Our lineup of expert speakers will cover all aspects of the cat’s journey through a Cat Friendly Clinic. This will include panel discussions on working with cats in challenging situations including the role of appropriate handling techniques, anxiolytics and sedation. The format will be a combination of short lectures and panel discussions and is suitable for vets, veterinary nurses and receptionists.
BVSc PgCertVE Dip.ECAWBM(BM) CCAB FHEA FRCVS
Sarah qualified as a veterinary surgeon from Bristol University in 1988 and set up Behavioural Referrals Veterinary Practice in 1992. She sees clinical cases across North West England and wider afield through video platform consultations. In 2018 she was made an FRCVS for meritorious contributions to the profession in recognition of her work in establishing Behavioural Medicine as a veterinary discipline. She is an RCVS and EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Behavioural Medicine and an External Lecturer in small animal behavioural medicine on the veterinary undergraduate course at Liverpool University. In 2019 she gained her Postgraduate Certificate in Veterinary Education. Sarah has authored many papers, books and book chapters and in 2016 was co-author and co-editor of Feline Behavioural Health and Welfare published by Elsevier. She has a special interest in the interplay between emotional and physical illness in dogs and cats.
BVSc CertVA PgCertVBM DipECVAA FRCV
Clinical Director at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists
RCVS and EBVS® European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
Matt an internationally respected British anaesthetist. A specialist in anaesthesia and analgesia, Matt trained at the University of Liverpool and now works at Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists in the UK. Matt is passionate about pain management, lectures on the subject globally and is the author of many international anaesthesia publications. Matt is President of the European College of Veterinary Anaesthesia & Analgesia and a Co-Founder of The Zero Pain Philosophy.
Linda is a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behaviour and Oncology, and is an ASAB-accredited Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist (for cats and dogs). She is a passionate Veterinary Nurse, and welfare-focused animal trainer and behaviourist, who, through years of working with cancer and internal medicine canine and feline patients, became interested in learning more about welfare and behaviour within the clinic, and how this could fit in alongside excellent veterinary care. The animal health and wellbeing benefits of the essential veterinary-behaviour connection is now central to Linda’s work.
Linda currently runs Inspiring Pet Teaching, dividing her time between seeing clinical behaviour cases, working alongside pets’ vets, and providing continuing education for veterinary and training/behaviour professionals. She also works part-time in the Cat Advocacy team at International Cat Care.
Head of Cat Advocacy at International Cat Care
Sarah has a keen interest in the behaviour and welfare of the domestic cat. After completing a degree in Zoology and Psychology (University of Bristol, 2001) and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling (University of Southampton, 2006), Sarah specialised in cats and was awarded a PhD for investigating ways to improve the welfare of cats housed in rehoming centres.
Sarah spent several years at the University of Lincoln as a Research Scientist working on numerous projects including investigating novel ways to improve feline welfare, and furthering our understanding of feline behaviour and the cat-human relationship. In 2015, Sarah decided to concentrate on the application of research and joined International Cat Care as their Feline Behaviour Specialist to help develop their work in the areas of feline behaviour and welfare. In 2019, Sarah moved to the role of Head of Cat Advocacy within International Cat Care.
She also is a Visiting Fellow at the University of Lincoln where she remains involved in several feline related projects. Sarah has had numerous radio and TV appearances, covering many aspects of feline behaviour and welfare. She has published a NY Times Best-Selling book with John Bradshaw entitled The Trainable Cat which details how training can be used to improve cats’ well-being.
BVetMed(Hons) CertSAM DipECVIM-CA MANZCVS FRCVS
Sam graduated from the Royal Vet College in 2002 and completed internships in private referral practice before starting a Feline Advisory Bureau Residency at Bristol University. She was awarded the RCVS Certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2006 and the European Diploma in Veterinary Internal Medicine in 2009. In 2011 she became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine and in 2019 was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons for outstanding contributions to the profession. Sam is the Feline Specialist Advisor for ISFM, and the ISFM Academy of Feline Practitioners Lead. She also works in clinical referral practice at Lumbry Park Veterinary Specialists in Hampshire, is editor of the BSAVA journal Companion and is an examiner for the Membership of the Australia and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (Feline Medicine). She is an editorial board member for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery and has authored 2 books and numerous book chapters as well as publishing a number of papers on both canine and feline internal medicine.
DipAVN (Medical) RVN, VTS(ECC), Cert CFVHNut, ISFM DipFN
ISFM Programme Manager
Sarah qualified as a Veterinary Nurse in 1995. Following 11 years in 1st opinion/referral practice, Sarah moved to the University of Bristol Vet School to work in the intensive care unit. During her 7 years in this role, Sarah obtained both the Diploma in Advanced Veterinary Nursing (Medical) and the Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care. After a further 7 years as a Veterinary Marketing Executive at Royal Canin (during which she gained the Certificate in Canine and Feline Veterinary Health Nutrition), Sarah joined International Cat Care in 2017 to look after the nurse distance education courses. In 2020, Sarah moved to the role of ISFM Programme Manager looking after the Cat Friendly Clinic and Cat Care for Life programmes as well as running the webinar programmes, creating and updating content for the online veterinary nurse courses, and providing advice across the charity on veterinary nursing matters. Sarah is also the managing editor for ISFM’s nurse journal Feline Focus and has had several articles published in nursing journals as well as having lectured at many veterinary congresses and events including BSAVA, BVNA and LVS.
Feline Fine: putting Cat Friendly Principles into action within your clinic