Kit, 61, will lead the charity’s board of volunteer trustees who are responsible for values, strategy and overall performance at the UK’s leading cat charity which helps 166,000 cats each year. He takes on the role from fellow trustee Dr Angela Swarbrick who had been Interim Chair since February.

As well as being a Cats Protection trustee since 2018, Kit is the editor-in-chief of Veterinary Evidence, an open access journal that communicates evidence-based veterinary medicine to clinics all over the world. He has also been Chair of Trustees for the Wildheart Trust and treasurer for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Kit will help Cats Protection to continue a new 10-year strategy to help many more felines through the expansion of its advocacy, education, rehoming and neutering work.

“I am very honoured to become Cats Protection’s new Chair of Trustees, especially at a time when the charity is delivering an ambitious strategy to have a huge impact on the health, welfare and well-being of the UK’s cats,” said Kit. “By harnessing the talent among our volunteers and staff, we hope to help more cats and the people that love them.”

Cats Protection Interim Chief Executive Dominic Sullivan said: “I am looking forward to working with Kit as he takes up his new role. His extensive knowledge of small animal medicine combined with his leadership skills and love of cats make him a real asset to Cats Protection as we continue to make a positive difference to the nation’s cats in the years ahead.”