VetPro

Posted by: **jenvetnurse** on Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:19 am

A veterinary graduate who won a research scholarship from Cats Protection for her study into feline anxiety will be presenting her findings at the International Veterinary Behaviour Meeting (IVBM) in Edinburgh this week.

Gemma Patel, who recently completed her degree in Veterinary Science at the University of Liverpool, will present results of a pilot study investigating whether a synthetic feline facial pheromone, Felifriend^®, reduces anxiety-related behaviour during the examination of cats in a Cats Protection adoption centre.

She will present the study as a long-spoken paper on Friday 30th October,12.00pm to 12.30pm at the Hilton Grosvenor Hotel in Edinburgh.

Gemma conducted her research during the summer of 2008 at the charity’s National Cat Adoption Centre in Chelwood Gate, Sussex, after she was selected as the winner of Cats Protection’s Veterinary Student Research Scholarship earlier in the year.

Gemma observed cats during admissions examinations, shortly after being placed into Cats Protection care, and scored their behaviour on a seven point scale based on a published cat stress score (CSS). The individual examining the cats either had Felifriend^® or a placebo sprayed onto their gloves, which were put on shortly before examination.

The results indicated that using Felifriend^® usage may reduce behavioural signs of anxiety during handling and improve feline welfare in the initial acclimatisation period when cats arrive at the centre.

Beth Skillings, Cats Protection’s Clinical Veterinary Officer said: “Cats Protection was very pleased to hear that Gemma had been accepted to present her work at such a prestigious conference as the IVBM. It is a great testament to her hard work, and to have the value of such research recognised is extremely positive.

“As a charity that looks after 7,000 cats at any one time, we know that cats experience acute stress when entering a new and unfamiliar environment such as an adoption centre while they await new homes. Minimising this stress for these cats, while performing vital examinations to ensure their physical health, is crucial to help them settle during those important early stages.

“We hope that Gemma’s pilot study will help to pave the way for future studies looking at ways of reducing feline anxiety.”

Cats Protection has joined forces with Feliway^® in 2009 to bring the issue of feline stress to the attention of the cat owning public and to increase awareness of what can be done to make life easier for cats living in domestic homes. Veterinary behaviourist Sarah Heath is delighted that the subject is being given the prominence it deserves and hopes that a better understanding of how cats display stress will help owners to create more cat friendly environments within their homes.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps over 193,000 unwanted cats and kittens each year. The charity’s vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. More information about the charity can be found at www.cats.org.uk

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:01 am

An ‘Unsung Hero’ who works tirelessly to support his local branch of Cats Protection has been awarded the top title at Cats Protection’s Volunteer of the Year Awards 2009.
Alan Todd, 63, won the Volunteer of the Year Award for his sterling work at the charity’s Dundee Branch Adoption Centre, which finds homes for around 550 cats each year.
For the past twelve years, Alan has donated many hours to helping cats at the branch. When he first started, Alan was responsible for opening the branch’s Adoption Centre at 7.30am to give the cats their morning feed. He now volunteers around 30 hours a week taking on a variety of tasks to help the centre run smoothly.
Alan was announced as the winner at a special ceremony held at the charity’s National Cat Centre in Chelwood Gate, Sussex on 19 September. His prize consists of the Volunteer of the Year trophy, framed certificate and embossed filofax and pen.
A delighted Alan said: “I am very proud to be named as Cats Protection’s Volunteer of the Year. I really enjoy helping unwanted cats to get a second chance in life, but I never thought it would result in a national award!”
Carol Carbine, the charity’s Volunteering Manager, said: “Alan was a worthy winner of both the Unsung Hero and Volunteer of the Year because of his commitment to Cats Protection. He has devoted a lot of time towards helping his branch purely out of a love for cats and a desire to see the unlucky ones find a home. He is a great example of just how committed and dedicated our volunteers are.”
Now in their second year, the Volunteer of the Year Awards recognise the enormous contribution that Cats Protection’s volunteers make to the success of the charity, which helps over 193,000 cats and kittens each year through a national network of 253 volunteer-run branches and 29 adoption centres.
Other winners included:
Elspeth Stirling, of the charity’s Forfar branch, who won the Extra Mile Award. Elspeth won the Award for helping 2,300 feral cats in Tayside and elsewhere across Scotland over the last 13 years. Elspeth helps to neuter these cats and either finds them homes as working cats in places like farms and garden centres, or takes them to feral cat colonies where Cats Protection can look after them.
Peter Simmonds, of the charity’s Maidenhead, Slough and District branch, who won the Trustees Distinguished Service Award. Peter has given many years of active service to the charity, and his roles have included looking after cats, running the branch’s helpline, raising funds and doing the branch’s publicity.
Jeanette Greaves, of the charity’s Preston and District branch, who was the winner of the Flying the Flag Award. Jeanette won the Award for her impressive work raising the profile of the branch. She has done this by giving talks to schools and community groups, writing the branch’s newsletter, running the branch’s website (www.prestoncpl.com) and attending all of the branch’s fundraising events
Ella Christopher, of the charity’s Bournemouth and District branch, who was the winner of the Bright Ideas category Award. Upon Ella’s 50th birthday she decided to collect tins of cat food until she had a tin for every day that she had been alive. Over the next few years, Ella collected an astonishing 18,262 tins of cat food, which she donated to the branch to feed to the cats in their care. The branch estimates this has saved them around £10,000. Further information about Cats Protection’s Volunteer of the Year Awards, can be found at www.cats.org.uk.

