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Cats Protection turns 90
“We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1927, from a time when cats were regarded as pests to the more compassionate society we live in today"
Charity celebrates helping over 4m cats

Cats Protection is celebrating its 90th birthday this month by looking back at some of its key animal welfare achievements over the past nine decades, during which time it has helped around 4.5 million cats.

The charity was founded by Jessey Wade in 1927 and has since worked tirelessly to lobby for changes to animal welfare laws. It also opened the UK’s largest cat adoption centre.

Chief executive Peter Hepburn said: “We’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings in 1927, from a time when cats were regarded as pests to the more compassionate society we live in today. Cats Protection’s work over those years has played a major role in these changes in society.

“This is the ideal opportunity to celebrate the achievements we have made over the years and to thank everyone, including our dedicated volunteers, supporters and staff, for all they’ve done to further feline welfare in the UK.

“The people in the charity over those 90 years have made this superb organisation what it is today and we look forward to taking that heritage forward to help the cats who need us in the years to come.”

Some of the charity’s milestones include:
  • 1927 – Cats Protection was founded by Jessey Wade
  • 1935 – Cats Protection gained its first designated headquarters, in Slough
  • 1940 – With the outbreak of war, the Tailwavers Scheme was introduced to help relieve suffering among cats in the blitzed-out areas
  • 1949 – Cats Protection formally began to champion neutering to control cat numbers
  • 1963 – Cats Protection successfully campaigned for cat boarding establishments to become subject to stricter licensing
  • 1977 – The charity reached over 10,000 supporters
  • 1978 – Cats Protection moved to a new headquarters in Horsham
  • 1990 – Cats Protection published its first teaching pack for use in schools
  • 1994 – Cats Protection introduced microchipping into all its shelters
  • 2004 – The charity’s headquarters moved to Chelwood Gate in Sussex alongside the UK’s largest cat adoption centre
  • 2006-2011 – Cats Protection helped one million cats in five years
  • 2015 – Cats Protection launched the first Manifesto for Cats
  • 2017 – The charity celebrates 90 years in action


The charity now helps around 190,000 cats and kittens a year through its 250 volunteer-run branches and 34 centres. This includes finding new homes for around 43,000 cats a year.

Image courtesy of Cats Protection

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.