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RSPCA launches farm cat rehoming campaign
The RSPCA has revealed that it rehomes over 20,000 cats per year.
The campaign aims to find homes for cats with fewer social needs. 

This International Cat Day (Saturday 8 August), the RSPCA launched its new rehoming campaign, which aims to find outdoor homes for cats with more nervous dispositions, as reported by the RSPCA on its website.

Aiming to find homes for farm cats and outdoor cats, the campaign intends to educate the public on different feline temperaments, highlighting the fact that not every cat is friendly or happy to live inside with people. 

In educating people on the needs of farm and outdoor cats, the charity hopes to find homes faster for the cats in its care that require that type of environment. 

The campaign follows a recent RSPCA survey, which found that 90 per cent of centres and branches struggled to find suitable homes for farm cats than more sociable cats. 

On the 'Rehome a farm cat' page of the RSPCA's website, the charity suggests that a suitable home for a farm cat would include stables, farms, garden centres, nursing homes, and large gardens with shelters. 

It also provides clear guidance on what is expected of farm cat owners, including provision of constantly accessible clean water, access to food, provision of a safe, clean, warm, well-maintained and waterproof shelter, and of veterinary treatment where necessary. 

RSPCA's cat welfare expert Alice Potter commented: "There are all sorts of reasons why some cats need this type of lifestyle. They may have lived for a long time as a stray and aren't familiar or comfortable being close to people or it may relate to their early experiences or genetics. Whatever the reason, we try to find the perfect home for them.

"We know that our centres and branches often struggle to find homes for our farm or outdoor cats and often one of the reasons cited is that there is a lack of awareness amongst the general public that these cats exist and that they will be much happier living an outdoorsy lifestyle.

"This is why we have launched this rehoming campaign for farm cats on International Cat Day to help raise awareness of the different homes these independent cats need."

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NSA webinar explores sheep tailing and castration

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is to host a free webinar on the castration and tail docking of lambs.

The webinar, 'Understanding the tailing and castration consultation: A guide for sheep farmers', will be hosted online on Monday, 2 March 2026 at 7.30pm.

It comes during a government consultation into the methods used for these procedures. Farmers are encouraged to engage before the consultation period closes on Monday, 9 March 2026.

The webinar offers clear and actionable guidance to support farmers to contribute meaningfully to the consultation and prepare for potential changes.

On the panel will be former SVS president Kate Hovers, farmer and vet Ann Van Eetvelt and SRUC professor in Animal Health and Veterinary Sciences Cathy Dwyer. Each panel member will utilise their own specialism and expertise to evaluate risks and outcomes to sheep farming.

Find out more about the webinar on the NSA website.