Volunteering at the Sanctuary

What’s it like to volunteer at the sanctuary?  If you love cats it can be very rewarding.  We have staff who clean every room daily, scoop litter, refill food bowls, and keep the sanctuary shipshape.  The one thing our residents always need and crave more of is human companionship and TLC...that’s where our volunteers come in.

Since many of our cats have either chronic medical conditions, behavioral or emotional issues, or other special needs, it is especially fulfilling to work with them, bond with them over time, and see the dramatic progress that many of them make now that they are in a loving, safe environment.  Some cats want a lap to sit in; some want to be petted or sweet talked; others want to be played with; and some prefer to just be left alone.  Cats from difficult or abusive backgrounds tend to initially be very shy and distrustful of people, but with time, patience, and lots of love from volunteers many become very social.

Besides just petting the cats, which is really the most important aspect of care that sanctuary volunteers provide, there are plenty of other things to do as well.  We try to weigh every cat twice a week, since weight changes are often the first visible sign of many health problems.  There are always plenty of brushes available, and lots of cats who love being brushed.  On occasion we will have a “pill day” when we administer flea control or other medications to all of the cats.   If you’re handy with a hammer or paintbrush there are plenty of projects and repairs you can help with.  And despite the diligent work of our cleaning crew, with this many cats it seems that there’s always a litter box or two that can use scooping when you have an extra minute. 

One other very important task that sanctuary volunteers help us with is becoming familiar with the cats and noticing small changes in their health or behavior that enable us to examine and treat them as soon as a symptom appears and nip many problems in the bud.  Again, with this many cats, keeping up with all of them is an ongoing challenge and our sanctuary volunteers play a key role.

Hopefully this gives you a better idea of just what to expect if you’re thinking about becoming a sanctuary volunteer.  Most of our cats will be here for the rest of their lives – whether only a short time or for many years.  Our goal is to give them a safe, clean, loving, and stable environment where they can live the wonderful lives they deserve.  We’ve already got the “safe and clean” part covered….the “stable and loving environment” part is what you can help provide.

Because of the special nature of our residents, we really prefer sanctuary volunteers who are at least 18 and can commit to two or more hours per week on a regular basis.  Almost any time or schedule that you are available will work – the cats are always glad to see you.  There are times when you might be the only volunteer on duty, and other times when groups get together regularly to both socialize and care for the kitties.  It can be not only rewarding but addictive...once you spend a little time with these angels, you will be hooked! 

If this sounds good to you, then download our volunteer application, complete it, and email it to us (you can also print and send it by regular mail if you prefer).  Or just email us if you have questions or would like someone to call you to discuss volunteering in more detail.  We’ll get in touch with you right away!  In the meantime, go look at the KittyCam and picture yourself sitting on that couch, covered with purring cats…