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Courses for Cat Professionals

Distance Learning courses for Cat Professionals ...
Within the cat world, like anywhere else, there are people who want to work in a highly professional way, doing the job based on maximum knowledge and current information. Yet it can be hard for these people to differentiate themselves from others who may be less diligent about the cats in their care.

Now the Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB), working with Royal Canin, and in association with the Centre for Applied Pet Ethology, has a set of distance education courses for cat professionals – those working to the highest level with cats in breeding, rescue or cattery situations. All the courses are accredited by the Open College Network and are nationally recognised qualifications.

OCN Accreditation: Stage 1: Advanced Certificate 18 Credits at Level 3. Stage 2: Diploma 21 Credits at Level 3. Click Here for details.

Each distance learning course has two stages, each at OCN Level 3:

STAGE 1: A compulsory first stage which is common to both options of Stage 2
This Stage of the course covers feline behaviour, feline diseases (infectious and non-infectious), preventative health care, feline nutrition and feline reproduction. Students who complete the first year will receive an Advanced Certificate in Essential Cat Health and Welfare.

STAGE 2: a specifically designed second stage for breeding cats, rescue cats or boarding cats
For the second stage each discipline has its own set of 6 units which build on the depth of feline knowledge following on from stage 1 and focus on a particular interest – breeding, rescue or boarding cattery (see the course outlines below).

Fully accredited courses
The courses are run in partnership with COAPE which provides the framework and the administration for accreditation for these courses through the Open College Network, a nationally recognised accreditation scheme. FAB already runs feline friendly veterinary nursing courses in this way and these are proving very popular.

Royal Canin has worked around the world with breeders, veterinarians, catteries and in the rescue arena for many years and understands the importance of education and knowledge in the provision of high quality cat care. The company has supported the development of the courses and will work alongside FAB to help those who wish to work to the highest standards.

Advanced Certificate in Essential Cat Health and Welfare
Compulsory for all enrolled on the course

• Essential Cattitude – understanding the cat
• Preventive health care – life stages and preventive care
• Cat nutrition – life stages and essentials
• Common infectious diseases of cats
• Common non-infectious diseases of cats
• The reproductive cat - pregnancy, birth, neutering etc

Diploma in Health and Welfare of Breeding Cats

• Hygiene and disease control in the multi-cat situation – housing, disinfection etc
• Kittens, development, socialisation, weaning and feeding, hand rearing
• Keeping queens and stud cats
• Contraception, conception and infertility
• Feline genetics and inherited disease
• Advice for new owners – feeding, introductions, avoiding problems, settling in

Diploma in Health and Welfare of Rescue Cats

• Hygiene and disease control in the multi-cat situation
• Kittens, development, socialisation, weaning and feeding, hand rearing
• The confined cat – reducing stress, environmental enrichment etc.
• Issues of hoarding cats
• Assessing and rehoming issues - older cats, behaviour problems, difficult clients, assessing behaviour – owner matching, information gathering
• Dealing with feral cats

Diploma in Health and Welfare of Boarding Cats

• Hygiene and disease control in the multi-cat situation –isolation, disinfection etc.
• Quality care of cats - monitoring cats, giving medication etc.
• Cattery management and admin - handling and storing medicines, SOPs etc.
• The confined cat – reducing stress, environmental enrichment etc.
• Relationship with cat owners and dealing with difficult situations
• Dealing with special-needs cats – kittens, handicapped cats, old cats, sick cats, blind cats, diabetic cats, cat that won't eat etc.

Who can take part?
The courses are open to anybody in any country who can undertake the course in the English language.

How does it work?
Students register for the courses through COAPE. Each course comprises 6 units which are administered online. Students receive notes and can use the COAPE student resource site for further information, videos etc.

Each unit has a workbook which students complete and return to be marked by the FAB tutors and the students given feedback.

Timings
Courses run once a year – starting in February. Registrations must be received by January 20th.

Correspondence.

Each Unit of the course notes is e-Mailed out to students as a separate e-Book. Students also have access to the FAB Student Resource Centre where additional support and course material are available online. The Resource Centre gives you access to a range of rich media content to complement the formal course notes, including video, sound, graphics and pictures, web links, and additional written content.

We supply you with a specially designed ‘template’ on-line to assist you in writing your coursework using your own computer and preferred word processing software. Your coursework is submitted to your tutor via the internet, marked and returned back to you the same way.

Nine months over the course of one year:
February 1st to October 31st.

Stage 1 Advanced Level: £445 course fee + £55 OCN registration fee.

Stage 2 Diploma: £445 course fee + £110 OCN registration fee.

A 'block-booking' discount is available for students intending to do both stages AND who book at the same time. If students register for both courses at once, the combined registration fee is £110 (instead of £45 + £110 if booked separately). In addition, students booking both stages at the same time can take advantage of an additional 10% discount on the 2nd stage – ie a total cost for both courses of £845 (instead of £890 if booked separately). This comes to a total saving of £100. Stage payments may be possible – contact the COAPE office.

Please click on the 'Enrol' button of your choice below for details.
NOTE: You are NOT COMMITTING YOURSELF TO ANYTHING by clicking on this button.

If you have any questions, please Click Here