date.

We are happy to refer cases that warrant it or if requested. Referral centres will usually contact you directly to arrange a mutually convenient appointment, except in the case of emergency referrals where we will liaise directly with the referral centre.

Should you wish, it is your right to seek a second opinion at another practice, and this will in no way compromise our ongoing service to you and your feline friend.

Do you issue prescriptions?

Prescriptions are available from this practice. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines Veterinary category (POM-Vs) from your veterinary surgeon OR you can ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or pharmacy. Please be aware there is a charge for this service. Your veterinary surgeon may prescribe POM-Vs only for animals under their care.

A prescription may not be appropriate if your pet is an in-patient or if immediate treatment is necessary. You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be dispensed for your animal. Further information on the prices of medicines is available on request

How often will you need to see my pet if they need repeat prescriptions?

In accordance with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), pets need to be reassessed by a veterinary surgeon at regular intervals when on repeat medications to confirm medication efficacy and review your pet’s health . Time required between medication check appointments will vary subject to the medication involved and the patient’s condition, but will not normally exceed 6 months. There is a standard re-examination fee for each of these visits of £58.

We are unable to prescribe drugs to a pet that has not been examined by us or where the review period has been exceeded.

We kindly ask that you leave 48 hours between making a repeat prescription request and collection to ensure that we have your medication in stock and ready for you.

Am I eligible for financial aid?

Free vet care: If you receive Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, means-tested help with your rent or Council Tax and live within a PDSA PetAid Practice catchment area where the practice is still accepting new clients, your pet might be eligible for free treatment funded by the veterinary charity PDSA. Visit the PDSA website to find out if you qualify (www.pdsa.org.uk). If you are eligible, you will need to attend a qualifying PDSA Veterinary Practice to receive free veterinary treatment.

Means-tested cat neutering scheme: Please contact the charity Cats Protection directly on 03000 12 12 12 (option 2) to enquire about funding as their national neutering scheme is currently under review. Lines are open on weekdays from 9.30am to 1pm.

How will you use my data?

We are committed to protecting your personal data and to storing this safely and securely on our Practice Management System. We will use your personal data to register you as a new client, to manage our relationship with you and manage payment for services provided. We will also use your data to contact you with regard to your pet’s condition should your pet be admitted into our practice, and to keep you up to date with vaccination reminders, appointment reminders and parasite treatment reminders for the health and wellbeing of your pet.

You can choose how you would like to receive communications from us, and can opt in to a range of communications around services we offer.

Please see our privacy notice for further information on how we manage your data under General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and your rights in relation to your personal data.

Can I access my pet’s records?

All case records and documents relating to animals we have dealt with are retained by us. Should you wish to change practice, a summary of your pet’s history will be passed, on request, to the veterinary practice taking over the case. In line with data protection legislation, your verbal consent is required before we can release your pet’s notes. Please note that in the event of an insurance claim, we are permitted to send copies of your pet’s medical notes to the insurer.

On request, you are entitled to copies of your pet’s clinical records. Radiographs taken on site remain the property of 387 Vets as x-ray fees relate to interpretation only.

How do I make a complaint?

We hope you will be very happy with the service you receive at 387 Vets. However, if you are unhappy, please do tell us so that we can work to improve our service for you and the rest of our clients. Do speak to one of our team members. If the person you need to talk to is not available, we will ask them to contact you, or if you prefer, please put your complaint in writing to our Clinical Director Hamish Duncan. We aim to respond to all complaints within 7 days of receipt.

What happens if I have an emergency or need vet advice after closing?

VidiVet: There may be times when you are unsure whether your cat needs emergency out of hours care when the practice is closed. For this reason, we have partnered with the 24/7 digital emergency triaging service Vidivet. You can text, video or send your photo query to a Vidivet vet, all of whom are over 5 years qualified, and you’ll receive a prompt personalised video response giving you helpful guidance and advice. We believe this is such a valuable service that we have made VidiVet FREE for all clients registered with us. More information about VidiVet is available at https://wmcatclinic.co.uk/vidivet/

If you haven’t already received your link to access this facility , please contact us.

Symptom checker and poisons guide: Check out the 24/7 Advice tab on our website for lots of information around pet health issues, including our symptom checker  and poisons guide. If you are in any doubt about your cat’s condition, it is always best to contact VidiVet or to call us on 01922 411755 to speak to a vet. 

