Pet Blood Bank UK wins regulatory approval to launch the country’s first national blood bank for cats – and is calling on owners to sign up their pets.
Britain’s cats are to gain reliable access to lifesaving blood transfusions for the first time, after Pet Blood Bank UK received official approval from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) to launch the country’s first national cat blood donation service.
The charity, the UK’s only organisation dedicated to providing a blood bank service for pets, described the approval as a significant milestone for the millions of cats across the UK who may one day need a lifesaving blood transfusion.
Until now, access to cat blood products has been extremely limited, leaving vets facing a difficult situation whenever a cat urgently needs a transfusion. Vets must find a donor cat on the spot: an owner has to be available to come in, the donor must be of the right blood type, and the cat must be eligible to donate on arrival. It is a highly stressful process, and one that leaves cats in need of transfusions without quick and reliable access to blood.
Pet Blood Bank UK, which has run a successful blood donation service for dogs since 2007, is determined to change this, and is now calling on owners of large, healthy, and confident cats to register their pets as donors.
Wendy Barnett, founder and Clinical Director of Pet Blood Bank UK, said: ‘We know how much a dedicated service for cats is needed, having heard that message clearly from vets over many years. We are absolutely delighted that we can now say it is happening. This has been a long time in the making, and we’re incredibly proud to be taking this next step to support cats, their owners, and the vet teams who take care of them.’
A matter of life and death
When a cat is involved in an accident, develops a serious illness, or needs emergency surgery, a blood transfusion can mean the difference between life and death. Yet for too long, vets across the UK have had to manage without a reliable national supply of cat blood products – a gap in provision that Pet Blood Bank aims to fill as it builds and develops the new service.
The charity already supplies thousands of lifesaving blood products for dogs every year. Now, for the first time, cats are set to benefit from the same dedicated, welfare-focused service.
Donation on the cat’s terms
Cat welfare is at the heart of everything Pet Blood Bank does. Cats will donate consciously in a calm, quiet, and private space, with their owner beside them throughout. If at any point a cat seems unhappy, the session stops.
Every donor cat receives a free health check before each donation, an annual heart scan, food and treats throughout the session, and a goody bag to take home.
‘We understand that coming along to a donation session will feel unfamiliar and daunting for many owners and cats. That’s why everything we do is built around stress reduction and making the experience a safe, comfortable, and positive one for you and your cat. Your cat’s welfare is always our priority, and everything we do is on their terms,’ Wendy added.
Could your cat be a lifesaver?
Pet Blood Bank is looking for confident, sociable cats who are happy being handled. To become a donor, cats need to be:
- Fit and healthy
- Between 1 and 8 years old
- 4.5kg or more in weight
- Comfortable being handled
- Happy to travel in a carrier
Both indoor and outdoor cats are welcome. Donation sessions will be held at venues across the UK, with Pet Blood Bank working to ensure cat blood products are available to vets nationwide as the service grows.
Registration is simple, and there is no commitment at the point of signing up. Cat owners can find out more and register at www.petbloodbankuk.org/cats.
