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Celebrity ‘paws’ created for charity auction
Cats Protection hosts online auction to raise much-needed funds

Seventeen celebrities and artists, including model Twiggy and ex-England goalkeeper David Seaman, have each drawn around their hand to create unique "paper paws" for Cats Protection’s Celebrity Paws online auction.

The auction, now in its seventh year, raises much-needed funds for the charity which helps over 218,000 cats and kittens each year.

It will start on eBay on Thursday, November 21 and finish on Sunday, December 1.

Cats Protection has revealed that 2,000 fewer cats were adopted during 2012 than the previous year.

The charity is expecting further bad news as requests to adopt cats via its national helpline have slumped by around 40 per cent so far this year compared to the same period in 2012.

As a result of this, Cats Protection has launched a desperate appeal for people to adopt cats or make a donation.

Celebrity couple David Seaman and Dancing on Ice skater Frankie Poultney, adopted two cats - Smokey and Willow - from Cats Protection’s Newbury Adoption Centre. Frankie said: “David and I are pleased to be supporting Cats Protection by drawing ‘paper paws’ for the cause. We hope they raise plenty of funds and help many unwanted cats find loving homes.”

Zahir White, spokesperson for Cats Protection said: “We are very thankful for the paws from all of the celebrities and artists. We hope to get as much money as we can for each one as it will help at a time when it is harder than ever to find homes for unwanted cats.”

“From Frankie’s henna-like design to Twiggy’s abstract illustration featuring a blue eye and red lipstick, each design shows a great deal of ingenuity and craft and hopefully they’ll prove popular with bidders.”

To bid in the auction and to find out who else has donated their paw print to Cats Protection, please visit www.cats.org.uk/celebrity-paws.

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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
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."