Holmes County Humane Society seeks cat lovers

Holmes County is seeking volunteers for Philo, Slim Jim, Marley, Shadow, Tiger Baby, Jagger, Belle, Rolo and dozens more cats at the Holmes County Humane Society.

The Holmes County Humane Society is seeking volunteer partners willing to come by every so often in support of the dozens of cats thriving inside the Fredericksburg facility.

The great thing is there is only one necessary qualification: loving cats.

“Our volunteers really don’t have to have any qualifications,” board member Deb Allison said. “All they need is to love our animals. We can teach them everything else they have to know about volunteering at any of our positions.”

That list of volunteer positions is lengthy, with something for everyone including cleaning and caring for the cats and kittens, helping to administer medications, doing laundry, sweeping, mopping or simply spending time with the cats and kittens.

“Spending time with our cats is almost therapy itself for our volunteers,” Allison said. “Our whole purpose here is to care for and love the cats who come into our care and connect them with humans and homes. That is our one big objective, and we welcome anyone who shares that same passion for caring for animals.”

Some of the daily objectives for volunteers include providing fresh food and water for the cats, scooping litter boxes, sweeping the floors, and giving the cats plenty of love and affection.

Allison said the board will work with volunteers concerning their schedules and times, offering both a.m. and p.m. shifts and a flexible schedule. The morning shifts are flexible, starting at 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the morning. The p.m. shifts usually begin at 5 p.m. and can take anywhere from 90 minutes to several hours, depending on how much the volunteers want to spend time with the cats.

“The morning shift is a bit more tedious because we feed all the cats wet food, which means cleaning up dishes afterward,” Allison said. “It’s really not difficult volunteer work, so anyone can do it. All they really need to have is a passion for cats.”

Allison said volunteers at the HCHS include single mothers, retirees, couples, families, groups and more. They have had volunteers from the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department who are serving as volunteers through work programs, as well as high school and college students seeking to earn their volunteer service time to qualify for scholarships through the Holmes County Education & Community Foundation.

“We are willing to work with any individual or group of people willing to give their time and share with our cats,” Allison said. “We will train volunteers until they are comfortable with whatever they are doing, and it’s not heavy labor, but rather a labor of love.”

She said one family visits and serves faithfully, but only one time per month. Others come faithfully once or twice a week, and they can set up volunteer services to accommodate every type of schedule.

The daily routine of the HCHS remains similar throughout each day of the week. The cats are fed wet food every morning, with the cats separated into eight different cat-friendly rooms that feature plenty of climbing and sleeping apparatuses, with several of the rooms designed to provide cats with indoor and outdoor living where a small door provides an easy exit from their indoor room to an outdoor room that gets them into the sunshine.

The board even finds ways to accommodate volunteers who have busy schedules and can only make it in during the middle of the day.

Allison said the board works hard to decipher each cat’s personality and place cats with compatible cats in each room. She said placing younger cats together or placing a cat that may have been living as a single pet with cats used to being around other cats helps the single cats learn how to coexist with others.

“We seek to find a balance that works with every one of our cats,” Allison said.

Creating that human/cat bond and interaction is one of the most valuable ways people can volunteer their time.

David Brandt volunteers by mopping the floors once a week. A cat owner himself, he understands the joy of making connections between humans and cats and sees the value the HCHS offers Holmes County.

“I volunteer because of my love for animals and my understanding of the great things the humane society does here,” said Brandt, who has been volunteering for years. “It’s very gratifying work, and we all share the same passion for caring for the cats.”

To volunteer or schedule a visit at the facility located at 9260 County Road 192, west of Fredericksburg, call the Holmes County Humane Society at 330-377-4026.