Volunteer Profiles: An Interview with Fostering & Daily Care Volunteer, Sofia Sousa
After joining the Catcuddles team in 2020, Sofia Sousa has quickly established herself as a passionate and capable volunteer by assuming several key roles within the charity. Currently responsible for the daily cleaning, feeding, and socialising routine at CCHQ once per week, she is also a foster carer and adoptions team member.
With plenty of prior experience of volunteering with animals back in her native country of Portugal, Sofia has hit the ground running at Catcuddles and has been able to make a big difference for many deserving cats in a short amount of time. In a recent interview, we asked her to share what she has learned from her time at Catcuddles so far. Visit this page for more information about volunteering for Catcuddles.
What inspired you to start fostering/volunteering for Catcuddles?
Before I moved to the UK, I was a volunteer for many years at my local dog and cat shelter in Portugal, at a charity named Uniao Zoofila. After coming to London, I found it really hard to find an organisation where I could continue my volunteer work, because I found that a lot of charities had long waiting lists for volunteers, which kind of shocked me - in Portugal, it is an entirely different reality, as rescue organisations usually struggle to find volunteers. Then, during the pandemic, I saw an appeal on social media for Daily Routine volunteers at Catcuddles, and applied. Back home in Portugal, I used to be mainly involved in coordinating the dog sector, so volunteering at Catcuddles was something completely different, and gave me the chance to gain experience and knowledge of our feline friends.
Has fostering/volunteering differed from your expectations, and if so, how?
The daily cleaning, feeding, and socialising routine at Catcuddles was very similar to my previous volunteering role at Uniao Zoofila, so it didn’t differ too much from my expectations.
Fostering did hold some surprises, however. It is very demanding work, and although for the majority of people, the idea of having some new kitties in the house might sound exciting, it's important to understand that it is a huge responsibility - it is not enough to merely have a spare room. Depending on which cat you're fostering, you will need to find enough time to spend with them daily, for cleaning, feeding, socialising, and so on. At the end of the day, though, it is very gratifying work and I do not regret any of it!
Is there any cat that you've fostered/met during your time at Catcuddles who was particularly special to you?
I do have a soft spot for all the seniors! Mimi, Cookie, Dijon, Pippa.. so many special ones. And obviously my first foster, Phoenix, a semi-feral kitten - just to see what a confident cat he has become in his new home, makes me feel so happy.
What's your favourite part of being a volunteer/foster carer for Catcuddles?
My favourite part is absolutely having the chance to help each and every cat to find a forever home. Whether that takes the form of helping with the daily cleaning, brushing and grooming cats, washing laundry or even just helping with the collection and storage of food.
What advice would you give someone who is considering becoming a fostering volunteer/daily routine volunteer?
I think anyone thinking of applying should take some time to consider if they feel ready to commit. For daily routine volunteers, it’s really important to ensure that at least once a week, you will be able to dedicate yourself to the charity for four hours. That applies whether it’s raining or not - the cats still need us! That consistency is also something that will help volunteers to keep track of things, such as new cats coming in, and give them an opportunity to bond with and get to know every single cat, which is really important for matching them with the right home.