Other ways to help

BEDFORD, BIGGLESWADE AND DISTRICT

CATS PROTECTION

OTHER WAYS TO HELP

Lost and Found: General Advice

Lost and Found: Case Histories

If you fancy a change from your usual routine and would like to do something rewarding, read on - there are lots of ways to help us. We regret that we are unable to accept volunteers under the age of 16, but anybody of any age can support us by becoming a member.

Newsletter
Administration
Home Visits
Telephone helpline
Fostering
Transport

Cats

Car boot sale goods

1. Newsletter

The Branch produces a quarterly newsletter, The Catalyst, which keeps our members up to date with our activities. We are always looking for interesting articles on cat-related matters. If you can help, please contact us.

2. Administration

We need people to help us with book-keeping and paperwork. This can entail a variety of tasks, from checking that rehomed kittens have been spayed or neutered to ensuring that the annual accounts are prepared on time. Please contact us if you think you can help.

3. Home Visits

Our policy is never to rehome a cat without a visit to the potential home. This ensures the cat gets the right home for him/her, and the applicants are fully aware of the responsibilities involved. Follow up visits may be made once the cat has been placed in order to assist with any teething problems. If you are a good judge of character and have a tactful nature, why not contact us to discuss it further? Full training will, of course, be provided.

4. Telephone Helpline

If you are patient and sympathetic, you might like to train to deal with the regular telephone enquiries which we receive. There is lots of variety, and volunteers work on a rota basis. Dealing with the public in a firm but pleasant manner, you’ll be greeted by a wide variety of topics, such as "I’m having to leave my home, can you take my cat", or "I’ve found an injured cat, what should I do?". Don’t worry, full training will be given!

5. Fostering

We have a team of enthusiastic fosterers, with all our cats being housed in individual walk-in pens where they receive plenty of tender loving care. We have a separate mother and kitten unit. We do not mix cats from different backgrounds in order to reduce the risk of infection, nor are foster cats allowed to mix with the fosterer’s own cats.

The normal course of events when we accept a rescued cat in need is for the cat to be placed into a foster pen and cared for by the fosterer until such time as our Home Visitors have found a suitable home for the cat. Occasionally we rehome some cats from their original owners.

We are seeking new fosterers who have the time to give for a cat in our care, and space in their garden for a pen (preferably on hard ground). The cat pen will be provided, as will veterinary costs, cat food and litter. No qualifications are needed but experience with looking after cats is an advantage. Duties will include daily feeding, cleaning of pen and transporting the cat to and from a veterinary surgery as and when needed.

Every new fosterer must be agreed by the Branch Committee and finances are monitored as unfortunately we cannot afford to care for more cats than we allocate funds for.

If you think you could be interested in fostering, please contact us.

6. Transport

Cats

Do you have a car and are you able to spare a little time occasionally? The cats in our care may need to be taken to the vet for treatment or transported to their new home, so if you are able to provide transport on such occasions, it can be very helpful to us. In addition, some cats require regular vet visits (paid for by us), where it is really helpful to have somebody who can commit to the visits and to providing transport. If you can help, please contact us.

Car Boot Sales

We need volunteers to transport our goods to car boot sales, both indoor and out. Ideally, we need three people for each event. Please contact us if you can help.

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This page last updated: 11 October 2005