Giving Something Back: A Day in the Life of a Catline Volunteer

Introduction

As a cat lover, there are many ways to help our feline friends, many people decide to adopt a cat from a local shelter rather than buying a kitten from a breeder, therefore ensuring the cat has a safe, secure and loving forever home. A recent news article reported a 100-year-old woman adopting a 20-year-old cat that no one else wanted from her local shelter. 

Supporting fund-raising days, holding coffee mornings, and volunteering at charity shops are all altruistic acts of kindness that cat lovers undertake to support our feline friends that bring us so much comfort, joy and happiness.

A Day in the Life of a Catline Volunteer

Another option is to give your spare time to the Cats Protection League Catline a 7-day-a-week helpline that you can call for help and advice. Catline is checked remotely from 9 am to 6 pm daily. Here we ask a catline volunteer to tell us a little about his experiences as he gives up his time every Saturday from 9 am - 6 pm. 

I really like doing Catline because cats have brought me so much joy and comfort over the years. I wanted to help them because they can't help themselves and it is satisfying to be able to do that.

It can be quite distressing at times, though, because we get a lot of calls about lost cats and people who have found stray cats who are injured or in malnourished conditions. 

It's also difficult because a lot of cats get abandoned (especially in these tough financial times) and because the adoption centres are always full it's not easy to try and rehome every cat. Neutering is a big part of what we try and promote as a charity to try and decrease the number of stray cats and for those on low incomes or benefits, we offer schemes to get this done as cheaply as possible.

However, there are many positive aspects of the role - especially when we are able to reunite owners with their cats, we have a lost and found website and Facebook page, and knowing I have helped in a small way to reunite owners with the cats is pleasing because I know from personal experience how worried they would be.

Another important aspect of Catline that you see each week is how dedicated the general public can be in going out of their way to help cats, whether that's just ringing up Catline to report a poorly stray or taking lost cats to the vets to check for a microchip or even helping pay for medical costs. Cat lovers are very dedicated and are always concerned to know what has happened to the cats they have given help to.

Sandra James

Owner & Founder

The Cat Butler was set up by Sandra James in recognition of the fact that a stay in a cattery can be unsettling for many cats and also their owners.