Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Breeding success for Palla's cats
Palla's kitten
The litter of six Palla's kittens is vitally important for the conservation of the species.
A litter of rare Palla’s kittens have taken their first steps outside

The first moment that Highland Wildlife Park’s six rare Palla’s cat kittens stepped outside of their nest box has been caught on camera.
 
A rare species, Palla’s cats are difficult to breed as they are susceptible to toxoplasmosis, a parasitic disease that is often fatal to kittens. The kittens, which are now nearly three months old, are a major success story for the park.
 
A complex breeding strategy was developed by keepers at the park, which mixed together cutting edge technology, medical treatment plans and animal management.
 
Keepers moved the adult male and female cats, Beebop and Alula, to an off-show enclosure fitted with camera traps and a sound activated recorder, so that they knew when mating had occurred and treatment could begin.
 
David Barclay, senior keeper for the Highland Wildlife Park and European breeding programme coordinator for Pallas’s cats, said:
 
“Monitoring the vocalisations of the cats helped us to identify when mating had taken place and this is the key time that a prevention treatment for toxoplasmosis needs to begin, in the early days of a potential pregnancy. 
 
“Unlike other treatment programmes that can be very intensive and stressful to the cats, our work here has allowed us to implement our veterinary protocol in a completely stress free environment.”
 
Following their breeding success, the Highland Wildlife Park has sent video and camera traps to Iran, Mongolia and Nepal to assist researchers in learning more about this elusive species.
 
Little is known about the population of Palla’s cats in Nepal, although it is suspected that these are an individual subspecies.
 
On the significance of this breeding strategy, Mr Barclay said: “I believe our technique of using Pallas’s cat vocalisations to give us a clearer insight into their breeding behaviour is a world first and that over time the results will help to improve our success with this species. It has also given us a unique insight into the behaviour of these cats which will be invaluable for future management.”
 
Image courtesy of Highland Wildlife Park

 

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

RUMA CA&E extends survey deadline

News Story 1
 RUMA CA&E has extended the deadline for its online survey into vaccine availability.

Vets, SQPs, retailers and wholesalers will now have until Friday, 26 September at 5pm to submit their response.

The survey aims to further understanding into the vaccine supply challenges faced by the sector. It will also consider the short and long term impacts of disruption issues.

Insights are anonymous, and will be shared with industry stakeholders and government bodies.

The survey can be accessed here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA publishes Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice

The BSAVA has added a small animal nutrition advice booklet to its series of BSAVA guides.

The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice offers a resource for veterinary professionals to provide appropriate nutrition for animals. As well as maintaining the wellbeing of healthy pets, the guide explores how nutritional requirements change in times of illness and disease.

The guide is divided into five sections, which explore the importance of nutritional assessment; diet types; feeding at different life stages; feeding for specific situations; and feeding for specific diseases. Online resources are also in the BSAVA Library including client handouts and videos.

It is designed to be suitable for referencing, in-depth case planning and team training sessions.

The BSAVA Guide to Nutrition in Small Animal Practice can be purchased online from the BSAVA store.