FAQs

Generally, we recommend that your cat not be given any food after 8.00 pm the night before a consultation.  An exception is a diabetic cat requiring a meal with insulin.

The reasons for fasting include:

• Ultrasound examinations of the stomach and associated areas are impeded if the stomach is full of air and food. So, to maximise the diagnostic capability of this investigative procedure, it is very important to minimise the stomach’s contents.
• Your cat may be admitted for further workup, procedures, treatment or surgery.
• Your cat may require sedation or full anaesthesia to perform these tests.
• Certain blood tests can be affected by your cat’s eating before sample collection, so it is best that it has not eaten for 12 hours for more accurate results.
• If you feel your cat cannot be fasted, please ask when booking your appointment.

Once your cat has been thoroughly examined and a full history is taken, then the diagnostic or treatment plan will be discussed, along with an estimate of costs.

Your cat is likely to be admitted for diagnostics for the day. However, these could also be scheduled for a later date.

We do not conduct routine surgeries on healthy cats at our hospital. However, if your cat has underlying or congenital diseases or has a higher anesthesia risk, then desexing surgeries can be performed if required following a discussion with your referring veterinarian.

As a specialist clinic, we do not perform vaccinations.

No, we do not perform general scale and polish. However, for complex cases or those requiring specialty dental services, we have direct access to the team at Advanced Animal Dentistry.

If you’re concerned about your cat, it’s best to consult your regular vet first. They can provide a referral if necessary.

We do offer an emergency service, however, if you’re concerned about your cat, we recommend seeing your regular vet first. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions. For emergencies outside of hours, the Animal Emergency Service is located in the adjacent building to Cat Specialist Services.

The cost for a consultation with one of our feline veterinarians is $250.16.

When it comes to taking your cat to the vet or travelling, having the right cat carrier can make a big difference for you and your feline friend. Here are some helpful tips on choosing the best carrier and how to get your cat comfortably in and out.

When you are referred, our Veterinarians will take the time to explain your cat’s condition to you during the consultation or at the time when a diagnosis is made.  Our veterinarians believe it is extremely important for clients to understand their cat’s situation, including all aspects of the disease and the various diagnostic workups and treatment options available. We encourage our owners to have as much understanding of their cat’s condition as possible. One commonly used and easily accessible information source for owners is the internet. This media is a wonderful tool. However, we recommend caution when evaluating the information, as not every website is from a reputable source or has correct information. A checklist for evaluating which sites are worthwhile reading and which are, can include:

• Who controls the website? Is it a government site? A university or specialist hospital site? A veterinarian, owner or drug company site?
• What is the purpose of the website? Client information versus blog about someone else’s experience, etc.
• How current is the information? (New information is published almost weekly, and it can be easy to stumble across outdated information on the World Wide Web.)

Feel free to discuss your findings, questions, and concerns with the attending veterinarian, but please do not be offended if they comment that the information is not correct or relevant.  They may even direct you to a reputable and informative web page to help increase your knowledge and understanding.

• For basic cases (stable medical conditions): the fee is $90 per day
• For complex cases (i.e. feeding tubes, unstable diabetics): the fee is $130 per day

• If you are an existing patient or client, please call our client care team at 1300 228 377 to arrange a booking.
• If your cat is new to our clinic, we will need to schedule a consultation to discuss any health concerns that may arise during their stay with us.

Most of our medical boarding patients are on medications, require additional care or are with a sibling who has those needs.

We have 10 suites. To check availability, please contact our client care team at 1300 228 377.

Ideally, cats should not be boarded together, but exceptions can be made. We have two dual suites that can accommodate multi-cat households. However, to ensure adequate monitoring during their stay, we prefer to keep cats separated.

No, we do not offer a discount for two cats boarding at the same time. To provide the best possible care, we treat each patient as an individual.

Cats are interacted with at minimum twice daily. However, this schedule can be adjusted based on each cat’s individual needs, such as medication requirements.

We have 10 suites available in our radioactive iodine bunker. Please contact our team on 1300 228 377 to check what we have available.

Screening is where tests are performed prior to your cat receiving radioactive iodine to assess for any other underlying diseases, such as kidney or heart disease. The degree of screening needed depends on the age and health status of your cat. This will be discussed with you on the phone at the time of booking but also by the veterinairna at the time of your cat’s admission.

Once cats enter the radioactive iodine unit, they cannot have owner visits – this is a direction from Queensland Health for radiation safety. Once they leave the iodine unit and go home or enter medical boarding, you can spend 30 minutes per day with them.

Sorry, we do not offer a discount. To ensure adequate monitoring while in our care, each cat is separated, allowing us to observe their eating and toileting habits properly. Additionally, each cat receives an individual medical plan, even if you have two or more coming in on the same day.

• You do not have to medically board your cat; however, if you choose to take them home after treatment, strict guidelines must be followed for two weeks. This includes limitations on physical contact and isolating your cat to a single room. If you opt for medical boarding, you are welcome to visit each day for a limited time.
• If you choose to medically board your cat after their iodine treatment, there is an additional cost of $1,019.70 for 14 days.