UPDATE — RESPONSE TO THE OWNER:
Aug 31 2026
The options described in your response were never offered to us. We were never offered a complimentary examination, and we did not decline to speak with management. In fact, we requested to speak with management and were told there was nothing to discuss.
We are not interested in another examination, complimentary or otherwise. Our question is simple: If the relief veterinarian’s recommendation was sufficient to authorize the diet through your Purina VetDirect account, why was it not sufficient to authorize the same diet through an independent retailer?
Please identify the specific written veterinary protocol or legal requirement that prevented the clinic from providing or approving that authorization.
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We took our eight-year-old cat, Ari, to Cat Care of Vinings on August 4, 2026, after noticing blood in his stool. We paid approximately $1,150 for his examination, X-rays, bloodwork, medication, and two cans of veterinary prescription food. Fortunately, the tests did not reveal a serious condition, although we did not receive a clear explanation of what had caused the bleeding.
Obtaining copies of Ari’s medical records also required repeated phone calls and more than a week of follow-up.
Dr. Elizabeth MedVed recommended Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets OM and arranged access through the clinic’s Purina Vet Direct account. The available wet-food options were primarily cases of 24 cans. Because cats can be very particular about food, we wanted to purchase a few individual cans and try the available authorized flavors before committing to a full and expensive case.
We found individual cans at a local pet store, but the store required valid veterinary authorization. When we called Cat Care of Vinings, we were told that we could purchase the food only through the Vet Direct account created by the clinic. They would not provide us with a written authorization or approve a request from another retailer.
We were not rejecting the veterinarian’s dietary recommendation. We simply wanted the freedom to purchase smaller quantities from a retailer of our choice until we knew whether Ari would consistently eat the food.
On August 25, 2026, we sent the clinic a formal written request asking for the authorization or confirmation that they would approve a request submitted directly by our chosen retailer. As of Friday, August 28, after allowing three business days for a response, we have received neither the requested authorization nor any reply from the clinic.
We found this experience unnecessarily restrictive, unhelpful, and disappointing, particularly after the cost of Ari’s evaluation and the repeated follow-up previously required to obtain his medical records. Pet owners should be treated with transparency and should receive a response when making a reasonable written request concerning their pet’s recommended diet.
I will update this review if Cat Care of Vinings responds and resolves the matter professionally.
The team at CCV genuinely cares about the cats and their owners. Unlike many other veterinary practices that focus on dogs, their commitment to felines shows in their attention to the health and well-being of their cats and parents!!
