Cat care volunteer

Our vision for volunteering

Volunteering is and always will be at the heart of Cats Protection. It is joyful and inclusive. As a charity, working in partnership, together we transform the lives of cats, people and communities.

The difference you will make to cats and people

We take excellent care of cats and kittens that need help, but life in a rescue environment is not ideal for any cat compared to a loving home. Until we can find them that loving home our cat care volunteers are a passionate, committed team, helping to give cats and kittens the best possible care. Cat care volunteers spend time directly with cats, cleaning their pens, feeding, grooming and enriching their play time.

You will volunteer with others in this role and be part of a multi-pen site or centre team. If you think this is something you would like to do in your own home, please search and apply for the ‘Fosterer volunteer’ role on our website.

You can expect us to

• Make you feel welcome, included and respected in line with our values and behaviours
• Support you in having a positive and impactful experience at Cats Protection
• Cover agreed out-of-pocket expenses in line with our Expenses Policy
• Provide you with access to learning, development and engagement opportunities

A bit more information about this role and the team

We are recruiting for Cat Care Volunteers to volunteer at the centre doing cat husbandry duties. These roles are very popular and therefore early submission of your application is recommended as the vacancy advertisement may close early. Roles are offered to fill only a small number of vacant rota slots so only certain days & time slots are available.

Please note the following important considerations:

• The starting dates for these roles are October 2026
• The Cat Care Volunteer role is a regular, weekly volunteering role. This means you will be attending the centre at the same time for the same shift each week, ideally for a minimum of six months. Days off are of course fine
• Vacancies are available only on week-days, none on weekends currently
• The role involves carrying out cat husbandry duties, which is 80% cleaning & disinfecting the cats’ resources, pens and the centre. Spending time with the cats is only a minor part of the role
• Minimum age for volunteers is 16 at our centre
• This is a very physical role where you will be on your feet, bending, lifting and carrying resources, kneeling, sitting on the floor & moving around for the whole shift, so you must be very mobile and capable of the physical tasks
• You must be available to attend an induction at the centre on one of the following dates:
  • Sunday 20^th September, from 11am to 1.30pm
  • Thursday 24^th September, from 11am to 1.30pm
• You will be required to attend a 3 to 3.5 hour practical training session at the centre on a specified date in late September or early October on a weekday so only apply if you are able to attend for this
• You will be required to complete several online training modules as part of the onboarding (online access and support can be provided).
• The number of vacancies is very limited and there is a selection process so not all applicants will be successful

What we need from you

• Cleaning the living environments of the cats in care
• Grooming cats and helping with feeding
• Enriching each cat’s experience in care through play, exercise and handling

Time expectation

Cat care volunteers usually spend 2 to 3 hours a week in this role, which is flexible and can be shared by more than one volunteer if needed.

You may be just the volunteer we’ve been looking for!

We are committed to building a diverse, compassionate and inclusive organisation where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We are courageous and compassionate in our purpose of helping people see the world through cats’ eyes. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are all for cats. Join the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and help make a better life for cats, because life is better with cats.