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:58 am

Cat owners on low incomes in Great Manchester and Cheshire can still get their cat neutered for just £5, thanks to Cats Protection.

On June 1, 2009 the charity launched a major neutering campaign that enables owners who receive state benefits, pensions, student funding or who are otherwise on a restricted income, to have their cat neutered at the discounted rate.

With 80% of vets across the region supporting the campaign and no finish date scheduled as yet, it is easy and convenient for cat owners living throughout Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Warrington, St Helens, the Wirral and Blackburn to apply for help with neutering costs.

The UK’s leading cat welfare charity, Cats Protection, has been taking radical steps to really make an impact and reduce the number of unwanted cats, which has become a real issue in the North West. Cats can start reproducing as early as four months old. Neutering your cat has many benefits for both male and female cats, reducing the risk of the spread of harmful diseases through fighting, which unneutered cats are more likely to do, and of course mating, which is actually a very painful experience for female felines. Cats Protection recommends neutering both male and female cats from four months of age.

“Population control for cats is very important, as felines are prolific breeders,” explained Ian Macfarlaine, Neutering Manager for Cats Protection. “One unneutered female cat could produce up to 18 kittens a year, or 20,000 descendants over five years, so we really hope this campaign will make a substantial inroad into the cat problem in the Manchester area.”

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Sun May 31, 2009 6:52 am

WellCat for life is a brand new initiative from FAB for their golden anniversary year - a celebration of 50 years of pioneering cat care.

It is a perfect way to bring together the wealth of information FAB has generated in a very practical way for vets and for owners and other organisations involved in feline health.

WellCat for life is a partnership of care – between cat and owner, and between owner and vet. Other cat professionals can also use WellCat for life material to work with their feline clients to improve health care.

All of this to help cats lead longer, healthier and happier lives. It means that the best possible and consistent advice is reaching cat lovers wherever they are.

Brand new material has been developed by FAB’s feline expert panels including looking anew at cats in terms of age and lifestage.

Six new lifstages have been developed and for each of these there is advice on health risks and help that can be given. Did you know that cats need their blood pressure checked after a certain age? Could you body condition score a cat to see if it is too fat or too thin? All of this information is available. Additionally lots more detailed advice on individual illnesses is available on this site:
http://www.fabcats.org/wellcat/for_life/index.php

Posted by: **jenvetadmin** on Fri May 08, 2009 5:10 am

£900,000 needed to build a brighter future for UK cats.
Cats Protection has launched a fundraising appeal to open a new cat adoption centre which could revolutionise the way in which the charity finds new homes for unwanted cats.
The cat charity needs £900,000 to construct the Ferndown Homing Centre, which aims to make it simpler and easier for the public to adopt cats.
Set in an easy-to-reach location in Ferndown, near Bournemouth in Dorset, the centre will only hold cats that are ready for adoption, cutting out lengthy waits for owners to take their new pets home.
Ferndown Homing Centre will work alongside the charity’s existing volunteer-run branches in the region and will therefore add to the work carried out over a large catchment area in the South of England.
The new centre will comprise 24 homing pens, an on-site retail area for new owners to pick up essentials and information and education facilities for schoolchildren and other groups.
Cats Protection’s Chief Executive Peter Hepburn said: “The Ferndown Homing Centre is an exciting and important project for us. It will support our branches in Bournemouth and for miles around and could act as a model for a new approach to our rehoming activity in the future – ultimately helping us to make a difference to more cats.”
“The building costs for the centre are £1.75 million and Cats Protection has already received many generous donations, for which we are extremely grateful. Around £900,000 more is needed to make this homing centre a reality, so I would encourage people to give generously.”
Cat lovers in the region can get involved by becoming a Friend of Ferndown, organising a fundraising event or by making a donation. To find out more, please email
ferndownappeal@cats.org.uk
or send donations to Ferndown Appeal, Cats Protection, FREEPOST SEA 7678, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.

For more information, please contact Cats Protection’s Media Office on media.office@cats.org.uk or 01825 741911

As a Veterinary professional which animal charity do you most support/promote/donate to?