Feline Low Stress Handling® in a Shelter Environment
Guest Speaker: Christine Calder, Director of Behavior Educational Content at Veterinary Information Network
This session offers practical, in-the-moment applications of Low Stress Handling® of cats for shelter veterinary exams.
Key Takeaways:
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Understand species-specific feline behavior and communication signaling, from fear to frustration, and set up the environment to support a low-stress veterinary examination.
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Apply the 2-second rule and least-restraint principle for cats and use in-carrier exam techniques, towels, and blankets as alternatives to scruffing.
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Decide when to proceed with, adjust, or defer the veterinary examination based on the individual cat, incorporating food distraction and pharmacologic support where the shelter setting permits.
About Guest Speaker: Christine Calder, Director of Behavior Educational Content at Veterinary Information Network
Dr. Calder has spent many years practicing veterinary medicine in both New Jersey and Maine. Over the course of her career, she has worked in general practice, served on the behavior service at the San Francisco SPCA, and taught in community practice settings at several veterinary schools. Her deep interest in animal behavior led her to pursue a residency with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, and she became a Diplomate with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists in 2017.
Today, Dr. Calder runs her own veterinary behavior consultation practice and serves as the Director of Behavior Educational Content at the Veterinary Information Network®, Inc. She is the co-author and editor of Low Stress Handling® and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats (second edition) and Low Stress Handling®: A Practical Guide to Cooperative Care, Training, and Behavior Modification. Alongside her clinical and editorial work, Dr. Calder contributes to educational programs at VIN® and is especially passionate about helping veterinary students feel confident and prepared for that behavior case on their first day in practice and beyond.
About Maddie's Community Conversations
Maddie’s Fund hosts a weekly Wednesday Zoom call for animal well-being professionals. These calls are a collaborative place to connect with peers in the industry, share exciting new programs and research on a variety of topics including foster, access to veterinary and behavior care, community partnerships and more. Plus, each month we'll award up to $10,000 in grants for joining (live or on-demand)!
The calls will be recorded to watch at your leisure if you can’t make it live, and are now approved for CAWA and NACA. Some will be approved for RACE continuing education credit, too!
Maddie’s Community Conversations will now be held on Wednesdays at 11am PT/ 2pm ET starting August 5, 2026! Register for the new date and time here: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConversationsRegistration2026
Learn more about Community Conversations, watch recordings and continue the conversation with guest speakers here on Maddie's Pet Forum: https://forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
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