Cats are not small dogs, and a busy veterinary hospital can be an overwhelming place for them: unfamiliar smells, barking, and hard surfaces. At MediPaws, we believe cats deserve a space and a standard of care entirely their own. That’s why our hospital was awarded Gold-level Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation by International Cat Care.
We’ve designed the patient experience around how cats actually experience the world, with separate cat entrances, dedicated cat wards, and multiple feline specialists on site. We work together with iCatCare to make sure all cats are treated with care, compassion and understanding.
MediPaws is the only hospital in Sydney with multiple feline medicine specialists, supported by in-house imaging, internal medicine, surgery, and oncology teams – so complex cases stay under one roof.
Cats arrive through their own dedicated entrance, away from the dogs. No shared queue, no nose-to-carrier introductions in the waiting room.
We have consult rooms and a treatment area set aside for cats. Our layout means most feline patients will never pass through a space where dogs have left their scent – something cats notice long before we do.
Our cat ward has sound-minimisation insulation, air control systems to filter out unfamiliar smells, calming pheromone diffusers, and vertical space – so cats can climb, hide and observe the way they would at home.
From reception to recovery, our vets and nurses use gentle, unhurried handling techniques and cat-only equipment. Gold accreditation assesses how our team interacts with cats, not just what’s in the building.
If your cat becomes unwell overnight or on a weekend, our emergency team is here, working alongside our feline specialists.
Every Cat Friendly Clinic appoints a Cat Advocate: a team member who makes sure the accreditation standards are met and maintained daily. Senior Internal Medicine Nurse Kate Bayliss is our Cat Advocate, and ensures that all feline patients at MediPaws are supported from the moment they arrive to the moment they go home.
Part of being a Cat Friendly Clinic is a commitment to sharing what we know. Here are a few resources to help give your cat the love they deserve.
Cat carer guides
Practical advice on everyday cat care, behaviour, health and welfare, directly from iCatCare. Learn more
Cat caregiver leaflets
A downloadable pdf covering the most commonly asked questions, from bringing your cat to the clinic, to changing your cat’s food after treatment. Learn more
About the Cat Friendly Clinic programme
What accreditation involves and why it matters to the profession. Learn more
Leave the carrier out for a few days beforehand with a familiar blanket inside, so it isn’t only associated with vet trips. A top-opening or removable-lid carrier is ideal – it means we can examine your cat without tipping them out. Cover it with a towel for the car trip and in the waiting area, since being able to hide is how cats self-soothe.
No. At MediPaws, cats arrive through a separate entrance and have their own area in the waiting room. Our layout also means most feline patients never pass through a space where dogs have left their scent.
At MediPaws, cats stay in our dedicated cat ward. It is sound-insulated, has air control systems to filter out unfamiliar smells, and calming pheromone diffusers.
