U.Va.'s training cats draw protesters

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - University of Virginia officials say using live cats in medical training is a necessary practice that saves lives.

The cats are used to train residents on how to insert breathing tubes in newborns.

Dr. Sandy Feldman, the cats' attending veterinarian, says the cats are well cared for and none have died. He says the procedure leaves them with about the equivalent of a sore throat.

Feldman and other university officials spoke at a news conference Thursday to respond to a protest by dozens of people in front of the U.Va. Rotunda.

The protesters included Dr. Ulka Agarwal with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which organized the event. Agarwai said simulators should be used instead of live cats, which are poor anatomical models for human care.