Out of hours care: If you need to speak to a vet directly or if your pet’s condition is a clear emergency, please call 01922 411755 and follow the answer machine instructions. Our out-of-hours provider is Pool House Veterinary Hospital in Lichfield (Fosseway Lane, WS13 8JY), and the on-call team will be able to advise you whether your pet needs to be seen.

Out of hours consultation fees at Pool House Veterinary Hospital (excluding any treatment) are as follows:

Sundays and Bank Holidays: Between 10am – 1pm: £270.50; between 1pm and 8.30am the following morning: £350

Weekdays: between 7pm and 11pm: £270.50; between 11pm and 8.30am: £350

Saturdays: between 2pm and 11pm: £270.50; between 11pm and 10am on Sunday: £350

What overnight care is available if my cat has to stay in? 

If your cat requires hospitalisation overnight, the vet will discuss care available to you. For pets that require close observation, our out of hours provider Pool House (in Lichfield) is staffed 24 hours a day, and night duty staff will be on hand to monitor your cat. You will need to transport your cat to the hospital facility, or we can arrange for a pet ambulance (fee applies).

The West Midlands Cat Clinic does not have team members on site overnight. If your cat stays here (after discussion and agreement with you), the admitting vet and duty nurses will agree out of hours checks, but generally pets on the premises will not routinely be checked between 10.30pm and 7.30am.

General Queries

What are the benefits of neutering?

Did you know that an un-neutered female can have around 18 kittens a year and could have as many as 20,000 descendants within 5 years! If you are not planning to have a litter from your cat, in addition to cat population control, we recommend neutering for a range of feline and wellbeing reasons:

Females:

• No further seasons or noisy ‘calling’ when in season
• No unwanted pregnancies
• No potentially life threatening womb infections (pyometra)
• Massive reduction in the risk of developing mammary cancers (if neutered at a young age)

Males:

• Less likely to inappropriately mark territory by ‘spraying’ in the house
• Cannot develop testicular tumours
• Less fighting and roaming (statistically entire male cats are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents and more likely to catch fatal FIV infection from fighting).
• Entire male cats can smell very bad!!

See our neutering page to find out more.

When is the best time to neuter your cat?

We now recommend ‘early’ neutering in cats – between four and five months of age – as advocated by Cats Protection. This markedly reduces the risk of unwanted litters.

What age does my cat have to be to have its first vaccination?

We recommend cats receive their first vaccinations at 12 weeks of age and they’ll need two injections which must be 3 to 4 weeks apart. See our vaccinations page for more information.

If my cat lives indoors, do I still need to vaccinate?

Even if your cat lives indoors, they can still be susceptible to vaccine-preventable airborne disease such as cat flu. Vaccination helps to prevent against any unforeseen contact with cats (such as an emergency visit to the vet or admission to a cattery) that could put your cat at risk.

I’ve read that cats have different life stages. What does this mean?

Cats have different care requirements at different life stages. For example, neonates have specific worming requirements and kittens need a vaccination course rather than single adult booster injection. Nutritional needs change as cats gets older too. We’ll discuss different life stages with you at your cat’s routine vet and nurse clinic appointments. Here are some pertinent age bandings to help with understanding terminology:

• Neonate (From birth to weaning)
• Kitten/ junior (Post weaning to 11 months)
• Adult (1-6 years)
• Mature/ Senior (7 – 10 years. We run senior cat clinics from 8 years+ as some cats show significant signs of aging earlier than others)
• Senior/ Geriatric (11 years+)

Should I insure my cat?

Veterinary medicine is always progressing and becoming increasingly more advanced. We are able to diagnose and treat conditions that in the past would have been left undetected, sometimes with fatal consequences.

But this more advanced treatment can be costly. Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that should your pet need surgery, an emergency procedure or long term medication for an underlying condition, you can focus on the best care for your pet rather than worrying about making potentially difficult decisions around treatment options based on treatment cost.

Why is it important to choose the right insurance?

As with all insurance policies, premiums vary significantly and depend on a number of different factors. It is important to select an insurance policy that provides a long term commitment to the health and happiness of your pet, but is also convenient for you. This needs to be right from the outset as in our experience, if you don’t purchase the right policy early on you may struggle to switch to a better policy at a later date, and changing insurer could result in a break in cover and mean conditions that you have claimed for previously become pre-existing and are therefore not covered on your new policy.

See our resources page for more advice on choosing pet insurance and to try pet insurance for free with no obligation to buy.