Safety and Cats

Rules for SAFe Kitties

Before doing something, we need to remember to ask ourselves:

Will this be safe for the kitty’s health? Not following procedures and guidelines could jeopardize the health of the cats in our care and could delay their ability to be adopted.
Will this help the kitty get adopted? Touching kitties does not help them get adopted and can be stressful and over-stimulating for them.

The Rules for SAFe Kitties:

1. If you didn’t clean it, it is dirty. Your hands are dirty every time you touch a kitty or their things.

Clean every counter or surface (e.g. washer/dryer) before you put something that will go in a cat enclosure on it. If you put something on a surface you didn’t clean, that something is now dirty. Floors are always dirty. If you put something on the floor, it is dirty unless you put something else in between.
Wash your hands before touching clean items that kitties will touch or use, and in between every cat.

2. If you don’t have to/ it isn’t part of your assigned duty, do not touch a kitty, or their items. Always ask first.

Feline health can change quickly. Colds and disease, like ringworm, can be undetected and easily spread, making kitties homeless longer. It is vital that we maintain caution and clean hands and supplies when working within the rescue to avoid any risk of spreading germs or disease. Not following rules could jeopardize the health of the cats in our care and could delay their ability to be adopted.
Be mindful to maintain a low volume and a calming tone when volunteering near the catsIt is important that we create an environment that is relaxing and as stress free as possible for the cats in our care. Only volunteers that have a specific need/task should be in the Kitten and Cat areas or quarantine

3. Be mindful and try to use less and reserve resources.

The more we save water, food, etc., the more resources we have to help kitties in need!

4. If you notice a health issue, tell your Volunteer Manager

Do not enter any enclosures unless they are specifically within your assignment
- This may include cat care, enrichment, or adoption counseling
- Staff only enclosures are not within volunteers assigned roles
Only touch a cat if it is 100% necessary and will benefit that cat
- Blocking a cat from exiting its enclosure, petting to encourage eating or similar is necessary
- Non necessary petting includes handling for only personal benefit such as grabbing a sleeping cat or petting while the cat is drinking water
Petting only with explicit requests and permission from the cats
- Cats requesting pets appears as headbutting, marking or wiping their face on you, often accompanied with purrs, chirps, kneading, and other relaxed behaviors
- Petting can become overstimulating, monitor behavior and body language for when petting becomes overstimulating ie flicking tail, pacing, lip licking, moving away.
- A cat laying in its bed is not asking to be pet, neither is a cat sitting on its shelf

We want to limit our petting of the cats as much as possible for multiple reasons.

Petting in a rescue environment is different from petting in a home environment

- At home, the cat knows it is safe and can relax to enjoy the petting. The cat also knows it can run away when it is done with being pet.
- Cats in a rescue cannot run away and they have a hard time relaxing in an environment they are unfamiliar with and people they are unfamiliar with.

Petting can make the cats uninterested in being pet later by potential adopters

- Petting is an important factor in deciding whether or not to adopt a cat, especially for potential adopters that may have little to no experience with cats and their behaviors.
- Potential adopters are more likely to not pursue a cat if they are unable to make physical contact with that cat.

Petting is overstimulating

- Rescue cats are already in a high stress, high stimulation environment. Petting increases both stress and stimulation. Over stimulation can appear as positive behaviors mixed with stressed behaviors.

Petting is not always fun for the cats

- Some cats will show signs of happiness or relaxation but this is not an invitation to start touching them, it is more of a sign that they are comfortable in your human presence.
- Explicitly requesting petting generally looks like headbutting into hands, marking or wiping their face on hands, often accompanied with other relaxed behaviors such as purring and kneading
- A cat perched on its shelf is not asking for petting even if it is displaying relaxed behaviors. A cat sleeping in its bed is not asking for petting. Showing their belly is not asking for belly rubs. All of these are signs the cat is relaxed in a human’s general presence.

If you are ever bitten or scratched, here at the Rescue, you are required to report the injury to your supervisor immediately if the skin is broken.
You will be required to fill out an incident report describing the situation.
Any volunteer who does not report the injury before leaving for their shift may have their volunteer position terminated at the discretion of the Volunteer Manager.
The first aid kit is located in the cupboard above the dish washing sink in the break room.

From King County Department of Health

If a person experiences a bite or a scratch from an animal in the facility, follow these first aid steps:
Promptly rinse wounds and scratches with lots of water and wash with soap and water for three to five minutes.
If the wound is bleeding, apply pressure with a clean, dry towel and raise above the heart to stop the bleeding.
Apply a sterile bandage to the wound.
Consult a healthcare provider if the bite or scratch has broken the skin.
See a healthcare provider for all cat bites- they are particularly dangerous because the puncture wounds caused by sharp feline teeth often close up quickly, trapping harmful germs under the skin.
Monitor all bites and scratches closely and seek medical care immediately if any redness, swelling or pain occurs.
Report any bite to the supervisor or person-in-charge immediately.

If a cat exits the threshold of its enclosure:

The most important things to remember:

Remain calm, you becoming stressed will cause the cat to become stressed
Do not ever chase or try to grab the cat
Most cats will hide in a corner rather than continuing to run if everyone reacts calmly and slowly

Next Page → Volunteer Capabilities and Rights

Page updated

Report abuse