Editor’s Note: We spoke with veterinarian Dr. Kandi Norrell for an update about Gulf Coast Scratching Post Cat Hospital located at 3135 Bobcat Village Center Road in North Port. Her practice has earned Gold Status designation as a Cat Friendly Practice with the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). Visit GulfCoastScratchingPost.com; call 941-200-5779.
Dr. Norrell, what’s the latest with your practice in light of Covid-19?
The clinic has remained open with curbside service throughout the entire pandemic. Our staff wear masks at all times to protect each other, our clients, and their cats. In addition to curbside check-in and medication pickup, we also offer convenient drop off appointments.
What are your primary services for feline veterinary care?
We are a full-service veterinary clinic specializing in feline health. We offer wellness and preventative care, vaccinations, diagnostics (we have our own lab), onsite pharmacy, soft tissue surgery (spays, neuters, abdominal, and eye surgery), dental cleaning, oral surgery, onsite digital imaging, emergency care, treatment of acute and chronic illness, hospice and euthanasia support, microchipping, nail trimming, soft paw application as well as boarding.
How about education support for cat owners?
We support cat owners with counseling focused on preventing and treating behavior problems. We also provide support for good nutrition, weight management, and the treatment for acute and chronic illnesses. We even offer Kitty Kindergarten classes to support early socialization.
What’s involved with your cat boarding program?
Our “cat condos” are safe and stimulating. They include a cubby where the cat can hide so they feel safe as well as a shelf for perching. We provide room service twice daily and plenty of TLC. We also have nursing staff for cats that are on medication. We have a large space for cat boarders to play if they are staying with us for more than a day or two. We even play classical music including Vivaldi which research suggests is a popular preference. We also have a Petcube cloud-based pet camera that enables you to see, talk with and play (laser) with your cat using two-way audio video technology.
What are some of the cat-friendly items in your gift shop?
We carry Feliway pheromone products including the Classic spray and diffusers as well as Multi-Cat and Feliscratch that helps to encourage cats to use their scratching post and not your furniture. We also carry Cat Dancer brand toys, The Spinning Bee, cat nip from Meowijuana, various treats and pill pockets, Zoom Groom soft brushes (great for the arthritic cat) as well as a variety of funny things for cat people like candles, socks, coin purses, and gum. We’ll be adding new items for the Holidays.
