Description

Cat Care & Centre Volunteers report to the Cat Care Coordinator (CCC) and liaise with their teammates to share the afternoon routine and duties. Shared responsibilities include ensuring our Animal Centre is clean and tidy, rooms and carts are fully stocked, and feline residents receive mental and physical stimulation in addition to food and clean litter.

Time Commitment

Approximately 3 hours per week. This position starts at 1pm until approximately 4pm. A minimum commitment of 6 months is required.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Coordinate with fellow Cat Care & Centre Volunteers to share the afternoon’s routine and duties, including rotating responsibility for ‘front of house’ and ‘back of house’
• Cleaning and tidying:
  • Communal areas’ surfaces and floors are cleaned, tidied and disinfected (communal areas = Volunteer Cubby and Desk, Animal Kitchen, Human Kitchen, lunchroom, hallways and washrooms)
  • Medical Intake Room floors are swept and mopped
  • Hallway carts are sanitized
  • Laundry (washing, drying, folding linens)
  • Dishes (wash up dirty animal dishes, load / empty dishwasher)
  • Disinfect any used cat carriers and / or kennels and put them away neatly
  • Scoop litter boxes and, as needed, disinfect litter pans
  • Dispose of garbage and recyclables
• Hallway carts, Animal Kitchen and all Cat Care Rooms are replenished with food, litter and required supplies
• Feed wet food to kittens and adult cats (as directed by CCC)
• Top up water and dry food (if needed)
• Fill out kennel cards to ensure accurate record keeping
• Assist with cat kennels, as needed
  • Remove contents of empty kennels for adopted cats and terminal clean
  • Ensure post-surgical cats’ kennels are set back up once each cat has safely recovered from anesthesia
• Interact with cats for socialization and enrichment* purposes
  • Adapt activities based on cats being interacted with
  • Stimulate and interact with cats (includes grooming, play and snuggles)
  • Provide company for cats that are “social eaters” to help them eat better
  • Reduce cat stress and improve their overall wellness
  • Provide cognitive stimulation and encourage curiosity
  • Provide places for cats to hide and perch, as appropriate
  • Stimulate cats’ hunting instinct
  • Make enrichment items (food puzzles, cat cabins…)
• Identify and report any behavioural or health concerns to CCC
• Follow appropriate protocol, policies and procedures
• Assist CCC (if needed)
• Use online Contact List & Schedule to reflect any absences and to coordinate shift coverage

Qualifications

• 16 years of age minimum
• Demonstrates understanding and passion for animal welfare
• Experience working with or handling cats and reading cat body language
• Strong work ethic
• Dependable, self-motivated and energetic
• Works well unsupervised, alone and in a team environment
• Exercises patience
• Good communication skills
• Interest in learning about Feline Enrichment (training will be provided)
• Reads and follows directions, and follows protocol
• Ability and willingness to use the online Cat Care Contact List & Schedule to reflect any absences and to coordinate shift coverage

Working Conditions:

• Must be physically able to complete the tasks listed above (will involve bending, kneeling, lifting, walking, mopping).
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), i.e. gloves, gowns and booties MUST be worn when volunteering in Room 3 and/or in Room 4.
• Gloves are always to be worn when cleaning litterboxes, stools or vomit.