Level 3 Diploma in Feline Care, Behaviour and Welfare (RQF)

Develop the professional knowledge required to care for cats in a cattery setting to high welfare standards. The unit covers methods for monitoring feline health and identifying early signs of illness or distress, implementing disease prevention and biosecurity protocols, providing appropriate environmental enrichment to support natural feline behaviours, and the administration of preventative and prescribed medications within the limits of your role. You will examine how cattery design, cleaning regimes, and daily routines contribute to overall welfare outcomes.

Understand the principles and practical techniques of safe, low-stress cat handling and transportation. The unit examines the importance of force-free handling and restraint in minimising feline stress and preventing injury to both cats and handlers. You will study appropriate equipment for transportation, how to read feline body language to assess stress levels during handling, record-keeping requirements for transported animals, and how to manage cats with specific handling sensitivities or health conditions safely and compassionately.

Examine the specific care, health, and welfare requirements of cats at each stage of their life — from neonatal kittens and juveniles through to adults and senior cats. The unit covers appropriate nutrition, vaccination schedules, parasite control, dental care, grooming, and first aid techniques relevant to each life stage, as well as the recognition of age-related health conditions such as hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease, and osteoarthritis that are common in older cats.

Build a thorough understanding of the anatomical structures and physiological processes that underpin feline health and function. The unit examines the major body systems — musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, endocrine, neurological, and reproductive — with a focus on how each system supports the cat’s unique biological adaptations as an obligate carnivore. This knowledge base directly supports clinical observation skills and the ability to recognise when normal physiology has been disrupted.

Explore the evolutionary origins and developmental biology of the domestic cat, from its descent from the African wildcat (Felis lybica) through the process of domestication. The unit examines how evolutionary history shapes contemporary feline social behaviour, territorial instincts, and communication systems. You will also study feline breed diversity — the physical and behavioural traits associated with different breeds — and consider how selective breeding has influenced health, temperament, and welfare across the domestic cat population.

Examine how psychopharmacological interventions are used alongside behavioural modification programmes to manage anxiety, fear-related aggression, inappropriate elimination, and compulsive disorders in domestic cats. The unit covers the main classes of medications and supplements used in feline behaviour management — including anxiolytics, SSRIs, and pheromone-based products — and explores how these interventions are integrated into a holistic behaviour management plan developed in collaboration with veterinary professionals.

Understand the nutritional science underpinning the health and welfare of domestic cats. As obligate carnivores, cats have specific and non-negotiable dietary requirements — including essential amino acids such as taurine and arginine — that distinguish their nutritional needs from those of other companion animals. The unit examines macronutrient and micronutrient requirements across life stages, the evaluation of commercial diets (wet, dry, and raw), feeding management in multi-cat households, and the dietary management of common feline health conditions including obesity, urinary tract disease, and diabetes mellitus.

Study the legal and ethical framework governing feline care in the United Kingdom, and develop the business knowledge needed to operate professionally in a feline care setting. The unit examines the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023, the Breeding of Dogs Act, licensing requirements for catteries and pet businesses, and the Veterinary Surgeons Act in relation to what a non-veterinary professional may and may not do. It also covers basic business planning, client communication, record keeping, and the ethical responsibilities of feline care practitioners.