Cats Protection | UK’s Largest Cat
Welfare Charity
Twitter:
@catsprotection
Facebook:
Cats
Protection
Instagram:
@catsprotection
More
info on Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW):
Mental
Health Awareness Week | Mental Health Foundation
“There
is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares
about.”
Margaret
J. Wheatley
This year, to celebrate MHAW, I chatted with the lovely Keira Wood; a Cat Care Volunteer from Cats Protection Tyneside, about everything this year’s theme of ‘community’ means to the UK’s largest feline welfare charity and their essential Volunteers…
Hello!
Firstly, thank you so much for agreeing to talk
with me and for recognising the importance of this Week, of mental health, and
of the theme of community in particular!
Question 1: Why did you join the team
at Cats Protection?
I
started volunteering at Cats Protection through my old therapist, I always
loved animals but never saw it as a career and was recommended to try and
volunteer at an animal shelter so tried Cats Protection as it was quite local
to me, and l love cats!!!
Question 2: How long have you been
working with the Charity?
I’ve
been with the charity for coming up 2 years now!
Question 3: What are five typical or
most common things you do as a Cat Care Volunteer?
1.
As
a Cat Care Volunteer, I clean up A LOT of poo! I clean up litter boxes and
general areas to maintain a hygienic environment for the cats!
2.
I
sometimes help feed the cats and make sure they have fresh water throughout the
day!
3.
I
spend a lot of time with the cats, cuddling them, playing with them and
accompanying them if they’re a bit nervous/shy.
4.
There’s
a lot of times I’m monitoring the cat’s health, just if their poo is a bit odd
or if they’ve been sick etc, we talk about all this in a chat after cleaning,
so the staff are aware of anything.
5.
The
shelter does a lot of events like raffles or charity runs and I assist with
that by letting friends and family know about it, I sometimes assist staff when
they’re busy with helping the cat be ready for a meet and greet or adoption by
making sure they’ve ate, drank, urinated etc.
Question 4: Can you list three things
about your role as a Cat Care Volunteer that have helped your mental health?
1.
What’s
been most rewarding about volunteering is the incredible people I get to work
with. The staff and fellow volunteers are all so kind, and I’ve made some
wonderful friends at the shelter who have been a huge support for my mental
health.
2.
Spending
time with the cats has significantly reduced my anxiety and depression—they
have a calming effect on me, and their presence makes me feel safe and secure.
Especially when I form a strong bond with one of them, it eases my feelings of
loneliness. I had a special connection with a cat named Pickles, who had such a
unique personality and really helped improve my mental well-being. He made me
much happier.
3.
The
social interactions I’ve had at the shelter have also boosted my confidence and
greatly reduced my stress. I’m now much more outgoing in public and find it
easier to make new friends
Question 5: Has there been one
particular moment – or cat! – which stands out as an achievement or as a
favourite moment for you?
One of
my favourite memories is with a cat named Pickles. He had such a vibrant
personality—always playful and full of energy when we were together. I remember
when he first arrived at the shelter, I was told he was quite shy, but as soon
as I went in, he came right out and was full of fun! A personal achievement I’m
especially proud of was emailing the shelter to ask if I could volunteer. At
the time, I was struggling with severe social anxiety and had a hard time
stepping out of my comfort zone. Looking back, it’s one of the best decisions
I’ve ever made.
Question 6: Have you had any difficult
moments in your volunteering with Cats Protection? Can you tell us about one of
those?
A
challenging time for me at the shelter was when I was dealing with personal
issues at home and facing a toxic work environment outside of the shelter.
During that period, the shelter was incredibly supportive and comforting. They
reassured me that I could take time off if needed and always made sure I had
the opportunity to stay longer to spend more time with the cats.
Question 7: How do you think it’s
helped to have your colleagues and other Volunteers during the difficult
moments? What have they done which has been helpful for you?
Having
my colleagues and fellow volunteers around me has been incredibly helpful. Many
of us share similar interests, and bonding over them has made such a
difference. We enjoy chatting before and after Cat Chat, and it’s a wonderful
opportunity to connect with everyone and build relationships on many different
levels!
Question 8: Could you give one piece of
advice for someone who wants to begin volunteering with the Charity?
My
advice is simple: just do it! You never know what could happen until you give
it a try. I really struggled with my confidence at first, but as I became more
comfortable, my confidence grew with each step!
Cats Protection | UK’s Largest Cat
Welfare Charity
Twitter:
@catsprotection
Facebook:
Cats
Protection
Instagram:
@catsprotection
