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One in five mistake friendly felines for missing moggies
Ella the cat
One-year-old Ella is a classic example of a cat Battersea staff believe had an owner and was mistaken for a stray before being brought to the rescue centre.

Battersea urge owners to microchip their cats to avoid them becoming mistaken for strays

One in five people would assume a cat roaming in their garden was a stray and immediately take it to a rescue centre, the vets or into their home, a new YouGov survey has revealed.

The survey was conducted for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, who say that almost 3,000 cats a year are brought to the charity - 46 per cent of which are classed as "strays". Battersea say that their London cattery is almost at full capacity because many of these suspected strays have owners, but they're not microchipped with their details.

Lindsey Quinlan, Battersea's head of London cattery, said: "It's heart-breaking to see so many cats come through our doors which we truly believe have loving owners out there, but have no way of contacting them. Only 15 per cent of the cats brought into Battersea have microchips. Cats that look like a healthy weight, have clean coats and confident around people are usually not strays and are just out wandering around the neighbourhood."

The survey also revealed that a quarter of the population would assume a cat was a stray if it didn't have a collar, over one in four would think a cat was homeless if it ate food quickly, and over half of the people surveyed chose options that Battersea would not recommend as good indicators of a cat being a stray.

Lindsey added that the only way to truly tell if a cat is a stray is if it's malnourished, dirty or seen living in your garden.

'Sadly, cats with homes don't always wear collars or have microchips, and will very rarely turn down a free meal. So, animal charities across the UK must tackle this problem to make sure there is space for cats which are genuine strays or whose owners can no longer care for them. We're asking owners to get their pets microchipped because this survey has revealed concern, but well meaning, people are literally taking cats off the streets and bringing them to us to find them new homes."

Image (C) Battersea Dogs & Cats Home

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.