Cat Friendly Clinic Gold 2025

press release

Munich, April 17, 2025

Gold Certificate "Cat Friendly Clinic": Cat-friendly at an excellent level

Highest international award for the Small Animal Clinic at Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich:

We are proud and delighted to announce that our small animal clinic at LMU Munich has been awarded the coveted Gold Certificate as a "Cat Friendly Clinic" by the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM).

The ISFM is part of the animal welfare organization International Cat Care, which aims to optimize medical care for cats with understanding and empathy.

Cats are sensitive animals and react particularly to external environmental influences such as noise, unfamiliar smells, or visual impressions. Visits to the veterinarian or an animal hospital, i.e., an unfamiliar environment for cats, are therefore often associated with stress. A clinic that has been awarded the Gold Standard meets the special requirements of the ISFM and thus offers cats and their owners optimal medical care and accommodation with attentive and calm treatment that is tailored to the special needs of cats. Our small animal clinic at LMU Munich meets the high standards of the Gold Level, the highest level.

Empathy, understanding, and respect for the cats, as well as minimizing stress during medical care, are our top priorities.

Cat Advocates:

As part of the Gold Certification, "Cat Advocates" are appointed. They ensure that the Cat Friendly Clinic criteria are met for the welfare of cats:

Our "Cat Advocates" at the LMU Small Animal Clinic are experts in cat health:

• Private lecturer Dr. Michèle Bergmann, senior physician, head of preventive healthcare and infectious medicine
• Private lecturer Dr. Roswitha Dorsch, Dipl. ECVIM-CA (internal medicine), senior physician in internal medicine, specializing in diseases of the urinary tract
• Dr. Teresa Baur-Rehme, veterinarian, specialist consultation hours for "Cat'Xpert health care for cats"

In addition, a "Cat Friendly Team" of experts in cat health has been established at the LMU Small Animal Clinic, who have been working for many years on the optimal treatment and care specifically for cats.

• Dr. Matthias Kornmayer, Specialist Veterinarian for Small Animal Surgery, Dipl. ECVS (Small Animal), Senior Physician, Surgery
• Dr. Bianka Schulz, Diplomate ECVIM-CA (Internal Medicine), Senior Physician Internal Medicine, Specialty: Diseases of the Respiratory Tract
• Dr. Oliver Stadler, specialist veterinarian for information technology,
• Private lecturer Dr. Karin Weber, specialist veterinarian for physiology, senior physician for laboratory diagnostics and molecular biology

Almost all of our colleagues have cats at home and are sensitive to the need to handle cats with care.

Our LMU Small Animal Clinic meets the following criteria for Gold Certification:

Further training:

• Participation of all employees in regular training and continuing education courses in feline medicine

Supply:

• Respectful and sensitive handling of cats
• trustworthy owner contact
• Tips and tricks for owners at home and for visits to the vet for stress-free cat handling

Facilities/equipment:

• Separate cat waiting room and cat treatment rooms with raised storage areas for cat baskets, cozy blankets and towels, special cat music, and calming synthetic facial pheromones.
• Separate cat shelter with spacious boxes for stationary stays (with cat-friendly hiding places)
• Separate preparation room for cats undergoing surgery
• State-of-the-art technical equipment: CT, MRI, digital imaging (digital X-ray), high-end ultrasound, hemodialysis, laser lithotripsy, nerve stimulator, electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), fluoroscopy, blood bank, endoscopy, rhinoscopy, vaginoscopy, cystoscopy, endoscopic insemination, whole body plethysmography, ECG, long-term ECG, 2D and 3D echocardiography, and much more.

Clinic Director Prof. Dr. Katrin Hartmann is delighted: "With the ISFM Gold Certification, our LMU Small Animal Clinic has reached another milestone that brings our vision of 'International excellence for the health of dogs and cats' to life. I am very proud of all our employees who, with empathy, expertise, and dedication, improve the lives of cats and their owners every day."

Special consultation hours for cats:

To this end, the LMU Small Animal Clinic has also launched a special cat health consultation service, "Cat'Xpert – Health Care for Cats," in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. Cat owners are encouraged to take advantage of these important preventive care appointments to protect their beloved pets from serious illnesses. Prof. Katrin Hartmann: "We set aside one hour per patient for each special consultation so that we can take the time to address the needs of both owners and their feline patients. Thanks to our excellent "Cat'Xpert team" led by veterinarians Dr. Teresa Baur-Rehme and Dr. Katharina Zwicklbauer, our special consultation hours for cats have become a successful fixture." Further information: https://www.med.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de/news/catxpert/index.html

Unique in Germany: FIP cats are legally treated at the LMU Small Animal Clinic

Clinic director Prof. Dr. Katrin Hartmann also places particular emphasis on the health of cats and on research into and treatment of cats with FIP. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a fatal disease affecting cats. As part of a large-scale study, a highly effective antiviral drug that can cure FIP is being used. Although this drug is not approved in Germany, it can be used legally within our study and has already saved the lives of several cats. Further information: https://www.med.vetmed.uni-muenchen.de/news/fip2/index.html

Prof. Katrin Hartmann sums it up: "The Gold Certificate 'Cat Friendly Clinic' is an outstanding award that motivates all our employees to continue to put their heart and soul into the health and well-being of cats."

About the Small Animal Clinic at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (LMU)

The LMU's small animal clinic, which specializes in dogs and cats, is one of six clinics at the LMU Munich's Center for Clinical Veterinary Medicine. With internal medicine, anesthesiology, surgery, dermatology and allergology, gynecology, cardiology, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, intensive care and emergency medicine, radiology, reproductive medicine, preventive health care, physiotherapy, and nutritional counseling, the LMU Small Animal Clinic offers an exceptionally broad range of medical services under one roof. In addition, patients in the field of internal medicine have access to specialists in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, respiratory system, and blood, as well as infectious diseases and hormonal disorders.

All departments are headed by internationally recognized specialists (Diplomates, European Specialists) and are equipped with state-of-the-art technical equipment.

Our LMU Small Animal Clinic is located in the heart of Munich on the edge of the English Garden, close to Ludwig Maximilian University.

Contact for press inquiries:

Constanze Willemeit, Head of Fundraising and Communications

Tel.: 0176 18838828

Email: c.willemeit@lmu.de