{
  "abstract": "Objectives: This study compared veterinary clinics with and without designated cat-only areas or hours across four domains: feline stress during visits, handling and restraint techniques, owner education on preventive care and common diseases, and overall client satisfaction.\n\nMethods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted across eight clinics in Greater Lisbon, Portugal (between November 2015 and January 2016). In total, 204 cat owners completed a 37-question survey evaluating clinic experience, feline stress, owner education and service quality. Respondents were divided based on whether their clinic offered feline-segregated areas or hours (n = 96) or not (n = 108). Data were analysed using χ2 and Mann–Whitney U-tests (P <0.05), with effect sizes calculated via Cramér’s V and rank-biserial correlation.\n\nResults: Owners at non-segregated clinics reported greater difficulty removing cats from carriers (P = 0.034) and administering home medication (P = 0.040). Their cats were more frequently scruffed (18.4% vs 7.4%) or sedated (10.3% vs 2.5%; P = 0.046; Cramér’s V = 0.24), with the presence of other species increasing perceived stress (P = 0.004; r = 0.21). Non-segregated clinic owners also received significantly less information regarding feline leukaemia virus (42.6% vs 17.7% uninformed; P <0.001), feline immunodeficiency virus (40.7% vs 15.6%; P <0.001), flea prevention (27.8% vs 7.3%; P <0.001) and deworming (21.3% vs 5.2%; P = 0.001). Satisfaction with staff and veterinarians was higher in the segregated group (P = 0.001 for both).\n\nConclusions and relevance: Clinics utilising designated cat-only spaces or hours demonstrated superior outcomes across all evaluated domains. These findings provide quantitative support for cat-friendly principles, suggesting that investing in species segregation, staff training and client education yields tangible improvements in animal welfare, client relationships and veterinary practice quality.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "IVC Evidensia, Cork, Ireland"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Annie Baltz",
      "orcid": "0009-0000-4662-4562"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zw2qt3xhfyb8.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1177/1098612x261468776",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13735065/",
  "id": "7zw2qt3xhfyb8",
  "issns": [
    "1098-612X",
    "1532-2750"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x261468776",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1103|Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7167673860",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1098612X261468776?download=true",
  "pmcid": "PMC13735065",
  "pmid": "42415333",
  "published": "2026-07-07",
  "publisher": "SAGE Publications",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zw2qt3xhfyb8.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:20:50Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13735065",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612x261468776"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1103|Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Feline stress through owners’ eyes: comparing perceptions in veterinary clinics with and without designated cat-only areas or hours",
  "title_text": "Feline stress through owners’ eyes: comparing perceptions in veterinary clinics with and without designated cat-only areas or hours",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:20:50Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7zw2qt3xhfyb8",
  "venue": "Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery",
  "versions": []
}