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Sunglasses make cat social media star
Bagel wearing sunglasses
The fashionable feline is a social media star, known to thousands on Instagram as ‘Sunglass cat’.

Feline suffers from debilitating eye condition

Vets in California have come up with an unusual way to treat a cat who was born with a debilitating eye condition.

Two-year-old Bagel suffers from eyelid agenesis which makes it impossible to produce tears or blink.

So far Bagel has had three sessions in surgery to treat the condition, but without eyelids her owner, Karen Mcgill, is required to apply eye drops several times a day.

Together with her vet, Karen came up with the novel idea to get Bagel a pair of sunglasses to protect her sensitive eyes.

Lined with glamorous jewels, the shades help to protect Bagel’s peepers from debris, which could damage her cornea and lead to blindness.

Now and again Karen will remove Bagel’s glasses so that she can have a wash. But out and about in Los Angeles, she is rarely seen without them.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Karen said: “Bagel is the most loving, gentle, calmest and kindest cat that you'll ever meet. Everyone always wants to touch her as well as hold her.

“They want to stop and talk to me about her sunglasses, which I always do since it's so rare to see a cat in glasses, and I tell them why she's wearing them as well as her condition. People are always amazed at how calm she is.”

The fashionable feline is also a social media star, known to thousands on Instagram as ‘Sunglass cat’.

Karen, who adopted Bagel when she was just a kitten, hopes that her cat's new found fame will encourage others to adopt and care for pets with special needs.

“If I didn't adopt Bagel she probably would've been returned and euthanised due to her special needs - I couldn't fathom Bagel not being here,“ she said.

“She has touched so many people as well as helped numerous people through situations in their lives. As long as I can put a smile on someone's face, make them have a better day, look at life differently because of our posts, then her Instagram account is successful.”

Image: screen shot taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_2fdV34WN0 published by Caters TV.

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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."