Watford Medivet slammed after cat injured in grooming visit

The 33-year-old owner, who wished to remain unnamed, showed the Watford Observer pictures of her pet Mbaku after visiting the St Albans Road branch on Friday, February 10.

She claimed she was denied entry with the cat because there was not enough space, before later getting him back in his carrier and being told he had a “slight tear” with “a little bleeding”.

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“They charged me for the groom and sent me home with a warning about his weight, [but said] nothing at all about the wound they'd inflicted,” she said.

“When I took him out of the carrier at home, I saw how bad the tear actually was.”

The cat's injury after a grooming appointment at Medivet in St Albans Road, Watford.. (Image: UGC)

Medivet said staff always take great care when clipping fur but “small wounds and grazes can be a complication when working with any animal patient”.

The cat's owner, 33, said she was given no aftercare advice and had to pay for additional treatment with another vet, which Medivet has reportedly not offered to cover.

“I was taken aback by how much worse it was than was described when they handed him back to me in the carrier,” she said.

“I gasped when I saw it and almost wanted to cry when I thought about what it must have been like for him to have that happen with strangers in a strange place.

“I took a photo because I couldn't actually believe he had been sent home like that.”

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The owner's cat, Mbaku, was injured during a grooming appointment. (Image: UGC)

The owner, from west Watford, said she complained to the branch but had not received a response, so has referred the issue to consumer service Vet Mediation.

A Medivet spokesperson said: “We always take great care when clipping fur and our staff members are competent in clipping techniques. Nonetheless, small wounds and grazes can be a complication when working with any animal patient.

“Despite every suitable care they can occur if a pet moves suddenly or when the matting of the fur is severe, meaning the skin below cannot be fully visualised.”

They added: “In our experience these minor wounds heal with no need for medical intervention. We usually offer a complimentary check-up with a vet under such circumstances to allow assessment of any issues.

“In this case we are aware of the concerns raised and will address them directly with our client, via our standard complaints process.”