Cats Protection has around 210 branches across the UK from the Highlands in the North of Scotland to Cornwall in the South West of England. These are run entirely by volunteers from their own homes and complement the charity’s thirty four adoption centres and around one hundred shops to help an average of 157,000 cats each year. 

Branches work tirelessly to take in cats in need and ensure they receive the veterinary care and attention they require to make them ready for a new home. 

In addition to rehoming cats, Cats Protection’s branches work with local vets in communities to facilitate the neutering of thousands of cats every year, helping to stem the increase in overpopulation of unwanted cats and reduce disease in feral feline communities. The charity runs the largest single species neutering programme in the world and helps to neuter an average of 130,000 cats and kittens a year, including around 15,000 feral cats. 

Branches also provide information and advice to support cat owners to care and look after their cat’s welfare. This can be via online discussions and web pages or in-person at community events or during the adoption process.

A typical branch has a range of cat care and administrative or support roles with an overseeing committee of five volunteers, including a branch team leader, administration team leader and treasurer. Other volunteers in the branch can range from welfare team leaders and social media volunteers to kitten socialisers and trap-neuter-return volunteers. Volunteers have a wide variety of skills and experience. Some are retired but many carry out their roles around their working hours.

Cats Protection began as a volunteer-run organisation in 1927 and its branches continue to be its grassroots foundation, connecting the charity directly with members of the public and cats in the local community. 

Midsomer Norton Branch is one of these branches. It has been running for 35 years and supports Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Paulton, Peasedown and surrounding areas of Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES). Recently the branch has lost volunteers due to a number of circumstances (relocation, retirement). It needs to grow to address local challenges in B&NES and help more local cats in need.  

The branch’s long term goal is to recruit more fosterer volunteers to provide vital hands on care and shelter to stray or abandoned cats in the Midsomer area and to cats whose owners can no longer keep them. However, to do this, it needs to rebuild its administration and support team. Could you be one of those people?

The team is keen to hear from anyone interested in volunteering for the branch as Cat Adoption Team Leader or Administration Volunteer. Both are vital members of the branch.

The Cat Adoption Team Leader is the main point of contact for cat adoption enquiries via email, phone and social media; they support the adoption process by facilitating the completion of homefinder questionnaires; ensure information about cats being helped is up to date; follow-up with post-adoption queries; keep the committee updated about adoption progress and collaborate with the Cat Welfare Team Leader to ensure the highest standards of cat care are applied in line with Cats Protection policy and procedures.

The Administration Volunteer primarily helps maintain records of the number of cats that have been rehomed; collates supporter details and sends out updates to supporters, helping in other administrative areas as needed. It is a varied role that helps the branch to home as many cats as possible and would suit somebody with strong administrative, IT, communication and organisation skills.

Once support is in place, the branch will be looking for volunteer fosterers to care for cats in their own home until a new owner can be found. No special equipment is needed but cat fosterers do need to have a spare room or the charity can provide a custom-built outdoor pen where their foster cat can enjoy living safely in a home-from-home. It is also vital that fosterers have IT skills and internet access to enable them to keep details of their cat’s stay up to date. The branch takes in cats from all backgrounds and at all ages and the charity provides everything needed to create the cats’ temporary home, from food, toys and litter to vet care. A cat’s stay can vary in length and a fosterer might be caring for a mature moggie for a period and then a mother with her litter of kittens next; fostering can provide the opportunity to enjoy the company of cats without the long-term responsibility of ownership.   

A behind-the-scenes glimpse at being a fosterer can be found here.

Two-year-old black and white Diego arrived in branch care after she stopped getting on with her owner’s other cat. She took a while to settle with her fosterer but has blossomed into a friendly, loving puss who will seek out attention and fuss from those she trusts. 

The branch feels she would be best-suited to being an only-cat and an experienced owner would be ideal as they may need to allow Diego plenty of space and time to settle when she arrives. The charity’s Behaviour Team provides up to six months of support for cats after adoption and would be on-hand to help Diego put her best paws forward in her new home if needed.

Distinctive grey-and-white Lola is also two years old and arrived at the branch after her owner became unable to look after her and her three young kittens. 

She did a great job raising her litter but is now looking for a home where she can enjoy some space to herself and come out of her shell. A friendly cat, Lola would be best-suited to a home with a safe garden where she could explore. 

Although Lola previously lived with dogs and a number of children including a baby and although she managed it well, she often found it overwhelming so a calmer environment with fewer people and fellow pets would really allow her personality to shine.

To find out more about the cats currently looking for homes and the branch, visit: www.cats.org.uk/midsomer 

For more details about the current opportunities, click here. 

Alternatively please call 07795 060 822 or email [email protected] to register your interest in volunteering or fostering with the branch.