iCatConnect expands global education on unowned cat welfare

International Cat Care launched iCatConnect, a free online event aimed at people working with unowned cats, shelters, foster networks, and community cat programs. The two-day event, held November 13-14, 2024, brought together more than 15 international speakers to cover cat behavior, Cat Friendly Homing, trap-neuter-return, community engagement, and collaboration with veterinary professionals. The charity said recordings and translated educational resources would also be made available, broadening access beyond the live sessions. Battersea supported the event through its grants program, and iCatCare appears to have continued the initiative with a 2025 edition focused on “balanced cat populations,” suggesting this is becoming an ongoing education platform rather than a one-off webinar. (vetclick.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, iCatConnect reflects a wider shift in feline welfare toward population-level, community-based care, not just individual case management. That matters in practice because unowned and semi-owned cats affect shelter intake, infectious disease risk, neutering workflows, welfare triage, and how clinics work with rescues, municipalities, and pet parents. iCatCare’s broader work, including its International Unowned Cat Welfare Group and Cat Friendly Homing resources, shows how feline medicine and welfare are increasingly being linked in practical, cross-sector models. (vetclick.com)

What to watch: Watch for whether iCatConnect continues to expand as a recurring CPD-style forum, with more formal veterinary participation and more region-specific guidance on community cat management. (icatcare.org)