Climate change and cattle farming

‘Global warming’ and ‘climate change’ have become familiar household terms. However much confusion prevails over these issues that suffer with an incomplete scientific foundation and are often influenced by politics as much as by science. Climate change has entered the public debate globally. It is widely expected to have severe social, economic and environmental effects by many climate scientists through rising sea levels, changing weather patterns and temperature rises that will challenge society through compromised food production & water availability. International policy aims to lower the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are thought to be responsible for climate change (see figure 1; IPCC, 2014).


Letters
First, I always make a point of stroking the cat's head and chin before and after the procedure, with the intention of creating a nice friendly trusting association with the treatment. This also allows one to assess the cat's temperament when initially handled around the head, forewarned being forearmed of course. Even some trusting and friendly cats do become wise and need a second person holding them around the shoulders to stop them fending you off with their front paws. In addition, I always ensure I'm wearing long sleeves in case the cat's paws become free.
Then one stands to the side of the standing or sitting cat on the side of your dominant hand. With your nondominant hand, the left for me, take a firm but comfy grip over the top of the cat's head (Fig 1), with the first fingertip and thumb-tip of this non-dominant hand at the commissures of the lips. Crucially, you gently roll the head backwards with your third and fourth fingers at the back of the head acting as the pivotal point ( Fig  2) until the cat's nose points vertically straight up at the sky. Note that you do not try lifting the head or chin straight upwards, because the cat will struggle, but gently roll the chin and nose upwards and backwards through 90 degrees or so.
When the nose is vertically upwards, the mouth will start to open up to perhaps 5 mm, just exposing the incisor teeth. This small gap between the upper/lower incisors allows you to use a finger, say the second or third finger of your other hand, to pull the jaw open and down gently (Fig 3). There should then be little resistance as you gently pull the lower jaw down to open the mouth wide. You should have the tablet in the fingertips of this other (dominant) hand, between the first or second finger and the thumb. Most cats will comfortably sit in this position with their nose up, mouth open for several minutes if necessary, as long as you are gentle. The correct grip is critical to success.
When open fully, you can see at the back of the mouth, the U-shaped notch formed by the back of the tongue and that is where you aim to drop the tablet. After dropping the tablet in there, release the jaw and head, the cat will shut its mouth, automatically and immediately lick its lips, which indicates swallowing. You can then reopen the mouth to check that the reflex swallowing has indeed occurred.
However, if you do miss the bulls eye of the notch at the back of the tongue and the tablet drops to the side of the tongue or too far forwards in the mouth, then the tablet will indeed be spat out. Next time is harder because the tablet will be sticky and sticks to your fingertips when you try to drop it in the second time.
The only time this technique has failed me was, unfortunately, at a practice open day when I was demonstrating the method to the visitors using a nurse's cat and the subject spat the tablet at the feet of the watching crowd. However, on the bright side, I was able to immediately repeat the procedure successfully, which was a relief. I have successfully used this method for many, many years now on all sorts of cats, all different shapes and sizes. However, I do not attempt this method Oral medication for cats I WAs interested to read the paper by sivén and colleagues (2016) in Veterinary Record, regarding the difficulties in administration of oral medication to cats. The paper addresses a soapbox issue of mine, in that I have long-believed that there are thousands of tablets prescribed for cats left sitting on shelves or in cupboards because owners do not know how to administer them. I believe strongly that the ability to dose a cat orally should be a core skill for every vet in practice, simply because we prescribe so many tablets. I would like to share the following technique, taught to me when aged 14 by a wonderful mentor and employer, Mr N. J. Easton in Leeds, which I have demonstrated daily to cat owners. with feral cats, for which injectables or medication in food must be employed.
This technique is a skill that, in my opinion, should be taught at university. It becomes a 'knack' that is easy once one has learnt the method. Until complete palatability for tablets for cats is achieved -something that is unlikely in my opinion -we will probably need to use this technique for the foreseeable future.