As a Gold Open Access journal, the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS) is now freely accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world, providing vital information about all aspects of feline medicine and surgery to those who need it.

The Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery (JFMS) is a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing original papers of international or global significance that improve the veterinary care and welfare of domestic cats. As a highly respected journal with an Impact Factor of 1.971, JFMS is an invaluable resource for researchers and veterinary practitioners working with domestic cats.

Prior to January 2023, access to JFMS for most veterinary practitioners was dependent on membership to the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) or the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), or a separate paid subscription. Now that the journal is open access, there are no restrictions on who can access the journal, with all articles past and present being free to view. This means that researchers and veterinary professionals can make use of the journal without any barriers to accessing the articles and be at the forefront of feline medicine and surgery.

The decision to make JFMS open access greatly enhances the goal of ISFM, the AAFP and the journal’s Editors to improve the health and welfare of cats by providing high-quality peer-reviewed information. The AAFP and ISFM have already seen the positive impact this has had, with low- and middle-income countries now accounting for a quarter of the 20 most common geographic locations for visitors to the JFMS website.

‘The JFMS has always been an integral membership benefit for AAFP members, allowing them to stay current with cutting edge research and practical clinical reviews which they can utilize each time they see a cat at their practice’, states Heather O’Steen, AAFP’s CEO. ‘The decision to make this content freely available allows everyone access to this content in order to elevate the standards of care and welfare for all cats.’

Commenting on the transition to open access, Head of ISFM Nathalie Dowgray stated, ‘Transitioning JFMS to an open access journal helps ISFM fulfil our parent charity’s (International Cat Care) mission of creating a cat friendly world through ensuring the latest knowledge in feline medicine and welfare is available to the global veterinary community.’

All of the journal’s previous and latest articles can be read for free at; go.jfms.com/apc.

For those interested in submitting to JFMS, authors are able to benefit from a 50% discount on the article processing charge until 4 July 2023; after this date, a 22% discount will be in place for authors who are a member of ISFM or the AAFP. Click here for more information about submitting an article to JFMS.