The Feline Opportunity: Closing the Care Gap

Cats are a fixture in millions of American households, but when it comes to veterinary medicine, they remain one of the most underserved species. The CATalyst Council’s Feline Market Insights Report Vol II, led by Executive Director Dr. Jane Brunt, who’s also a member of Wedgewood’s Specialists Customer Council, reveals an important disconnect. While most owners see their feline family members as true companions, the majority are not getting regular veterinary care.  

The problem is not rooted in a lack of interest from owners – instead, it reflects the way care is delivered. For practices, addressing these challenges represents a $20 billion feline care growth opportunity that directly improves both patient outcomes and practice success. 

The numbers show just how wide the feline care gap has become. In 2024, 70% of feline patients did not visit a veterinarian, and more than 80% missed their annual cat wellness exam. By comparison, dogs received far more consistent preventative care. 

The gap is particularly concerning for mature adult cats between the ages of 7 and 10. Only 16% of cats in this life stage had a veterinary visit, even though this is when many health problems begin to appear. These missed opportunities leave conditions undetected until they are more advanced and harder to treat, putting a cat’s long-term health at risk.  

Owners, however, are not disengaged from their cat’s health. In fact, 93% of cat owners describe their feline companions as part of the family, and 77% of Gen Z owners report that they would spend any amount necessary to keep them healthy.  

The disconnect comes from the experience itself. Veterinary visits are often stressful for cats, and owners may feel uncertain about how to manage those stressors. When combined with economic concerns and limited feline-specific support in practices, the result is delayed or avoided care that impacts the quality of a cat’s life.  

There is a compelling economic case for practices to focus more attention on cats. Veterinary services inflation remains close to 5%, but overall pet ownership costs are rising only slightly faster than the broader economy. This stability suggests that visit growth could rebound by 1-2% in the next 6-18 months as household finances improve.  

At the same time, enrollment in cat pet insurance tripled between 2020 and 2024. This expansion of coverage reduces costs as a barrier for many owners. Taken together, these trends show that feline medicine should not be considered a niche – rather, it is a margin-rich growth driver for practices that adapt and provide comprehensive care.  

Unlocking the economic opportunity in feline healthcare requires addressing several persistent challenges that prevent owners from seeking care and practices from delivering it effectively. The CATalyst Council identifies six barriers that continue to limit access to feline care: 

1. Perceptions of value and affordability that make owners hesitant to schedule preventative visits. 

2. Annual wellness visit pricing that reinforces cost concerns for routine exams. 

3. Stressful clinic experiences for cats and their owners, often discouraging future visits. 

4. Limited feline-specific training for veterinary teams, leading to less confidence in handling cats. 

5. Gaps in onboarding first-time cat owners who may not understand feline health needs. 

6. Practice resource constraints around time, staff, and finances that limit tailored cat care. 

Each of these factors contributes to a cycle in which owners hesitate to book visits and practices struggle to deliver care that meets each cat’s needs. 

Targeted strategies can make feline care more accessible, effective, and appealing to owners, including: 

• Adopt cat-friendly protocols that start at home and extend into the clinic, such as pheromone diffusers, towel covers, separate waiting areas, or dedicated exam rooms. 

• Use pre-appointment medications such as Gabapentin/Trazodone to reduce stress during transport and exams, helping cats arrive calmer and making visits smoother for everyone. 

• Train veterinary teams in feline medicine and behavior. Programs like Fear Free Certification help staff build confidence and reduce fear, anxiety, and stress in patients. 

• Encourage owners to recognize early signs of illness, such as changes in appetite, energy, or litter box habits, to prompt more timely visits. 

• Provide at-home tools and educational resources between visits, which could include Wedgewood’s DeliverEase® Kits, letting practices and owners sample feline-friendly dosage forms to find what works best. 

These adjustments reduce stress for cats and their families, strengthen client trust, and help practices position themselves as leaders in feline veterinary care. 

Closing the feline care gap is not just about overcoming barriers – it also means adopting innovations that make veterinary medicine more practical for owners and effective for patients. New approaches in how care is delivered and what treatments are available are reshaping the experience in clinics and at home, giving practices more ways to keep cats healthier.  

Medication compliance remains one of the biggest challenges in feline medicine and alternative dosage forms are helping. Options like pillable tablets, flavored chewables, fast-dissolve tablets, and transdermal gels ease the struggle of medicating cats and help improve the likelihood that treatments are completed. For cats, flavors like Chicken, Liver, Fish, or even blends such as Chicken-Marshmallow and Vanilla-Butternut are effective options.  

These flavors are chosen with purpose, based on what is known about feline taste preferences and sensitivities. By accounting for factors that contribute to aversion or unpleasant reactions, they reflect what is most applicable to the species and make treatments more practical for consistent use. This species-specific approach helps make medication smoother and less stressful for both cats and their caregivers. 

There is also progress in areas once thought untreatable. Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), long considered a fatal condition, can now be managed in some cases with compounded antivirals such as GS-441524 and Molnupiravir. While these therapies are not formally FDA-approved, they are available through reputable veterinary compounding resources, and a growing body of published evidence supports their efficacy. With careful veterinary oversight, they represent an important step forward in expanding options for cats diagnosed with this disease. 

Together, these innovations highlight the value of species-specific solutions that make care easier, safer, and more sustainable. By reducing stress, improving compliance, and opening new opportunities for treatment, practices can help more cats receive the consistent, high-quality care they need.  

Feline healthcare represents one of the strongest opportunities for practice growth and improved patient outcomes. By focusing on cats, clinics can strengthen client loyalty, increase preventative visits, and expand services that directly support feline health. 

Realizing this potential often depends on collaboration. Working with organizations such as Fear Free helps teams build the skills to create a more positive experience for cats in the clinic, while partnering with Wedgewood provides access to medication alternatives and dosage forms that make treatments more practical for owners. These partnerships give practices the support they need to deliver care that is both effective and sustainable. 

Looking ahead, practices that invest in feline-friendly environments, team development, and innovative treatment options will be well-positioned to lead in this growing area of medicine. Most importantly, these efforts ensure that more cats receive the consistent, high-quality care they deserve — supporting longer, healthier lives while driving long-term success for the practices that care for them.