October 2026
Fear Free Learning Spotlight:
Feline Focus
Each month, we spotlight an important topic and gather Fear Free resources to help you put compassionate care into action. Browse curated articles, webinars, and tools designed to support your work, your team, and the wellbeing of the animals in your care.
Cats experience the world differently. Their sensitivity to unfamiliar environments, handling, scent, sound, pain, and changes in routine can quickly influence Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS). This month, Fear Free puts feline needs at the center, exploring practical ways to create calmer, safer, and more compassionate experiences for cats, caregivers, pet professionals and veterinary teams.
Through expert-led webinars, clinical education, and feline-focused resources, October’s education will look at the full spectrum of cat-friendly care, from practice culture and handling to anesthesia, pheromones, osteoarthritis, and behavior in multi-cat homes.
Whether you’re strengthening your approach to feline handling or building confidence in day-to-day cat care, this month offers actionable strategies to support emotional and physical wellbeing.
New Member Exclusive Course
A Fear Free Approach for Pet Professionals: Prevention Through Partnership
PACC Approved (1 hour); available to Groomer memberships
As pet groomers, we play an important role in working with the pet owner and the veterinary team to reduce Fear, Anxiety and Stress (FAS) leading up to, during and after the grooming process. The steps we take to help the pet owner prepare the pet, using counterconditioning and desensitization, make a difference not only to the pet’s grooming experience, but also to a positive approach to handling, coat comfort, travel, and veterinary care.
Owner discussions and training plans created before the pet’s arrival for grooming, combined with early counterconditioning and desensitization, can reduce stress responses and prevent negative associations with known stressors like touch, noises, vibrations, handling, and pain from conditions such as arthritis.
Positive, grooming-free visits to the salon help build lasting trust between the groomer, the pet, and the owner.
Remembering:
Fear is an immediate emotional response to a real or perceived threat.
Anxiety is anticipation or expectation of a potential threat or negative experience.
Stress is the body’s physical and emotional response to challenges or pressures that disrupt normal balance.
New Member Exclusive Course
Feline Harmony: Using Pheromones to Support Reduced-Stress Veterinary Visits
RACE Approved (1 hour); available to CVP and Vet Pro
Creating a positive veterinary experience for cats requires more than gentle handling—it involves understanding how the environment influences feline emotional wellbeing before, during, and after every visit. This course explores practical, evidence-based strategies for reducing Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) by combining Fear Free principles with the thoughtful use of feline pheromones as part of a multimodal approach. Learners will examine the science behind feline pheromones, identify opportunities to incorporate them throughout the patient journey, and develop practical implementation strategies that support calmer patients, improved workflow, and stronger client relationships.
Member Exclusive Course
Fear Free for Felines: An Introduction
RACE Approved (2 hours); available to CVP, Vet Pro, Trainer
This course introduces veterinary professionals to the Fear Free approach, specifically tailored for feline patients. Through a series of focused lessons, learners will explore communication strategies, considerate handling techniques, touch gradients, appropriate use of rewards, and gentle control methods. Practical scenarios and case studies will help reinforce strategies for reducing Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) in cats during veterinary visits. Learners will leave equipped with the knowledge and resources to integrate cooperative care into daily workflows, creating a better experience for cats, clients, and veterinary teams.
Member Exclusive Course
Happier Cats and Happier Clients: Diagnosing and Treating Feline OA
RACE Approved (1 hour); available to CVP, Vet Pro
Michael Petty, DVM, CVPP, CVMA, CCRT, CAAPM, covers how Fear, Anxiety, and Stress (FAS) can impact pain and vice versa, along with a team- and case-based approach to diagnosing and treating feline OA. A new treatment option, recently approved for controlling the pain associated with feline OA, is also discussed.
Upcoming October Webinars
Member Exclusive
October 1 at 6 p.m. MT
Fear Free Feline Handling – A Deep Dive: Compassionate, Safe Approaches to Feline Handling at Each Life Stage
Ellen M. Carozza, LVT, RVT, VTS (CP-Feline)
*Active Fear Free Members can find their exclusive link in the Fetch Weekly email associated with their membership to join at no cost. Non-members are welcome to register for $10 USD.
*RACE approved for one CE hour
October 8 at 6 p.m. MT
Beyond Clean: Balancing Infection Control and Sensory Experience in Clinical Environments
Heather Lewis, AIA, NCARB
*Pending RACE approval for one CE hour
Member Exclusive
October 22 at 6p.m. MT
Purr-fect Feline Anesthesia
Heidi Reuss-Lamky, LVT, VTS
*Active Fear Free Members can find their exclusive link in the webinars section of their member dashboard and inside Fetch Weekly email associated with their membership to join at no cost. Non-members are welcome to register for $49 USD.
*RACE approved for one CE hour
October 27 at 1 p.m. MT
Peace at Home: Understanding and Managing Aggression in Multi-Cat Households
Rachel S. Geller, Ed.D.
*RACE approved for one CE hour
October 29 at 6 p,m. MT
Fear Free Feline Pet Sitting: Building Trust Before, During, and After Every Visit
Caitlin Dutcher-Lundy,
BS, RVT, VTS (CP-Feline)
*PACC approved for one CE hour
Cats deserve care designed with their unique needs in mind. Continue building the knowledge and confidence to recognize feline FAS, adapt handling and clinical plans, support comfort, and create environments where cats can feel safer and more secure.
Join Fear Free to access expert-led feline education, practical resources, and evidence-based tools that help veterinary professionals and pet care teams create better experiences for cats and the people who care for them.