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PhD studentship funding to develop a BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Feline Toolkit
Ageing cats often mask pain and exhibit subtle behavioural or physical changes that can be misinterpreted as ‘normal ageing’, leading to delayed presentation and later diagnosis of potentially treatable conditions. Understanding which signs owners notice, how they interpret them, and which correlate with clinically relevant findings is essential for improving owner education about age-related feline disease.
The research topic and outputs
PetSavers is offering funding for a postgraduate student to carry out a PhD research project that will explore feline ageing, enhance owner confidence in recognising subtle but clinically meaningful changes in their older cats, and strengthen communication between owners and veterinary teams. The study should answer the project brief and ultimately contribute to improved outcomes in feline health and support proactive, preventative veterinary care.
Evidence derived from the project will underpin the development of a free owner‑facing ageing feline toolkit that complements our existing toolkit for senior dogs: the BSAVA PetSavers Ageing Canine Toolkit. This will help cat owners recognise age-related changes that may need veterinary attention and support earlier disease detection.
How much funding is available?
We will award up to £80,000 towards the following costs:
- Postgraduate student stipend at BBSRC standard rate (students with a veterinary degree qualification are entitled to a higher rate)
- Payment of relevant institution fees
- Research equipment and consumables purchases
- Travel expenses for the postgraduate student
The institution(s) to which the applicant(s) belong are responsible for providing any other funding required to complete the project.
Application requirements
Applications should be from multidisciplinary teams including:
- The main applicant (student supervisor)
- At least one coapplicant with a supervisory or consultancy role
- The PhD student (who may not be known at this stage)
Within this team should be at least one vet or vet nurse and at least one feline ageing expert. Collaborations across clinical practice, academia, behavioural science, and feline welfare research, and between institutions are encouraged. The PhD student does not need to be a veterinary professional.
The application must be made by the prospective academic supervisor (the grantee), and can be made with a prospective PhD student in mind, or before advertising for one.
How to apply
- Read the project brief.
- Download and complete the application form, making sure to fill in the checklist, provide the names and contact details of three reviewers with whom you have no conflicts of interest, and provide truncated CVs for each grant applicant.
- Obtain a letter of support from your head of department.
- Obtain, or at the very least apply for, ethical approval for your project and provide supporting evidence of this.
- Complete our terms and conditions by obtaining signatures from the main applicant (supervisor) and an authorised representative of the institution.
- Email all documents to petsaversadmin@bsava.com.
Please note
The use of experimental animals is not permitted in any work funded by BSAVA PetSavers, and this includes work on tissues derived from experimental animals. Visit our Guidance for Applicants page to read our full statement on experimental animals, view eligibility criteria and guidance on designing a robust research project.