FELINE SYMPOSIUM

A must-attend event for feline medicine enthusiasts

Each year, the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) hosts a specialized symposium with the support of GEMFE – the Feline Medicine Working Group of AVEPA, and in collaboration with Hill’s Pet Nutrition.

This event brings together top-level international speakers to discuss current topics, clinical advances, and practical approaches in feline medicine.

A unique opportunity to stay up to date and connect with fellow professionals passionate about feline health.

THURSDAY 19 November 2026

09.00 - 09:45 Hypercalcemia Management in Cats. Eva Furrow

Learning Objectives:

• Know the prevalence of hypercalcemia in cats and its association with chronic kidney disease and urolithiasis.
• Be able to create diagnostic and management plans for hypercalcemic cats.

09:45 - 10:30 Tips and Tricks for Managing Recurrent Urolith Formers. Eva Furrow

Learning Objectives:

• Know which types of uroliths are most likely to recur in cats.
• Be able to create a diagnostic plan to identify the causes of recurrent urolith formation.
• Learn strategies to prevent urolith recurrence.

10:30 - 11:15 The S.A.F.E. Method for Managing Feline Urethral Obstruction and Updates on Preventing Reobstruction. Jody Lulich

This seminar will focus on the S.A.F.E. method for managing feline urethral obstruction: Stabilization, Accurate Diagnosis, Flushing and not Forcing, and Exteriorizing the urethra caudally.

Strategies to prevent reobstruction will also be discussed, including an updated evidence-based review of pharmacological treatments.

11:15 - 11:45 Coffee Break

11:45 - 12:30 The Role of Nutrition in Managing Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) and Its Comorbidities. Jody Lulich

This seminar will focus on the management of non-obstructive feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn how to use an assessment tool based on time, cost, and impact on the home environment to implement the five pillars of feline wellbeing.
2. Know the most common comorbidities associated with feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC).
3. Understand the role of nutrition in managing these comorbidities and its importance within the patient’s overall treatment plan.

12:30 - 13:15 Simplifying Complex Cases: Nutritional Strategies for Cats with CKD and Chronic Enteropathies. Becky Mullis

Eva Furrow (VMD, PhD, DACVIM, DACVNU)

Dr. Eva Furrow is a Professor of small animal internal medicine and genetics at the University of Minnesota. She obtained her veterinary doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a residency in small animal internal medicine and a PhD in canine genetics at the University of Minnesota. Her research focuses on urinary stone disease and other inherited urologic and metabolic disorders. She is a member of the University of Minnesota Canine Genetics Laboratory, the co-director of the Minnesota Urolith Center, and a founder and diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nephrology and Urology.

Dr. Jody Lulich

Dr. Jody Lulich is the co-director of the Minnesota Urolith Center. He holds the endowed Hills/Osborne Professorship at the University of Minnesota.  He specializes in nephrology and urology and has earned an international reputation as a clinical investigator and educator in this field and has published more than five hundred publications in scientific journals and books.  He was awarded the Norden-Pfizer-Zoetis Distinguished Teacher Award in 2001 & 2013. In 2020 he received the Award for Outstanding Contributions to Graduate and Professional Education and inducted into the Academy for Excellence in Clinical Practice in 2022.  In 2023, he received the ACVIM Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2026 the ACVIM Robert Kirk award for his contributions and service to veterinary profession.  He attributes his success to the guidance of his mentor and friend Carl Osborne, to his clients and their pets who were appreciative of his care, and his students and colleagues who encouraged him in his dreams and aspirations.  A published memoir of his veterinary career path, In the Company of Grace; A veterinarian’s Memoir of Trauma and Healing was published in 2023.

Dr. Becky Mullis

Dr. Becky Mullis is a small animal veterinarian and a board-certified veterinary nutritionist in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. After graduating from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Mullis completed a small animal internship and a clinical nutrition residency. She is passionate about educating veterinarians worldwide on the impact nutrition has on the health of pets - both healthy cats and dogs and those with health concerns. Dr. Mullis is currently the Senior Manager Scientific Affairs for Hill’s Pet Nutrition EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa).