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Famous cats raise money for tigers
Image: Larry
Toys and pawtographs put up for auction

 Renowned cats such as Larry the 10 Downing Street cat, and the Street Cat named Bob, have teamed up to help buy some oversized toys for the tigers at London Zoo.

The furry-faced fundraisers have donated their toys and "pawtographs" to an eBay auction which began yesterday. Proceeds from the auction will go towards a "tiger toy box" for Jae Jae and Melati, the inhabitants of the zoo's new Tiger Territory exhibit.

Tiger Keeper Teague Stubbington explains: “Tigers love playing with toys as much as domestic cats do and we provide them with lots of enrichment at ZSL London Zoo to encourage their inquisitive natures.

“The fact that some of Britain’s most famous cats have used their feline fame to buy extra toys that will help top up our tigers’ toy box is brilliant.”

Now up for auction on eBay, Larry's toy is the perfect gift for pets with political aspirations, having seen all the nooks and crannies of Downing Street. You can also find a signed toy belonging to Britain's most inspirational puss, the Street Cat named Bob!

Bidders can get their hands on a signed VIP cat toy from the Prime Minister's cat, author James Bowden's cat Bob, Pauline McLynn's cats Alice and Brenda or model Lucy Pinder's cat Jackson.
Keepers are planning to use the funds raised to buy Jae Jae and Melati some of their favourite toys, including boomer balls, bungee ropes and catnip. Their new home is set to open to the public at the end of this month on 22 March.

To find the famous toys, search "ZSL Toys for Tigers" on eBay.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.