Abstract
iCatCare
Cat Friendly Solutions for Unowned Cats
There may be as many as 600 million cats worldwide and more than half of these are unowned. Many have very tough lives, and the problem is large, so, in response to numerous requests for guidance, International Cat Care, the parent charity of ISFM, is dedicating a new area on its website to ‘Cat Friendly Solutions for Unowned Cats’, which incorporates the latest research and input from veterinary, behaviour and ethics experts and those working with unowned cats in the field.
Improving the welfare of unowned cats is challenging, but a good starting point is to see things from the cat’s point of view. All cats are different, and their individual needs are equally diverse, so iCatCare hopes that the provision of extensive practical information will support people working with unowned cats to feel confident to make decisions and achieve the best outcome for each cat.
The new area of the website, which is divided into four sections (see box below), features videos, diagrams, audio presentations and links to up-to-date research papers and relevant guidelines and information from the many contributing organisations around the world. In every section there is emphasis on working collaboratively with local veterinarians to achieve good welfare for cats.
Anyone who works with unowned cats anywhere in the world is welcome to visit the website and get the information they need from the content. Predominantly iCatCare hopes that those people who work alone or in small organisations with limited resources will be able to use the website as a ‘one-stop shop’ for information that is practical and accessible.
The website is just the beginning. iCatCare will soon be launching a short online course, which will introduce the learner to the principles of Cat Friendly Solutions for Unowned Cats by following three very different cats and their life stories. In addition, a new online programme, aimed at small organisations or individuals running a homing centre or foster network, will be launched in 2021 that enables the participants to transform to a Cat Friendly Homing way of working. iCatCare hopes ultimately to create a collaborative and supportive community of people all over the world working with unowned cats, to share knowledge, information and ideas.
Veterinarians, and veterinary nurses and technicians play a major role in the welfare of unowned cats and iCatCare is reaching out to the veterinary community to make them aware of the new resource and ask them to direct individuals and organisations working with unowned cats to the website for valuable information.
New head of ISFM
iCatCare is delighted to announce the appointment of Nathalie Dowgray BVSc, MRCVS, MANZCVS (feline), PG DiP IAWEL, who joined the charity at the beginning of August as head of ISFM.
Nathalie has a background in animal welfare and is an RCVS advanced practitioner in feline medicine; she is also a member of both the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (having achieved its Medicine of Cats qualification) and the ISFM Academy of Feline Practitioners. This, alongside her recent PhD work in feline ageing, means Nathalie brings a wealth of academic and practical experience to the role.
In leading ISFM, Nathalie will play a key part in furthering iCatCare’s strategic ambition to advance knowledge and research in feline medicine, while enhancing the charity’s reputation. As the veterinary spokesperson for iCatCare, she will also work with the charity’s Cat Advocacy team to integrate veterinary considerations and cat wellbeing to ensure a holistic approach to cat welfare.
Nathalie, pictured here with one of her foster cats Bonny, comments: ‘I am very excited to be working for iCatCare and leading ISFM. I have been attending ISFM conferences since 2006 and the opportunities that they have provided for vets in practice with an interest in feline medicine has had a large impact on shaping my personal career path’
First ISFM virtual congress reaches delegates in over 150 countries
The 2020 ISFM International Feline Congress, sponsored by Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, IDEXX, Purina and Royal Canin, took place from 8th to 10th August as the world’s first free virtual feline congress.
Attendees could access over 30 hours of RACE-approved CPD in dual lecture streams for vets and veterinary nurses, with lectures and talks representing topics of practical use delivered by international experts. Delegates could also visit the well-stocked virtual exhibition hall with booths full of downloadable resources, and partner representatives available to answer delegate questions.
More than 12,000 vets and veterinary nurses from 157 countries have accessed the high-level content. Due to this demand, access to delegates was extended until 30th September and ISFM members continue to have free access until 7th August, 2021.
ICatCare’s inaugural International Cat Day
iCatCare’s first International Cat Day took place on 8th August.
International Cat Day is an annual, global celebration of cats, founded, and previously run, by the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
This year custodianship passed to iCatCare and the theme and objective set for the day was promoting understanding of the individual needs of cats.
Through a coalition of charities, non-profit organisations and iCatCare’s worldwide partners, Royal Canin, Purina, IDEXX, Bayer and Boehringer Ingelheim, a full programme of activities and events, in line with the objective of furthering understanding, was made freely accessible to cat lovers everywhere.
To promote responsible ownership, owners were invited to take part in the Happy Cat Pledge, where they could identify what they already do, and pledge to do at least one extra thing, to care for their cat; for example, regularly playing or creating quiet places to eat and drink.
Attendees enjoyed talks from experts on subjects ranging from behaviour and diet to unowned cats and welfare, virtual book readings, a podcast, a live yoga session and even a cocktail hour!
The response was excellent, with high numbers of virtual visitors, #InternationalCatDay trending across social media, and great feedback from those taking part as well as those involved in the day.
AAFP
Virtual conference sets a new standard
After a truly unprecedented year and shifting to a fully virtual format due to the ongoing pandemic, the AAFP was, at the time of going to press, just about to present its 2020 Annual Conference on October 3 & 4 and 24 & 25, and anticipating a resounding success.
A full conference recap will be included in the January 2021 issue of JFMS.
The AAFP would like to thank all of its sponsors and partners for making this virtual event possible and setting a new standard moving forward. The AAFP would like to remind the veterinary community that those who were unable to attend the virtual conference are still able to purchase access to all content on demand, which will be available through December 31, 2020.
Cat Friendly Certificate Program launch
The AAFP has launched the Cat Friendly Certificate Program and the entire veterinary community is invited to participate in this new initiative through one of three individual certificates: Cat Friendly Veterinarian (CFV), Cat Friendly Veterinary Professional (CFVP) and Cat Friendly Veterinary Advocate (CFVA).
The Cat Friendly Certificate Program consists of a total of nine core modules, each exploring a unique aspect of clinical feline care. Participants will engage through a series of these modules based on their role in the veterinary practice.
After completing the program, participants can earn up to 5 hours of CE credit and will receive access to additional professional and client resources such as a marketing toolkit, supplemental resources, certificate, badges and more.
National Take Your Cat to the Vet Day campaign
Throughout the month of August, the AAFP promoted Cat2Vet Day to emphasize the importance of ongoing veterinary care and routine check-ups to keep cats happy and healthy. The AAFP and its partners shared diverse content through various social channels to reinforce the message that cats require as much care as we do!
A series of educational infographics, videos and posts contributed to the success of the social media campaign, which had more than 500,000 impressions on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Infographics such as ‘5 reasons not to postpone veterinary exams’, ‘choosing a cat carrier’ and ‘5 ways to reduce stress for veterinary exams’ increased overall post engagement. Fun and lighthearted videos from Dr Liz Bales, including ‘cat carriers’ and ‘up your cat game’, accumulated over 9500 minutes viewed.
