Vets and Loose Pets

Just wondering how many people out there have vets like this and if it's common. I've been to two in our area that have cats (and dogs at one) who roam freely around the vets office. My new vet I just switched to because I've heard they are spectacular has cats that roam freely around the office. They have obviously been taken in due to their physical problems (one is missing an eye, the other a leg, and the third a tail and wears a diaper). I think it's great that the office takes them in as that is the absolute best place a cat can be, but at the same time it kind of concerns me because they wander freely and I"m worried about them passing things from pet to pet. As an example, I was in a couple weeks ago with Molly to get her URI treated and she was sneezing up a storm and the little black and white one with the diaper was sniffing away at her. Won't she now get sick? and won't she risk passing it on to others?
As I said, I love this vet! They are great from what I"ve seen so far and the office is very very clean and they just did a huge addition on it that is all brand new. They are very caring unlike my other office. Between my parents and I we had been with the other for about 25 years, but they recently switched ownership and the "care" has gone downhill. That said though, in the 25 years we were there, they never had any wandering pets.
I guess I"m just wondering others thoughts on this. If our cats are kept up to date on all their vaccines then are they not at risk? I'm just not sure how to feel about this (although these cats are cute and are funny to watch walking across the techs computers, jumping on files, etc...)

Any thoughts?

I think the office pets are great, kind of puts my babies at ease to seem them calmly wandering the office.

I think the office pets are probably fairly safe, fully vaccinated (given where they live) built up immunities and not allowed in exam rooms, quarantine, or ICU.

I think it's a sign of a caring vet to have pets living int he office. These cats obviously are well looked after and it's safe to assume that they're all up to date on shots so I don't think they'd be diseased themselves. However, if there was a cat brought in who didn't have immunity to something then maybe the office cat could pass it along from pet to pet through contact. I think it's like a doctor's waiting room - I'm usually more worried about what I'm going to catch than what I'm in for!

I think its a sign of a caring vet also. Giving a home to cats that probably would never find a for ever home due to their disabilities.I'm sure they must be up to date on all shots and the vet must feel its ok as to them catching anything or passing anything on to other cats.
I must admit I haven't ever been to a vets office that does this..

The Seattle Cat Clinic was where I used to take my BC (RB), I loved that place.
They had two resident cats but the only that sticks out most in my mind was Joe.
Joe is a solid black cat, but with a very interesting build, Siamese like, yet not quite.
They then told me that he was found as a kitten on the street outside the clinic, he had nearly lost his life to a truck.
His unique look was due to extensive recustructive surgery done to his skull and face.

I can tell you that immediately made me feel very, very confidant in BC's surgeon's abilities.

The vet I used to go to had a cat named "Ducky". She was found totally wrapped in duct tape! On the counter they had pictures of her when they found her and through her recovery. She was a beautiful big cat. She never got too close to the animals coming in. She mostly layed on the counter (fax machines etc )

Our vets' dogs roam freely during surgery time when there are no appointments. We used to have a clinic cat but he kept scratching dogs that came too close so he lives with one of the techs now. But we are going to get another clinic kitty soon.

Our vet has 2 kitties that roam the office that they have taken in - they are very well behaved adorable little guys - although Harley doesn't think so!

The vet clinic I go to here in my college town also has several cats that hang out and go in and out as they please (the clinic is on a very large plot of land, and the cats stay on the property). I think there is also one doggy that hangs out. Most of the times I've seen them they are sitting with whatever person happens to be sitting behind the counter. I've never seen them get too close to any of the animals being brought in, especially because the clinic has a rule that animals coming in must be on leashes/in carriers. They even go as far as to say that if someone brings in their animal loose and the animal runs out the door, they are not allowed to help catch them. ALthough that sounds a little harsh, I know it is to try and keep the animals protected. But anyways, like everyone said, I'm sure the vets would not allowed this if it put any of the animals (ours or theirs) at risk.

The vet my parents take their pets to have a few cats that roam freely. They mind their own business and aren't too nosy. I think it is safe for them to be there

The vet clinic I go to had two cats. They took the second one in because his owner died & the cat himself was dying. They gave he a loving place to live out his last month or two. The other cat was brought in to be pts because it shed too much. That cat has been there ever since I can remember. He really does shed more than the average cat, but I think he has some health problems, too.

Originally Posted by white cat lover

The vet clinic I go to had two cats. They took the second one in because his owner died & the cat himself was dying. They gave he a loving place to live out his last month or two. The other cat was brought in to be pts because it shed too much.

That cat has been there ever since I can remember. He really does shed more than the average cat, but I think he has some health problems, too.

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PTS because he shed too much? Good lord, I would be down at least three cats if I did that to mine! Maybe they should have tried a pet lizard. Or fish. Fish don't shed.

My vet's office has several cats, but not all of them are permanent residents. They are also shelter overflow—which is how we got Pepsi and Skittles. Most of the permanent ones are big boys, too. I said something to my vet once about Ace being too fat and how hard it is to keep him from eating so much while at the same time getting the other cats to have enough food. He was like, "Trust me; I know. You see our cats around here ..."

Anyway, I really like that our vet has resident cats, and that they act as overflow for one of the shelters, and that the techs there foster cats in their homes.

My vet has 2 cats. One seems to be obese and a little lethargic but have never asked what exactly ails her. We look forward to see her everytime we go in though. They have a black cat, who I don't know how they acquired as its new to the office. I think its great that they do that .

Not only does my vet's office have cats, they have dogs too. I love going there. They aren't allowed in the waiting room mainly because they might sneak out, but they roam around in the back where the examination rooms are and the storage rooms. I believe that a few of them may be up for adoption but I know for a fact that the two cats have been there for years.

I think it's great that the animals have a place to be when no one will adopt them and my vet takes very good care of them.

My vet has two office cats - one solid black, one gray/black tabby. They're both big, sweet, goofy boys, who are completely spoiled by the staff and clients. They spend most of their time lounging in the reception area greeting everyone who comes in. Not sure where they came from, but they've been around for a few years and are very well cared for. I always enjoying seeing them.

My vet had an office cat for about 20 years. He was a big, black, very laid-back cat who went from a kitten frolicking in the reception area to a ball of fur curled up in a basket on a shelf in one of the examination rooms. Somehow it's not quite the same now that he's crossed the RB.
If the office cats and dogs are UTD on their shots and regularly wormed, there's probably not much risk of their contracting anything (except fleas), or infecting other animals.

Our vet has a few cats who live there, and now that I think about it our old vet did as well. They don't come into the waiting area at all. They stay back behind the front desk area. There is plenty of room there and they have beds and toys spread out. They don't pay the patients much attention either. I remember laughing the last time I brought Brody in (the dog, I feel I need to clarify that on a cat site ) she was trying to print me off a receipt and was trying to manuver around the cat who was laying right across her desk and keyboard

I don't have any concerns about illnesses being spread in my vets office between patients and the resident animals. I say this because the time I had to bring Brody in when he was diagnosed with Canine flu, the lady who runs the office made sure I understood to call her from out front so we could bring Brody straight to a room. She made sure there weren't any patients standing near the door so Brody couldn't get anyone else sick. I overheard her while we were in the exam room giving the vet tech specific instructions to wash his hands very well and to spray everything down when we left. I felt a little annoyed, and well like we were dirty at the time but now that I look back it's nice to know she is so careful.