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Cats Protection turns 90
“We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1927, from a time when cats were regarded as pests to the more compassionate society we live in today"
Charity celebrates helping over 4m cats

Cats Protection is celebrating its 90th birthday this month by looking back at some of its key animal welfare achievements over the past nine decades, during which time it has helped around 4.5 million cats.

The charity was founded by Jessey Wade in 1927 and has since worked tirelessly to lobby for changes to animal welfare laws. It also opened the UK’s largest cat adoption centre.

Chief executive Peter Hepburn said: “We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1927, from a time when cats were regarded as pests to the more compassionate society we live in today. Cats Protection’s work over those years has played a major role in these changes in society.

“This is the ideal opportunity to celebrate the achievements we have made over the years and to thank everyone, including our dedicated volunteers, supporters and staff, for all they’ve done to further feline welfare in the UK.

“The people in the charity over those 90 years have made this superb organisation what it is today and we look forward to taking that heritage forward to help the cats who need us in the years to come.”

Some of the charity’s milestones include:
  • 1927 – Cats Protection was founded by Jessey Wade
  • 1935 – Cats Protection gained its first designated headquarters, in Slough
  • 1940 – With the outbreak of war, the Tailwavers Scheme was introduced to help relieve suffering among cats in the blitzed-out areas
  • 1949 – Cats Protection formally began to champion neutering to control cat numbers
  • 1963 – Cats Protection successfully campaigned for cat boarding establishments to become subject to stricter licensing
  • 1977 – The charity reached over 10,000 supporters
  • 1978 – Cats Protection moved to a new headquarters in Horsham
  • 1990 – Cats Protection published its first teaching pack for use in schools
  • 1994 – Cats Protection introduced microchipping into all its shelters
  • 2004 – The charity’s headquarters moved to Chelwood Gate in Sussex alongside the UK’s largest cat adoption centre
  • 2006-2011 – Cats Protection helped one million cats in five years
  • 2015 – Cats Protection launched the first Manifesto for Cats
  • 2017 – The charity celebrates 90 years in action


The charity now helps around 190,000 cats and kittens a year through its 250 volunteer-run branches and 34 centres. This includes finding new homes for around 43,000 cats a year.

Image courtesy of Cats Protection

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.