Feline Good at Malta’s first cat-only consultancy

Feline Good is Malta’s first, only, and very pink cat-exclusive veterinary consultancy service.

Behind the company is Romanian veterinarian Alina Sarbu, who moved to Malta in 2020 after falling in love with the island’s architecture and sunshine. 

Having spent years working in veterinary clinics in both Romania and Malta, she eventually decided to do things a little differently, placing cats at the centre of absolutely everything. And she called it Feline Good.

As a consultancy, Feline Good doesn’t perform surgeries or more advanced medical care. But, if your feline friend ever needs it, Alina offers consultations, along with procedures such as IV drips, blood tests, or vaccinations.

If you own a cat, you can be almost certain they would love Alina’s office, and not just because she has a diffuser releasing cat pheromones throughout the day.

As an almost-architect and cat lover, Alina designed the office specifically around the needs of cats.

When asked what she wishes owners and vets knew about cats, Alina answered simply: “They aren’t dogs.” Apparently, many people aren’t entirely conscious of this. 

Feline Good is the first cat-exclusive veterinary consultancy (Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday)

“Cats don’t like to be grabbed,” Alina said, so she does her best not to grab them unless absolutely necessary. “They don’t like being stared at,” so Alina keeps eye contact to a minimum. “They don’t like noises,” so Alina set up her quaint office in the sleepy town of Siġġiewi.

“In other places, there are dogs barking everywhere and noise spilling out from the streets,” she told me. “Here, it’s very quiet and calm.” She’s not wrong. I met with Alina on Friday morning, and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t have loved to take a nap on her couch.

In fact, the office’s reception area is the pinkest living room you’ll ever see, complete with comfy cat-themed pillows and soft lighting designed to keep clients calm while they wait to see Alina.

“I wanted to create a safe space for cats so they aren’t stressed when they come here,” Alina told me. “I want them to be completely relaxed.” It’s true feline luxury. 

Regardless of whether or not they are waiting in line, Alina lets her clients wander around the office for about 10 minutes before taking them into the examination room. During that time, the vet observes them, offering treats and cuddles along the way. This, Alina says, helps immensely.

In fact, this allows Alina to successfully treat cats who are otherwise considered difficult or aggressive, who then leave Feline Good actually feeling good. 

“There are many interesting stories, but for me, it’s just another day,” she said. “People thank me for saving their animals, and I’m like: ‘Yeah, yeah.’ For me, it’s normal.”

But how did all this start?

For someone who seems to possess such an intuitive understanding of cats, it might come as a surprise that Alina wasn't always particularly fond of them.

Actually, she was a dog person until a few years ago, when her 16-year-old dog sadly passed away. By her side was her blind cat Chiara, who is actually the star of the Feline Good logo.

“I found Chiara in a garbage can in Romania. She was a very small kitten. I raised her on my chest,” Alina told me, describing Chiara as her “Romanian soulmate and daughter.”

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Alina’s love for cats grew from there, as she gradually realised that she actually gets along far better with felines. Eventually, she expanded her family to four cats, each with their own very distinct personalities.

My favourite is Neuron, who apparently “hates everyone, everything, and herself.” Described on Feline Good’s website as a “mysterious household presence with no patience for anything except cheese,” Neuron appears silently during the night to stare at Alina, “unimpressed.”

There’s also Brigid and Pielicica, who seem to be engaged in a very serious, almost Shakespearean love affair. Brigid loves smacking Chiara on the head, and Pielicica the Sphynx loves disappearing for days on end.

As fun as all this is to read, Alina didn’t put it on her website for nothing. 

“I wanted people to see that my cats aren’t perfect just because I’m a vet,” she explained. “It’s not always peaceful. They fight, they have relationships that change.”

Alina’s growing love for cats eventually led to a conversation with a friend about opening a cat-only consultancy. And just like that, the idea for Feline Good was born.

“Then, I started shaping the idea,” she said. “I was so inspired.”

Two years later, the office opened its doors.

But Feline Good is not just Malta’s pinkest and only cat-exclusive veterinary consultancy. It’s also the island’s only one to receive international certification for cat care. It was awarded bronze certification by iCatCare, the highest-level Feline Good can achieve for its size.

“The president of the organisation sent me an email to congratulate me and tell me how excited she is about Feline Good,” Alina recalled excitedly. “They visited Malta and were sad to see that none of the clinics are cat-friendly.”

Alina made it very clear that she does not want Feline Good to remain Malta’s only cat-service, and encouraged other feline-loving vets to implement a more cat-friendly approach.

“It’s not very complicated, you just have to be a bit aware of what they need,” she said. “Courses are available online; I did one for free six years ago.”

She also explained that some cats get traumatised just from visiting the vet. While owners are left with little choice when their pet is in an emergency, Alina said vets can change the way they do things “just a bit” to make cats more comfortable in moments of stress.

“We just have to make a bit of space for cats in our lives,” she said.