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Volunteering

2K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  marie73 
#1 ·
I finally had my indoctrination today. I was told by the person who contacted me over the phone that I would probably be cleaning and sanitizing the cat cages (at PetSmart), but I figured, you have to start somewhere, right?

I got there and NO! They have someone who comes in and does that every day! Woo hoo! I'll be playing with the cats, rotating who comes out and goes in so they all have time outside the cages, helping the FOCAS employee, talking to prospective adopters, etc. Yay! (If I had gone to their other location, though, I would have been doing all of that stuff.) The girl I'll be teamed with is sooooo nice. She may need me tomorrow, but if not, every other Saturday - and whenever they need me. :D

There's one cat that's been there for two years! She scratched me pretty good (drawing blood), so I didn't have to ask why. 8O They also had a black kitty and a siamese kitty in the same cage - adorable little buddies. One woman came in and was going to adopt them together, but her husband discovered after being around them that he's allergic to cats. They'll go quickly, though, I'm sure.
 
#7 ·
If you look at this link, we have the adorable Shelly and the handsome Miles on page 1, sweet Allie and my favorite - Mr. Peanut on page 2, Scotty - who is so playful - and the lovely Cinderpaw on page 3, gentle little Blanca (who has a crush on Scotty) on page 4, and the very grouchy Lina, who has food allergies and her fur is finally growing back in, on page 5. Can you believe they DON'T have Cleo's double, Dublina (also on page 5)? There are more cats than that, and I'm sure even some on this link, but those are the ones I recognized right away.

http://www.focas-sandiego.org/adopt/ado ... php?page=0

Mr. Peanut is sooooo lovable and kind and loves playing and being petted. He has medium length hair and is just so soft!!!
 
#9 ·
Working adoptions was my favorite thing about volunteering at the shelter. It's so much fun to see the kitties go to a new home. Did you have any get adopted yesterday?

About the kitty that scratched you up...Do you know or did they teach you how to pick up a feisty cat or one you're unsure of how they'll react? Scruff with your dominant hand (right for me) and put the other under their chest/abdomen. Pick up and pull in close to your body pinning the back end between your elbow and side. Continue to scruff while carrying them (It can be a light scruff if they aren't struggling). I call it the football hold because it reminds me of how a football player tucks the ball when running.
 
#12 ·
They can't adopt right on the spot. This place really does call the landlord to find out if you can have not only cats, but how many cats. And they check out other things, too. Someone came in to look at the kittens (of course), but I was holding Peanut and started talking him up and I think they may come back to adopt Peanut instead. He's such a big lap cat and snuggle bunny. The sweetest kitty!

One woman came in and saw the kittens (one black and one siamese) and said she wanted two kittens, but not a black one. :? But then her partner came in, has the same name as the black kitty (Julia) and was sold on the black one. They might come back tomorrow.

Lisa, the cat that scratched me was sitting on a cat tree. I could tell she'd had enough of being petted, but she caught her claw on my sleeve and I couldn't get my hand away from her quick enough. 8O I put her back in her cage today and she was fine with me. :D
 
#14 ·
Sounds like you has a blast.

Glad the kitty was in a better mood today and you didn't need the football hold. But file that away in the back of your mind. I can guarantee you're gonna need it someday.
 
#15 ·
I used it on the other "grouchy" cat. :D

Chloe (the scratcher) threw up today. In fact, she threw up everything she'd eaten this month! (Okay, maybe not that much, but it just wasn't stopping!) She let me clean her up a bit where she got a little on her. Poor girl. :(

This all happened when the employee was away, and thankfully there were no people in the area. When she came back, she was shocked that I took care of it on my own and cleaned the cat tree. Apparently, her last two "volunteers" refused to even clean a litter box or refill water. She wants me to do some shifts on my own, but I don't know that I'm comfortable enough to do that yet. Maybe after another day with someone else. We had someone come in today and just start opening cages and picking up cats! 8O
 
#18 ·
A lot of the cats were taken from one of three shelters and fostered until they were ready to go to a new home, some came directly from one of the shelters, which are overwhelmed. There was no kitten season, we've had a kitten year.

Cinderpaws' foster family came by yesterday and played with her for almost an hour. She's a smart little kitty. She goes along the cages on the bottom and sticks her paw in the dishes and pulls out kibble and eats it.

Yes, Holly, I'm one of "those" women at PetSmart! :D
 
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