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Cat volunteers host celebratory sleepover
Yorkshire Cat rescue volunteers
The volunteers spent most of the night cuddling the cats and sharing kitten stories.

New pens good enough for humans to sleep in

Volunteers at Yorkshire Cat Rescue gathered last week to celebrate the refurbishment of its rehoming centre - but not in the way you might expect!

Instead of popping champagne and slicing cake, 12 volunteers donned their pyjamas, slippers and dressing gowns and bedded down in the centre for a sound nights sleep.

Thanks to grants from Support Adoption For Pets, The Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust and The Jeanne Marchig Animal Welfare Trust, Yorkshire Cat Rescue has been able to replace seven old wooden pens with ten warmer, brighter and more hygienic ones.

Centre manager, Sam Davies, explains:  "The grants and donations which have paid for this re-build will dramatically improve the conditions for the cats living here; they are cleaner, warmer and offer a less intimidating space for the cats which helps enormously in making sure they show their friendliest side to potential adopters.

"We have been able to make better use of the old space and the three additional pens will allow us to rescue 150 more cats each year. These modern pens are so good that we thought we'd prove the point by camping out in them ourselves."

The project forms part of a larger venture to refurbish the centre's facilities, some of which date back to the early '90s when the centre first opened.

The kitten house has had a makeover, with nine new units that are both warmer and easy to keep clean. The accommodation also offers its residents a much less stressful space to rest whilst they await their new home.

"The new pens are amazing and perfectly acceptable even for humans to sleep in," says assistant centre manager, Jo Chafer. "The night turned out to be a great fun; we spent most of it cuddling the cats and sharing kitten stories although most of us did finally manage a bit of shut-eye.

"I guess we wanted to show that even though life at the rescue centre isn't ideal, we do our very best to make the cats here feel at home until they find a new, loving one."

Yorkshire Cat Rescue can now accommodate as many as 70 kittens and cats at the centre, with capacity for a further 200 in off-site foster homes.

Image (C) Yorkshire Cat Rescue

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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.